Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Fundraiser in Pittsburg to benefit East Bay youth services and programs July 18

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Courageous & Emerging Leadership Academy (CELA) is hosting its first ever “CELA Honors Everyday Heroes” buffet dinner and auction fundraiser at La Piñata Restaurant in Pittsburg on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at 5:30 pm. This event is an awards ceremony held in appreciation of leaders, mentors, and advocates making a difference in the community through their work with at-risk and vulnerable youth.

There will be raffles and silent auction prizes, including an all-inclusive 7-9 nights resort and spa vacation for two to Antigua! Event tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite at https://cela.eventbrite.com. All proceeds benefit CELA, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the education and mentoring of Bay Area youth ages 8-20. CELA has been serving the region since 2017 and currently partners with the Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL) to provide services that present local youth with opportunities to succeed.

Your donations and ticket purchases will help foster CELA’s mission of building minds and saving lives through violence prevention, tutoring, and community development. In addition, you will help CELA expand their mentoring programs, which include:

• Boxing with Insight (BWI) – a pilot project that has been established to implement the combination of mentoring, counseling, education, and therapeutic case management support through boxing and martial arts training.

• Financial Literacy Program “Biz Kids”- a program provided by Travis Credit Union for high school students to engage in building tools for their future.

If you would like to make a donation to CELA, please contact Ms. Jacqueline King-Walton, Executive Director at (707) 301-1162 or Mrs. Phyllis Ritter, Board President at (925) 628-1641. More information about CELA’s unique programming can be found on their website at www.celacademy.org.

Warming center for homeless to open in Richmond Monday, April 15

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West county will be opening its first warming center which will provide a space for unsheltered residents to have a warm space at night. The center will Be located at GRIP – Greater Richmond Interfaith Program.

While it isn’t a permanent solution to the great work that needs to be done to alleviate homelessness, it helps. If you know someone who needs help call 211.

Richmond has also started the Richmond-San Pablo CORE homeless outreach team to provide on the ground services to the unsheltered, including helping people get access to the warming center.

“Celebrating the Life of César Chávez” awards ceremony at Los Medanos College Friday, March 29

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Los Medanos College (LMC) will host the annual “Celebrating the Life of César Chávez” recognition program on Friday, March 29, at its Pittsburg Campus; the reception will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the College Complex Indoor Quad, followed by the award presentations at 7:00 p.m. in the Recital Hall. The campus is located at 2700 East Leland Road in Pittsburg. The celebration is free and the public is encouraged to attend; RSVPs are not required. Complimentary, easy-access parking is available in Lot C for this event.

Los Medanos College hosts this event each year to honor the life of labor leader and human rights activist, César Chávez. The celebration also recognizes members of the East Contra Costa County community who embody his great tradition of voluntary service, civic activism, and non-violent social change.

The event includes the presentation of three recognition awards. The César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service, established in 1995, is presented to local residents who represent the core values modeled by César Chávez: “Service to Others, Sacrifice, A Preference to Help the Most Needy, Determination, Non-Violence, Acceptance of All People, Respect for Life and the Environment, Celebrating Community, Knowledge, and Innovation.” The East County Educator Award honors members of the educational community who demonstrate a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for students of color and those from low-income families. The Chávez Spirit Award recognizes up-and-coming leaders who have made a significant impact on the local community in the areas of advocacy and social justice.

This year’s recipients of the César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service are Dr. Elizabeth Gonzalez-Sidrian and Ms. Nancy Parent.  Dr. Gonzalez-Sidrian, a School Psychologist for Pittsburg Unified School District (PUSD) and advocate for students, serves on the Board of Directors for Future Leaders of America (FLA) East Bay Area.  Her commitment to volunteerism and serving others is demonstrated through her long-time involvement with FLA and its Youth Leadership Conference.  Ms. Parent, City Treasurer for Pittsburg, has a long history of community service and community engagement, having served on the PUSD School Board and five terms on the Pittsburg City Council.  She had an extensive record of volunteerism, mentoring, and securing donations to support student and community needs.

The East County Educator Award will be presented to Ms. Rebecca Quiñones, a teacher at Antioch High School, for her dedication to student learning and success.  Through her efforts to provide support, set high expectations, and engage with the AHS community, Ms. Quiñones has established deep and lasting connections with students and their families.

The Spirit Award will recognize two rising leaders and advocates in the community: Mr. Jose Cordon and Mr. Alphonso Guerrero.  As the Community Education Lead at One Day at a Time (ODAT) in Brentwood, Mr. Cordon empowers and builds leadership skills for East Contra Costa County youth.  Mr. Guerrero is the Founder and President of Compass Mentoring Academy, a non-profit organization that – through its weight-training program – provides mentoring and a supportive environment to young men at the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility.

Please join us to celebrate the spirit of service and activism in our community.

For more information about all of LMC’s activities celebrating César Chávez, visit www.losmedanos.edu/chavez/events.  Questions about the events or awards may be directed to Jennifer Adams at jadams@losmedanos.edu or (925) 473-7302.

Extraordinary new Rotary Club charters in the county

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Northern California Gateway Rotary Club meets online instead of at weekly sit-down meetings

Rotary International District 5160 Governor Jon Dwyer visited Northern California Gateway Rotary’s Charter reception at the Elks Lodge in Pittsburg, Wednesday March 6, to personally welcome the 25 diverse members of the area’s newest and most novel Rotary Club.

The club’s composition is extraordinary, 12 women and 13 men, with an average age of 42 years, one a former President of a Rotary youth group. The objective of the club is to connect committed, community minded volunteers in the pursuit of service through friendship without the traditional meeting constraints of the past, thus the name Northern California Gateway.

Victor Georgiou, of the Danville Rotary Club, was the Governor’s Representative tasked with guiding new members through the Charter process, over recent years. Joyce Chiu, a former Danville Rotarian, was also active from the beginning. While there are 71 other clubs in the district with over 3,500 members, population growth has outpaced Rotary’s growth, in part because of the culture shift away from the weekly sit-down-meal meeting.

The new club concept embraces engagement over meeting attendance, retaining the network of community-minded friends’ approach that is the core of Rotary. Participation in projects is a large part of attendance. Members may also attend meetings online.

But don’t get the new members wrong: As flexible as the club may be in terms of presence, the focus on joint implementation of social projects is paramount.

Like all new ideas, there was some early resistance to change. That has largely gone away as other clubs are coming to view the new club as an asset to their efforts Northern California Gateway Rotary received its official charter in December 2018. District Governor Jon Dwyer, and his wife Bonnie, congratulated each member of the new club. DG Dwyer also emphasized the club’s status as a role model:

“Rotary club of Northern California Gateway stands for a new generation of Rotary clubs – the kind of clubs I consider necessary so that Rotary can continue to grow,” he said.

In his thanks to Gateway Rotary, new club president Daniel Lopez clarified the future path of the club.

“Together we will interpret the Rotary idea in new ways, design and start new projects and make new friends,” he said. “In this process, we will be guided by our Rotary values and the idea that is expressed in our club name.”

“We all had a great entertaining and humorous evening with good conversations among friends and families,” Lopez continued. “After all the words of praise, it is time now to grow together as a club, to get the first projects off the ground, to get active in the region, and to contribute to the development of the Rotary family – both internally and externally. All in the spirit of the club name: Rotary Club of Northern California Gateway.”

To learn more visit http://gatewayrotary5160.org.

Supervisors honor county employees for raising over $73,000 for food bank

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Story and photo by Daniel Borsuk

At their meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019 the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized the 2018 Counties Care Holiday Food Fight participants.  Last December Contra Costa County employees and elected officials raised more than $73,000.   Over the past 10 years, county employees have raised $1.4 million for the Contra Costa Food Bank.

Awards for top contributors were presented to county employees or elected officials such as District Attorney Diana Becton and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen.

The Contra Costa Food Bank serves 30,000 low income residents each year.

DA Becton announces second Community Academy Class for Spring 2019

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By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney

District Attorney Diana Becton announces today that the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office will launch a second Community Academy class this March. The goal of the academy will be to strengthen community relations and provide residents a better understanding of our criminal justice system.

The academy is free and is open to residents who live or work in Contra Costa County. Individuals must complete an application and background check when they apply. Residents can access an application on our website or residents may also apply in-person at one of our offices at the following locations:

  • 900 Ward Street, Martinez, CA 94553
  • 10 Douglas Drive Suite 130, Martinez, CA 94553
  • 100 37th St. Rm 220, Richmond, CA 94805

Residents can submit the applications to the attention of Janet Era. Applicants may also email DA-CommunityAcademy@contracostada.org with their completed application. The application period ends on February 11, 2019.

The Community Academy will be made up of at least 20 residents of Contra Costa County for a 12-week course held at the DA’s Office in downtown Martinez, 900 Ward Street from 5:30-7:30 p.m. every Wednesday starting March 6, 2019. The Community Academy, which is similar to Citizens’ Academies hosted by many law enforcement agencies, is the only academy of its kind at a District Attorney’s Office in Northern California.

The academy helps underscore the office’s commitment to engaging and educating residents of Contra Costa County. Admitted applicants can expect to learn how cases are filed, the different types of crimes our office investigates and prosecutes, and the work we do not only prosecuting cases but also the community outreach efforts underway to prevent crime and to support children, parents and crime victims.

Presenters for the academy will include deputy district attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, support staff, community-based organizations and justice partners. The comprehensive overview by our office will allow residents to get an in-depth examination and review of the criminal justice system in our community.

Contra Costa Health Services seeks volunteers for annual homeless count

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WHAT: Contra Costa Health Services’ Division of Health, Housing and Homeless Services (H3) seeks volunteers for the county’s annual point-in-time count of residents who are experiencing homelessness.

Volunteers will work in groups at designated locations across the county to interview people and collect data.

WHO: Volunteers must be 18 or older. Spanish speakers are especially encouraged to volunteer.

WHEN: Each volunteer must attend a two-hour training during the week of January 21 and work a two- to three-hour shift during the week of January 28. Trainings and shifts are available across the county at a variety of times.

Volunteers are encouraged to wear warm clothing and comfortable footwear to their shifts and be prepared to stand for long periods.

WHY: Data collected during the count help H3 and its partners to improve services for Contra Costa’s homeless population and is used by federal, state and local government to determine funding for homeless services.

Visit cchealth.org/h3 for more information and to volunteer. For questions about volunteering, contact Georgia Lucey at georgia.lucey@cchealth.org or 925-608-6700.