Page 37 - Sonoma County Gazatte May 2017

“...my mother’s face in the garden, was completely different.” Colette Happy Mothers’ Day to All
Most graduating seniors in Sonoma County are preparing for a fun filled evening after graduation, safely celebrating with their classmates at a decades old event, Project Graduation. The event was created as a way to keep celebrating seniors safe, and in one place, the night after graduation.
Unfortunately, organizers of Cotati-Rohnert Park Project Grad learned recently the treasurer embezzled all the funds for this years event. Organizers estimate the loss at over $50,000. Many members in the community are stepping up to help, the most notable at this point is the Rohnert Park Public Safety Officers Association. They will be putting on a very large pancake breakfast at Fire Station 2 on the corner of 5200 Country Club
This May 14th my mother celebrates her 90th birthday. In many ways, Evelyn French is the smart, beautiful and sweetly social girl she was and always has been. In Anderson, where my sister and I grew up, when I mention Evelyn’s name people say, “Oh I love Evelyn. She is delightful.” Or “I knew her at the bank and liked her.” Evelyn’s mother, Alice Shepherd, lived and picked fruit in
Sebastopol during the Depression.
When Evelyn was pregnant she taped a smiling
Gerber baby on an inside door. “Every time I
got sick, I would look at it and say, ‘I’m having a beautiful baby just like that one. And you were beautiful.” While my younger sister, Denise and I were in school mom worked part-time at a photography studio, hand-coloring the black and white portraits. She encouraged us to play and to read. We would often nd her deep in a book or Good Housekeeping. Evelyn loved being a stay- at-home mother. She looked for good qualities in her family, neighbors and everyone she met.
Denise and I wanted to be with them so we learned every job they were willing to teach. We greeted people, seated families and cleared tables. On busy Sundays, we helped mom or dad at the cash register. Our place was mobbed
on Mothers’ Day, Easter, etc. They needed us. Eventually, we obtained work permits and became waitresses. I remember feet burning from running on hard oors. We enjoyed the tips and smiles from customers. Of course, we received some grumpy complaints from hungry or crazy customers. Returning home, our white uniforms and shoes were plastered in maple syrup, mustard and steak sauce. By the time our parents returned to their home in Anderson, Denise and I had married. In Anderson Evelyn took a job as a bank teller, eventually being hired as the manager of a savings and loan.
Lisa Fischer, my closest friend of 18 years, lived in Cotati for over 25 years. Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Lisa grew up with her younger sister, Bonnie, in a strong Russian-Scottish community. As a college graduate Lisa backpacked through Europe alone. She enjoyed a career as a licensed social worker in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Drive and Golf Course Drive in RP on May 13 at 8 am.
Celebrating Lisa Fischer, a Cotati Mother
New Turf Coming to Sunrise Park
The city council recently approved an all-weather field for both the soccer/ lacrosse field and the softball field at Sunrise Park, located along the Rohnert Park Expressway. After much, and fascinating deliberation, the council reached an agreement with a developer who offered to donate additional funds so both fields could be converted from water loving grass to the all-weather synthetic turf. This will be a much-needed improvement to the park which is often unusable due to winter rains and muddy conditions. The park at Santa Dorotea will also see new park equipment being installed in the very near future. City staff met with homeowners neighboring the park and asked their input on a choice of playground equipment.
Spreckels Performing Arts, The Broadway of Rohnert Park
Rohnert Park is proud to be the home of the award winning Spreckels Performing Arts Center led by manager/director Gene Abravaya. Two highly entertaining shows are planned for the April and May. Songs For a New World runs April 21 to May 7. This show weaves characters and history together, from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to a ledge, 57 stories above Fifth Avenue illuminating the timelessness of self-discovery. From a determined young man who believes basketball will be his ticket out, to a woman who finds herself in the wealthy marriage she dreams of only to find it is soulless. It’s about that one moment, when you make choice or take a stand or perhaps turn and run the other way. Disney’s Musical Tarzan opens May 5 through May 21. Music and lyrics by Phil Collins. The classic tale of a young boy raised by apes in West Africa, enjoying the freedom of living in the jungle until he encounters humans like himself for the first time. For tickets please call the Spreckels Box Office
at 707-588- 3400. “A Spreckels Theatre Company production is Broadway right here in Rohnert Park.” Barry Willis, President, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.
The City of Rohnert Park will be holding another Town Hall event on May 3 at the Rohnert Park Community Center starting at 6 pm. This is a terrific way to learn about what is happening at the city, how to become involved and share comments or concern with the city council.
GET WELL JUD SNYDER!!
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When we were young teens Evelyn became a full partner in a 24-hour pancake house. From then on both of our parents worked long weeks.
The goal is to raise enough funds so these graduating seniors from Cotati and Rohnert Park will have the same safe, fun filled place to spend their graduation night as many of their counterparts have had before them. Coming together
to turn this unfortunate issue into to a strong community event is a great way to show our youth how to find a very positive solution to a gut-wrenching problem.
She relocated to California, buying a home in Cotati and changed careers. Lisa had myriad talents. She became a stained glass designer in Marin County. Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge extended to studies as a master gardener. She also studied as a pastry chef then, with an Italian master jewelry designer all the while studying vegetarian cooking.
Lead poisoning from stained-glass craft delayed Lisa’s dream of motherhood. Years later, Lisa married and gave birth to her beloved daughter, Ariana.
Had Lisa not become a mother, we might never have met. At Thomas Page elementary, with her daughter in rst grade and mine in kindergarten, we met at an art docent training. Lisa and I loved our art instruction from the solo art program founder, Jan Brady. Soon we’re working together as volunteers, giving lessons in the in watercolor technique, Japanese Sumi ink painting, Matisse collage, contour drawing, etc. Other mothers joined from time to time, but
none as steadfast and creative as Ann Mathewson, who had been running the clay art program for years. We led three to four classes a day for every student four days a week. We, with help from teachers and volunteers, produced open houses and fall festivals. It was the best of times.
Rohnert Park Town Hall
Our mothers carried, nurtured and taught us from conception to birth dramatically changing their lives to enable ours. They instilled traits and values we may not recognize but we apply them in our lives. We mimic their smiles, their attitudes, their posture, demeanor and caring ways. Everyday our mothers still carry us.
Deborah Taylor-French blogs at Dog Leader Mysteries (.com).
Donations can be dropped off at Fire Station 2 any time. Any funds raised will be go directly back to Project Grad. Donations can also be mailed or dropped off at:
Rancho Cotate High School 5450 Snyder Lane in Rohnert Park, Technology High School, 1801 East Cotati Avenue or Project Grad P.O. Box 702 in Cotati.
All checks should be made payable to Cotati-Rohnert Park Project Graduation.