Rolling Stones by Alexa Davidson Executive Director
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to add Vendor Booths and more Food options too! There will be Sponsor Choice Awards and the Community will again vote for Best in Show. Register your car at https://events. humanitix.com/valley-car-show . It’s $40 to register one car and $30 for 2nd car. Public Admission to car show is FREE. If you have interest in a vendor booth or any questions please contact Kerry Olivotti at kolivotti@sgvcc.org. If you’d like to learn more about Sponsorship Opportunities for the Valley Car Show please visit our website and contact Albert DeSilver at adesilver@sgvcc. org. We bring the Valley Summer Music Series back to the Courtyard on Sunday August 18 at 5pm with the Jesse DeNatale Band . I think the best way to let people know about Jesse DeNatale is through the words of the myriad of his own critically acclaimed fans, including Tom Waits who says “Now it seems that all the best ones have been driven underground. If there’s a leak in the boiler room it’s the music of Jesse DeNatale, a unique and original American voice.” Jonathan Richman claims “I have seen Jesse DeNatale play many times and he creates his own atmosphere as a performer. One of my favorite things about him is his piano playing. We once did a tour together during which his beautiful singing voice & his stories attracted followers wherever we went.” West Marin’s own Ramblin Jack Elliot passes the torch when he calls DeNatale “ …the bard of Tomales Bay”.
This is my fourth Rolling Stones column, marking one year in my Executive Director role for the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. This year has been truly remarkable and full of joy and com- munity impact. I feel so privileged to get to hold
this position, representing and working for a community that I care so deeply about. I learned a lot in my first year and in this column, I am excited to share the biggest year one take-aways with all of you. 1. Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast: The best laid strategies are only achievable with the right people on board and a healthy respect for each other and the community. The staff and board of the Community Center are some of the most special people. They have a deep commitment to our community, and they oper- ate with a shared set of values including dignity, belonging, and support. This year we have built a culture of radical ownership, inviting each of our team members to take full responsibility of themselves and their work. We have raised the bar, challenging each person think about how they can uplift those around them and as such we have seen our program teams and our community strengthen. Our board and staff create a healthy balance of fun and productivity, recognizing that to deliver a high level of com- munity service-based work, we must also create time to laugh together, to celebrate, and to rest. We have created a “roll-up your sleeves,” supportive culture, recognizing that one day you might be trouble shooting how to work a generator during an extended power outage and then next you may put on your business attire and speak in front of the Board of Supervisors. Our organizations culture extends beyond the board and staff to include all our cli- ents, constituents, and community members. I feel honored that the people who come through our doors are partners in our work. The Community Center is a part of people’s routines and together all of us are creating this place to be what it is. 2. We are Stronger Together: The nonprofit sector is a notoriously completive environment, with different organizations jockey- ing for funding, recognition, and even clientele. This mental- ity is bad for everyone and diminishes the scale of impact. The Community Center has always been a key collaborator and has been instrumental in breaking down silos and fostering collabora- tion. This year the impacts of collaboration were clear. This year, the Lagunitas School District formalized our decades-long part- nership by renaming the school the Lagunitas Community School and recognizing the partnership with the Community Center as central to their mission and vision. Together we have been able to bridge in-school learning with afterschool enrichment and find systems to care for the entire family through holistic programs. We have been sounding boards for one another during transitions and taken on big challenges together. Collaboration is critically important in West Marin as our communities are rural and geo- graphically disparate. To effectively serve all of West Marin, we have established key partnerships, notably our shared leadership approach with West Marin Community Services. Together we lead the Community Resiliency Team and the West Marin Coalition for Healthy Youth, created systems for equitable service delivery in the areas of public health, disaster preparedness, and substance use/overdose prevention. Our partners are key to the success of our organization. 3. We are leaders and people are listening: The San Geronimo and Nicasio Valleys are part of unincorporated Marin County, mean- ing we don’t have a local government like a city council or mayor. In many ways, our local nonprofits, including the Community Center fill this role for our residents. We have an important leadership role in advocating for local interests to our County of Marin partners, Board of Supervisors, state officials, and other local interest groups. We have been trusted to deliver key county- wide initiatives as a trusted community-based organization and as such our services have expanded. An example of this is during the pandemic when we partnered with County Public Health to bring vaccines, testing, and personal protective equipment to the local community through regular pop-up clinics. We have a role in defining community priorities, in creating access to services, and to ensuring that dollars and attention are given to our West Marin communities. This first year has been a blast, and I am so proud of our team and organization. Thank you for trusting me to carry-on the legacy of lead- ership at this Center and for being a part of what makes our organiza- tion great. As our motto goes… YOU BELONG HERE.
Credits Stone Soup is printed four times a year and reflects the diverse cultural interests of the Community Center and the Valley. Though it is a publication of the San Geronimo Valley Community Center, it is meant as a journal for everyone in or around the Valley. We are interested in your input. If you have any comments, ideas for articles or col- umns, news, art, stories, poetry, photography, or information for the Milestones col- umn, please forward them to: The Stone Soup Editorial Committee c/o San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. P.O. Box 194, San Geronimo, CA 94963. Phone 415-488-8888 • email: dfogel@sgvcc.org, or visit www.sgvcc.org. Stone Soup does not exercise editorial control on the content of submissions by organi- zations, byline columnists, or display ads. We reserve the right to refuse to publish ads or submissions. Editorial Committee: Danielle Fogel, Alexa Davidson, David Russ Proofreading: Alexa Davidson, Larry Rippee, Danielle Fogel, Helen Ferlino, Albert DeSilver, Poko Giacomini Production: David Russ, Russ Ranch Productions Printing: Marin Sun Ads: Danielle Fogel and Albert DeSilver We truly hope you will join us this summer for what is shaping up to be some fantastic events with exceptional music, good food and awesome community vibes! And save the date for the Latino Arts Festival on Saturday September 7 and a weeklong 10th Annual Peace Fest celebration where we will host a week of peace aligned workshops and classes that will culminate with a day of music on Sunday, September 22 . More info on these events will be in the fall edition of Stone Soup . David Bernard, President Liora Soladay, Co-Vice President Alexander McQuilkin, Co-Vice President John Beckerley, Secretary Owen Clapp, Treasurer David Lakes Kelly Lawson Wyatt Miceli, NextGen Amy Waterhouse Bonny White San Geronimo Valley Community Center Board Members Carolina Balazs Sarah Brewster Matthew Brockley Buddy Faure, NextGen Zachary Goodman Brandon Johnson Last but definitely not least is the bi annual return of The Valley Games IX on Saturday August 24 at the Community Gym, Blacktop and Field. The Valley Games is a gathering and family fun Olympics….Valley style. Each San Geronimo Valley Village along with Nicasio Valley compete in categories like Disc Golf, Hacky Sack, Bake Off, Ping Pong, Pickleball and more! There will be food, shave ice and awards for individual winners and village teams.
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Jean Berensmeier, Founder
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