December 5, 2008 Newsletter

Newsletter: December 5, 2008

Not only is another world possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.

– Arundhati Roy

Farmer's Market this Sunday, December 7th

Creek Kids Care is setting up at the Walnut Creek Farmer's Market this Sunday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. We'd like to have at least three Creek Kids per one hour shift. Selling is a very fun way for Creek Kids (old and new, young and old) to participate and is an excellent way for Creek Kids to learn how to articulate what Creek Kids Care does and why. There will be supervising adults present, so consider having your child work while your family takes in the market. Please email Laura at creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net with preferred shifts.

Creek Kids Holiday Project 2009

This year, following the model of "Adopt a Family," Creek Kids individuals, groups, and/or families can sponsor a Fresh Start member for the holidays. At this point, we have 10 participating families and we'd ideally like to have 20. Wish lists are being filled out by Fresh Start members for both practical and impractical needs/wants. Will you please consider showering someone at Fresh Start with your care and generosity? It would be a worthwhile holiday project for our children to consider the needs of someone who lives outside (talk about putting our own wish lists in perspective!) There is no lower or upper spending limit; reaching out is the most important part of this project.

Please contact Laura at creekkidscare@sbcglobal.net if you'd like more information or like to participate. We'll have wish lists ready to go by Wednesday morning, December 10.

WCI News

The next WCI Creek Kids meeting is on Wednesday, December 17th. 8:45-9:20 in Room 600. Anyone is welcome! The Thanksgiving placemats that the WCI group made were the centerpiece for every table at the Fresh Start Thanksgiving. Thank you so much to the WCI group for doing such lovely and thoughtful work.

LLHS News

Now underway: Thank you to the Las Lomas CKC conducting a clothing drive for Fresh Start during the month of December. If you'd like to donate new or gently used socks, jackets, coats, pants, gloves, hats, warm shirts, shoes, underwear, sweaters, please contact Erin Wolff at w.wolff@comcast.net or Katrina Halle at katrina.halle@yahoo.com . Please support these awesome teenagers and Fresh Start members.

Creek Kids Website

Katie Mallon is our hero. She is learning how to do the very important work of keeping our website updated, a job that makes me shudder whenever I contemplate it. Thank you so much in advance, Katie!!! Yippee!

Please be on the lookout for a more thorough and useful website, particularly notification of upcoming events.

Fresh Start needs

With our economy in the tank and so many out of work, Fresh Start's needs are growing. Now that they have a storage shed (yeah us!), they have room to store non-perishable food. PLEASE consider taking a bag of groceries down to Fresh Start any Tuesday or Thursday from 11-6. Food is flying off their shelves. Especially important is PROTEIN! (think peanut butter, beans, chili, etc).

Art Parties

So sorry for those of you who have been waiting for an art party! We've been so busy with November and December events that we haven't had time to organize something. Thank you to those groups that have taken the bull by the horns and organized their own. You've kept us in art. We look forward to art parties in January. Stay tuned.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to those who baked for Fresh Start's Thanksgiving. Thank you to Jr. Girl Scout Troop #686 (Amelia, Emmalee, Thea, Ashley, Serena, Mariko, Hallee, Angela and leader Eva) for their four pies; thanks to the Winterichs, the Bohnerts, the Jones family, the Watsons, Taketas, McLeod-Phillips, Freemires and Mulligans. Your pies were a lovely addition to the Fresh Start meal. THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to Thea Winterich and her Daisy group at Pleasant Hill Elementary for producing some gorgeous art at their recent art party!

Thank you to Madeleine and Thea Winterich, Sammy, Courtney Fidderer, Hannah and Sian Phillips, Erin and Ali Wolff, May Newton, and Simon and Eva Krueger for a most productive and fun assembly party during Thanksgiving break. They replenished our supply of stationery so we're ready to go for this weekend's Farmer's Market.

St. Timothy's (in Danville) has a middle school group called Kids Core. This group is a new CKC satellite group. They are now producing their own art, assembling the cards and then selling the stationery after church on Sundays. Just wanted to welcome them again and thank them so much for the momentum they add to Creek Kids!!

Sunday!

This event is organized by Suzanne Rogge, a Creek Kids mom. After the Farmer's Market, head on over!!

GOODS FOR GOOD ART SALE

Date: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7

Time: 11a.m. until 4 p.m.

Place: 1419 QUEENS ROAD, BERKELEY, 94708

High quality pottery, jewelry, clothing, toys, prints, cards and more will be for sale to benefit international non-profit organizations Heifer International (www.heifer.org) and Women for Women International (www.womenforwomen.org). Cash and check only.

Come enjoy a festive atmosphere with great, live jazz featuring vocalist Denise Kidder and guitarist Ken Husbands from 11-1pm and Paul Strom Jazz Quartet from 2-4pm. Light refreshments will be offered including chocolate truffles from Joseph Schmidt of San Francisco. Kids are welcome!

Featured Artists Include:

Darla Engelmann, Elisse Gabriel, Wayne Lehr, Michele Mason, Jay Mercado, Mollie McNeil, Jess Parker, Suzanne Rogge, Renee Rothmann, Sita Rupe, Rosiland Solomon, Austine Warren, Liz Wayman, Ninepatch

A subsidiary of this event, Good KIDS for Good, will include sales of young artists' works by Aidan, Alison, Claire, Gabriel, Natalie, Noah & Serafina.

DIRECTIONS TO THE EVENT ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Parking is available on street and nearby small adjacent lot.

From Contra Costa: Take 24 east and exit at Fish Ranch Rd. Turn right to stay on Fish Ranch Rd. Turn right onto Grizzly Peak Blvd. for 3.4 miles and pass breath-taking views looking west and entrance to Tilden Park on your right. Look for Avenida Dr. on your left (one street past Senior). Turn left at Avenida (house with white picket fence at corner) and stay right going down hill. Turn right onto Queens Rd. and look for gold house with green garage #1419 on right.

If you have further questions, please contact Elisse Gabriel at elissegabriel@gmail.com or Suzanne Rogge at roggjenk@comcast.net.