A Day on the Green for Our Community by Albert DeSilver, Development Coordinator
After an unforgettable tournament last year, we are excited to return to Indian Valley Golf Club in Novato, with sweeping views of Stafford Lake as our back- drop. The day begins with a 12:00 noon shotgun start, followed by a round filled with friendly competition and fun, including putting contests, closest-to-the-pin, and longest drive challenges along the way. Winners will take home an array of great prizes, from gift certificates to local golf courses and high-quality golf gear, to Community Center swag and items donated by generous local businesses. What truly sets this tournament apart, however, is what happens off the fairway. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Tomales Bay Oyster Company and Hog Island, attendees can enjoy a nearly unlimited supply of fresh, delicious oysters. Add in a lively raffle featuring sports and concert tickets, local restaurant gift cer- tificates, and more—plus a delicious local dinner with beer and wine—and the result is a day that feels equal parts fun and meaningful! Every swing, every sponsorship, and every raffle ticket directly supports the pro- grams that bring our community together—from youth sports and after-school programs to fitness, recreation, and wellness opportunities for all ages. This tour- nament is not just a fundraiser; it is a reminder of what is possible when a com- munity comes together in support of one another. Right now, the only way to guarantee your spot is through sponsorship. Sponsorships are a meaningful way to support the Community Center while gain- ing visibility for your business or family and enjoying a memorable day on the course. There are sponsorship levels to fit a wide range of interests and budgets. To learn more, visit sgvcc.org or scan the QR code included with this announcement. General admission tickets will go on sale Wednesday, April 1. Whether you join us as a golfer, a sponsor, or a supporter cheering us on, your participation makes a real and lasting difference. For questions about the tourna- ment, sponsorship opportunities, or ways to get involved, please contact Albert DeSilver at adesilver@sgvcc.org.
Golf, Oysters, and Giving Back
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, the San Geronimo Valley Community Center will once again gather friends, neighbors, and supporters for one of our most joyful traditions: the Annual Spring Golf Tournament and Oyster Feed. This beloved community fundraiser directly supports our Community Gym, Recreation, and Youth Programs—programs that ensure kids, families, and seniors across the Valley have access to spaces and activities where we can play, grow, connect, and thrive.
We hope to see you on the green!
Tonight’s Sky by Rich Lohman
March-May 2026
Throughout March and into April, the easily-identi- fied constellation of Orion, accompanied by Taurus and Gemini, will continue to dominate our southern
sky. During that time they will be slowly moving toward the West, and will set by early May. Many times In the past I’ve pointed out the Orion Nebula which lies embedded in the scabbard (knife) hanging from Orion’s belt. In this article I’d like to share with you more detail about that amaz- ing region of our cosmos. First, I encourage you to locate the nebula with a pair of binoculars. First focus on one of Orion’s main stars. Then point them to the middle of Orion’s knife hanging from the 3-starred belt. See the “Neb.” on the map. You’ll find a lineup of 3 or 4 small stars that form the knife, and one of them appears to be very fuzzy. You can’t bring it into focus. That fuzzy spot IS the Orion Nebula. Throughout our galaxy there are thousands of nebulae, very colorful regions of dust and gas and always rather fuzzy through a telescope. Some are remnants of a star having ended its life in a supernova explosion. Some result from a more gradual form of star death. The Orion Nebula is a star- forming nebula, and is often called a “star nursery”. It is the closest large star-forming region to the Earth and also the most widely-studied nebula in the sky. Located at a distance of about 1500 light years, it is estimated to be between 1 and 3 million years old. That’s young on an astronomical scale. If you have the opportunity to view the nebula with a telescope and can zoom in on the nebula, you will see four, tiny and very bright stars in a tight trapezoidal configuration. See the attached image. The four together are called the trapezium. The trapezium stars are hot, young stars (est. 300,000 yrs), the hottest of the four being an intense 70,000 deg. F. Our sun is only about 10,000 F. At such high temperatures, these stars send tre- mendous amounts of ultraviolet light into the surrounding nebular cloud. This activates the cloud so that we see it glowing with light as seen in the image.
The part that we can only see with a very powerful, and specially-filtered, telescope is deeper inside the nebula. Gravity is pulling together the dust and gases in the nebula. When the pressure and temperature of that mass gets high enough, nuclear fusion is initiated. A star is born! A brief word about visible planets as I end this piece. Very bright Jupiter will remain near the two Gemini stars of Pollux and Castor well into May. On the map, Jupiter is at the “N” in GEMINI. Meanwhile, dim Saturn is setting and Venus is rising in the West. During March, Venus will steadily rise to become our very bright “evening star”.
Any questions or comments: email me at richneal@pacbell.net
SGV Community Center Stone Soup Page 11
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