“A Valley for All” is the theme for this year’s Stroll, the 26th annual event that brings literally thousands of our families, friends and neighbors together for a day of music, food, entertainment and fun. Crafters and merchants, non-profits and civic groups will all have booths for you see, buy or hear about the many wonderful things that are taking place in our little corner of the world. Hope to see you all Sunday, September 15th, sometime between 11 to 4.
September also is the start of a new school year, so traffic patterns are changing once again. Watch out for children as they go to and from school, especially away from campus. Everyone slows down for the crossing guards and flashing bus lights, but don’t forget the streets a few blocks away from school where these students live.
Windermere Rowland Realty once again held a school supply drive, and owners Mike and Renee Rowland were grateful to all who donated notebooks and pencils, protractors and backpacks and more, all of which will be presented to the Contra Costa Boys & Girls club to help students in need of the supplies. The club operates three locations locally as well as in Martinez.
The Chamber has been planning the next fundraiser event for the Scholarship Fund. Last year we gave out three $500 scholarships to graduating De Anza seniors and hope to increase the awards this year. On Saturday, October 19, the Chamber will host a SPAGHETTI WESTERN Dinner and Dance at the El Sobrante Banquet Hall located in the Elks Lodge on San Pablo Dam Road. For a fistful of dollars ($25 to be exact) one can have a spaghetti dinner of pasta, salad, dessert and coffee or tea as well as dancing and a ticket for a door prize (exact prize to be announced soon), and for a few dollars more there will be specialty cocktails, an old western jail fundraiser, an additional raffle, and more. Get your boots and western gear on, but leave your pistols at home. Look for the flyer about the event inside this newsletter or on the elsobrantechamber.com website.
Fall is also the time to select the leadership for the Chamber in the coming year. The nominating committee is seeking nominees for Board members, if you would like to serve or like to nominate someone you know would like to serve, contact the Chamber office at 510-223-0757 with your nominee.
We also select a Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year and are seeking nominees for those awards as well. Jim Hammack and all the Nerds at Nerd Crossing are this year’s Business of the Year, and your humble president was voted Citizen of the Year this past December. Our tenure in the positions culminates with a ride in this year’s Stroll Parade, so I will see you then.
Scott