The Mill Valley Public Library’s Centennial Celebration in 2011 had a pair of notable outcomes: recognition for one of Mill Valley’s hallmark institutions and its ability to evolve in the digital age, and a shot of fundraising adrenaline for the once-disparate organizations dedicated to supporting that institution.

At the Mill Valley Library Foundation’s Beyond the Book Bash Saturday night at the Throckmorton Theatre, the celebration continued with a group of star-studded group of talent from literary, comedic and musical arts. And library supporters’ ability to raise money showed no signs of slowing down.

Foundation officials reported Tuesday that the event raised another $124,000 to support Library programs and services, and that the foundation has raised more than $1 million for an endowment and financial support of programs such as First Fridays and After Hours events; children and teen programming and digital entertainment. 

"Programs like these make the library more relevant than ever," City Librarian Anji Brenner said.

“We want to blow your mind about what a library can be in a community,” MVLF board chair Andy Mercy told the crowd of more than 200 people. “Tonight is a celebration of your thirst for knowledge and the library’s ability to quench that thirst.”

That thirst was quenched Saturday night from every angle, with local comedian Mark Pitta keeping the night moving swiftly with joke-laden segues, including light jabs at City Hall: “I almost didn’t make it here tonight on Miller Avenue; man, someday they might give us drivers our own lane!” and book sales in the digital age: “The title of my new book is ‘Add to Cart.’”

The night’s entertainment included:

• Tam High student Emma Weinswig reading her poem “26 Seconds,” which juxtaposed the rate of high school dropouts in the U.S. and the struggles of children in places like Afghanistan, where the Taliban “scare dreamers into silence.”
• A reading by local author Holly Payne from her new book Damascena: The Tale of Roses and Rumi that took the audience to Turkey in 1270. Payne brought the unparalleled poet Mevlana Rumi to life, unraveling the mystery surrounding a legendary orphaned girl who discovers her gift of turning roses into oil.
• Tam Valley actor, author and ubiquitous documentary narrator (including Ken Burns’ The Roosevelts) Peter Coyote gave a wildly entertaining reading about a youthful jaunt through Mexico from his latest book, The Rainman’s Third Cure, a spiritual memoir that will be published by Counterpoint Press in spring 2015. 
• In a hilarious chat with Pitta, legendary comedian and political humor pioneer Mort Sahl spoke about Last Man Standing: The Life and Passion of Mort Sahl, author James Curtis’ impending biopgraphy, with Sahl drawing raucous laughter with lines like: “There are many wives to chase down and they’ll tell him, ‘Every minute with him was pure hell,’” and “It wasn’t a very puritanical life, but it was a whole lot of fun.”
• Joined by piano, drums and Beyond the Book Bash producer Tom Corwin on bass, longtime Santana singer Tony Lindsay gave a spirited performance, while New Tork Times best-selling author Tom Barbash delivered a reading from "The Break," a story about a newly single mother who in interferes in her son's love life over his Christmas vacation from college – part of Stay Up With Me, his 2013 collection of stories that explore the myriad ways we try to connect with one another and with the sometimes cruel world around us. 

But while the readings, the music and the performances were stellar, it was the tributes to the library itself that stood out.

• "Hi I’m Mark and I have a Library Card," Pitta quipped at the evening's outset.
  
• "The Mill Valley Library is showing the way in how to stay relevant in the digital age," Corwin said.
  
• "Our library is a ridiculopusly beautiful place," Barbash said.
  
• "I’m so excited to see all these people out here for this secret leftist institution, the library, paid for by your tax dollars – how discreet," Coyote joked.

"For thousands of years the library has been a vital repository for knowledge and books, a place to explore and touch the physical world," Mercy said. "In Mill Valley, we are blessed also by a place of beauty that nurtures contemplation and collaboration. Tonight's event celebrates that legacy and the innovation that keeps it relevant in today's changing world."

Click here for more information of the 31-year-old Mill Valley Library Foundation.

More than 600 people turned out for the Zero Breast Cancer's 12th Annual Dipsea Hike on Saturday, Sept, 13 in Old Mill Park, raising nearly $70,000 in the process. 

The San Rafael-based nonprofit organization, which focuses on research, prevention and education, has been hosting the event since 2002, seeking to both heighten awareness of the benefits of physical activity in reducing breast cancer as well as raise mont for continued research. The event has raised more than $300,000 in support of ZBC’s research and educational programs and more than 3,100 people have participated.

The Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer is an all ages noncompetitive 6-mile course starting at the Dipsea steps in Mill Valley. This year’s honorary event chair, inspirational speaker and lead hiker was Astronaut Yvonne Cagle, who graduated from Novato High in 1977. Dr. Cagle Yvonne Cagle was a member of the Astronaut Class of 1996. 

Zero Breast Cancer was founded in 1995 and is a community based organization dedicated to prevention and finding the causes of breast cancer through local participation in the scientific research process. They focus on identifying environmental factors and the role they play in breast cancer at all stages of life and across generations. To find out more about Zero Breast Cancer’s work, visit zerobreastcancer.org

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The Mill Valley Library Foundation has made supporting the Library an increasingly entertaining exercise.

The foundation's annual Beyond the Book Bash, set for Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Throckmorton Theatre, features an entertainment program from some of the most well known and multi-talented people in Marin, with comedian Mark Pitta serving as emcee. They include:

• Mill Valley’s own actor, director and screenwriter Peter Coyote
• Internationally published Discover Great New Writers author Holly Payne
• New York Times bestselling writer Tom Barbash
  
• Legendary comedian Mort Sahl
  
• Grammy-winning musician and Santana frontman Tony Lindsay

"The event, for all involved, isn't just about the library," Foundation board member Lynn Brinton said. "It's about our community and how we seek to connect and support the arts. This event raises money so that we can continue to support the arts at the library, as a place to meet and share not only literary arts but music, theatre, and much more."

The Beyond the Book Bash has consistently provided a unique opportunity to see Marin's most talented artists on one stage, often performing new works for this event exclusively. Participants over the years have included Annie Lamott, Joyce Maynard, Maria Muldaur, Tim Hockenberry, The Kitchen Sisters, Jason Roberts, Liss Fain Dance, teen slam poet Billy Butler, Mac Barnett, Chinaka Hodge, Glen David Gold and James Nash.

Proceeds from the event help ensure that the Mill Valley Library "continues to offer the highest-quality programs, technology, and services and remains one of the most celebrated community treasures in Marin," according to the Foundation. 

Foundation officials said they expect to gross more than $100,000 from this year's event. The Foundation has raised more than $250,000 for the Library over the past four years.

The event kicks off at 7pm with a cocktail buffet featuring local food purveyors and specialty beverage makers, and the show begins at 8pm. 

The 411: Tickets are $150 per person. Go here for more info and to buy tickets.

Zero Breast Cancer, a San Rafael-based nonprofit organization focused on research, prevention and education, hosts its 12th annual Dipsea Hike on Saturday, September 13 at 8 a.m. in Old Mill Park.

Seeking to both heighten awareness about the benefits of physical activity in reducing breast cancer risk as well as raise money for continued research, Zero Breast Cancer hosts its 12th Annual Dipsea Hike on Saturday, Sept, 13 in Old Mill Park – and volunteers are needed for the day of event.

The San Rafael-based nonprofit organization, which focuses on research, prevention and education, has been hosting the event since 2002, when Annie Fox, a former ZBC board member, Marin County employee, avid trail runner and breast cancer advocate who died of breast cancer at the age of 35, created it. The event continues to be held in her honor. This 12th annual event also honors Jerry Leith, who died in 2012 of cancer.  After Fox's death, Leith, also an avid runner, carried on her inspiration and assumed a leadership role in coordinating the Dipsea Hike for eight years.  

The event has raised more than $250,000 in support of ZBC’s research and educational programs and more than 2,500 people have participated.


"When you join the Zero Breast Cancer volunteer family, you’ll unite with others who have been affected by breast cancer and you’ll help us prevent breast cancer in the next generation," said ZBC Executive Director Janice Barlow.


Volunteer tasks include: Pre-hike check in of teams and individuals, post-hike check in, set up crew, aid and cheering stations, food stations and post event clean up. For full details and to register as a volunteer, click here. To register to participate in the Dipsea Hike, click here or call Marissa at the Zero Breast Cancer office 415-507-1949, ext 105.

The Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer is an all ages noncompetitive 6-mile course starting at the Dipsea steps in Mill Valley. Check-in is at 8 a.m., with a 9 a.m. start. This year’s honorary event chair, inspirational speaker and lead hiker is Astronaut Yvonne Cagle, who graduated from Novato High in 1977. Dr. Cagle Yvonne Cagle was a member of the Astronaut Class of 1996. After completing the hike, there will be a celebration in Old Mill Park with food, music, fundraising prizes and a raffle.

Zero Breast Cancer was founded in 1995 and is a community based organization dedicated to prevention and finding the causes of breast cancer through local participation in the scientific research process. They focus on identifying environmental factors and the role they play in breast cancer at all stages of life and across generations. To find out more about Zero Breast Cancer’s work, visit zerobreastcancer.org

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The following was provided by Susan Royce of the Rotary Club of Mill Valley.

Wheeled zucchinis raced for the second time at the Rotary Club of Mill Valley’s 2nd Annual Zucchini Race on August 17. The event, held at the Mill Valley Golf Course Clubhouse, was a benefit for the Dictionary Project, through which the Rotary Club of Mill Valley provides a dictionary to every third grader. Scores of people showed up for racing and fun. Although there were a few catastrophic crashes that ended in variations of ratatouille, we had many winners in various categories.

The Rotary Club of Mill Valley is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In more than 160 countries worldwide, approximately 1.3 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs. The main objective of Rotary is service in the community, workplace and throughout the world.  Rotarians develop community service projects that address many of today's most critical issues, such as children at risk, poverty and hunger, the environment, literacy and violence. They also support programs for youth, educational opportunities and international exchanges for students, teachers and other professionals.  
Rotary club membership represents a cross-section of the community's business and professional men and women. The world's Rotary clubs meet weekly and are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds. The Rotary motto is Service Above Self. For more information about the rich history of the Mill Valley Rotary Club, visit its website.

 At 114 years old, Scout Hall could use a bit of a makeover.

And if the Rotary Club of Mill Valley is successful in its latest attempt to raise enough money to pay for the work – a “Raise the Roof” fundraiser at the Outdoor Art Club is set for June 13  – one of Mill Valley’s landmark buildings will get the love it needs.

“If all goes well, we hope to have a shovel in the ground in August or September,” said Sue Moxon, who has overseen the 8-year-old effort to raise the money needed to overhaul the building at 177 E. Blithedale Ave. Moxon sits on the board of nonprofit Mill Valley Scout Hall Inc., which owns Scout Hall.

The hall, which served as a saloon, a livery stable and a laundry drying shack in the early 1900s, is heavily used by a host of local groups beyond the scouts (and isn’t affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America), serving as the lone dedicated youth center in Southern Marin since 1919, Moxon said. It also housed the offices of the Mountain Play Association for many years before the organization that puts on the outdoor theater production on Mount Tam each year moved to San Rafael in late 2013.

The Raise the Roof event features dinner from Insalata’s in San Anselmo and a live auction with vacation rentals from Lake Tahoe to Ireland, a bevy of great wines and restaurant gift certificates.

The project initially had a $1.2 million target but has been scaled back a bit, Moxon said. The organization has scrapped a plan to open up the ceiling and install a skylight due to prohibitive costs and the structural work that would have resulted.

But the new iteration of the project still includes a massive amount of work, including a new roof, a remodel of the bathrooms to make them larger and ADA compliant, a remodel of the kitchen, new front and rear doors, new hardwood floors, ADA-compliant front and rear entrances, the installation of a wheelchair lift, new plumbing and electrical systems, new paint throughout and an alarm system.

The campaign has raised around $570,000 to date, mostly through more than 400 individual donations. It got a major boost when an anonymous donor awarded Scout Hall a $240,000 matching-funds grant and the fundraising effort was able to match it. In addition to the cash donations, they've received approximately $120,000 in in-kind donations, including a new roof cover from McLeran Roofing. 

For Moxon, the Scout Hall renovations can’t come soon enough. While the remains a hub of local activities, Scout Hall plays a vital role for local youth groups. And the American Red Cross has designated Scout Hall as an emergency shelter once the renovations are finished, a role it played during the disastrous fire on Mount Tam in July 1929.

“This place is a Mill Valley landmark, and we’re making a community-wide appeal to help us restore it,” Moxon said.

The 411: Click here for more info and to buy tickets to the Rotary Club of Mill Valley's “Raise the Roof” fundraiser at the Outdoor Art Club on June 13.

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The Redwoods’ 22nd annual Celebration of Service Awards event is set for April 25, with Mill Valley youth, teachers, volunteers and a police officer among the honorees. Awardees for the invite-only event are nominated by The Redwoods, the schools and the Public Safety Department of the City of Mill Valley.

“The Redwoods is part of the fabric of the Mill Valley,” says Barbara Solomon, CEO of The Redwoods. “We hold this event to give back to the community that has supported us for over 40 years.  It is great way to publicly thank members of the broader community for the extraordinary services they perform and the difference they make in the lives of others – not only at The Redwoods, but throughout the community.”

The 2014 awards, which are given in six categories, will be presented to the following individuals:

Trisha Garlock, recipient of The Award of Honor, a special recognition (not given on an annual basis) selected by The Redwoods. This award honors an individual for long term commitment and dedication to community service. Garlock (Mill Valley) recently retired as executive director of Kiddo, the foundation that raises $3 million annually for Mill Valley school programs. A co-founder, she was associated with Kiddo for 32 years.

Kathy Magnuson, recipient of the Grace Orne Award, which honors a resident of The Redwoods who has made a significant contribution of time and effort to help others. This award is nominated by residents of the Redwoods. Ms. Magnuson, age 81, began volunteering at the Redwoods when she moved in eight years ago. She has chaired the College Scholarship Committee for five years, chaired the annual Bazaar for five years and has served as editor of The Bark, the residents’ newsletter, for six years.

Donna Cameron, recipient of the Bill Bacon Award, which honors a member of the community who has made a significant contribution of time and effort to The Redwoods and its residents. This award is also nominated by residents of The Redwoods. Ms. Cameron (Larkspur), 68, is a retired physical therapist. She has been teaching exercise classes at The Redwoods since 2009.

Detective David Kollerer, recipient of the Public Safety Officer Award.  Kollerer, 29, (Petaluma) was nominated by the Mill Valley Police Department for two aspects of his work:  addressing crimes related to children (including his close working relationship with the schools and his ability to effectively communicate with children); and, his success in investigating elder abuse fraud.

Seven Mill Valley public school teachers will be honored with the Elizabeth Terwilliger Award for excellence in teaching. Selected by their respective school principals and fellow teachers, this year’s recipients are:

• Jen Berry, 1st grade teacher, Old Mill School
• Jason Lane speech and language teacher, Strawberry Point School and Mill Valley Middle School
• Gwen Perin, art teacher, Park School
• Teresa Shern, 5th grade teacher, Edna Maguire Elementary School
• Anne Maria Padilla, 4th grade teacher, Tam Valley School
• Cari Pompanin, 7th grade teacher, Mill Valley Middle School
• Nate Severin, PE teacher, Tamalpais High School

Seven public school students will be honored with Student Community Service Awards. Selected by their respective school principals, the recipients are:

• Amelia Sharpe, age 10, 5th grader at Edna Maguire School
• Natalie Frederick, age 11, 5th grader at Old Mill School
• Jessie Fisher, age 12, 5th grader at Park School
• Serafina Carlucci, age 10, 5th grader at Strawberry School
• Lily Rose Fruchter, age 11, 5th grader at Tam Valley School
• Olivia Shine, age 14, 8th grader at Mill Valley Middle School
• Lauren Killingsworth, age 18, senior at Tamalpais High School

The Celebration of Service event was founded by Bob Canepa.

Friday’s event will be emceed by Mill Valley Mayor Stephanie Moulton-Peters.  The event has been supported by in-kind donations from the following:  Jonathan and Deborah Goldman (wine), Sol Food (food), Barbara Borden and Anne Stearns (music), and past student recipients (dessert). 

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Throckmorton Theatre founder Lucy Mercer knew that her decision to create a free weekly concert series as part of her venue's anniversary celebration was a good idea when she saw a busload of residents from the Redwoods arriving one Wednesday afternoon.
Having Redwoods' residents show up in droves for an event isn't a complete anomaly, however, as the senior community's transportation service allows residents to shop, dine, volunteer, keep appointments, and enjoy cultural events seven days a week. 
The Redwoods’ 10th Annual CrabFest Fundraiser – the major fundraiser for that transportation service – is set for Saturday, March 29 at the Mill Valley Community Center. A reception and no-host bar starts at 5 p.m. followed by one dinner seating at 6 p.m. that includes all-you-can-eat fresh Dungeness crab, green salad, pasta, bread and dessert. Dinner tickets for residents are $50 and non-resident tickets are $75.
In addition to the tasty dinner, CrabFest features live bluegrass music from Belle Monroe and Her Brewglass Boys and a performance by Rock the Ages, the popular contemporary rock chorus composed of 25 Redwoods residents.
The Rockin' Raffle Grand Prize is a Holland America Line cruise for two to the Caribbean or Mexico. Silent auction and raffle items include a weekend in Tahoe, theater and symphony tickets, gift certificates, wine, gift baskets, and unique fashion accessories. Raffle tickets are $5 each, five for $20, and can be purchased in advance and up until the drawing at CrabFest. You do not need to be present to win the raffle prizes.
The 411: Click here for more info or to buy tickets, or call Patti Flynn-Boston at 415-383-2741 ext. 295 or email crabfest@theredwoods.org to buy tickets.

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