ON THE SCENE AT SHADELANDS | | J's Pho & Cafe is now open in The Orchards, specializing in Vietnamese dishes, including pho, the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of slow-cooked broth, rice noodles, herbs, and beef, pork, shrimp, or chicken. | | YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS; WE'VE GOT ANSWERS | | |
Summa Academy Opens in Shadelands: A New Chapter in the Educational Journey for Students with Special Needs
| | Neena Bhathal and Tanya Scott have known each other for many years, having worked in the special education space in Oakland in a variety of roles. During the pandemic, they connected more often, ultimately changing the course of their professional and leadership careers. The result: Together they co-founded Summa Academy in 2021, a nonpublic school designed to deliver “extraordinary teaching for our extraordinary learners,” said Neena. Now, they have opened their third school right here in Shadelands Walnut Creek. | | Meals on Wheels Diablo Region Finds Its New Forever Home in Shadelands | | For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region (MOWDR) has been touching the lives of seniors living in Contra Costa County by delivering nutritious meals to homebound older adults and providing an array of supportive services that allow seniors to live independently and remain in their homes safely and with dignity. MOWDR recently moved its headquarters into a new forever home in Shadelands Walnut Creek and celebrated with a festive open house and ribbon cutting. | | A Few Minutes With Walnut Creek Mayor Wilk | | Walnut Creek Mayor Kevin Wilk believes firmly in open communications and engagement. He recently partnered with the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce for a fireside chat with Chamber Board Chair Angela Ashley during the 2026 State of the City luncheon. New this year is the online Mayor’s Minute, brief and lively video updates, posted two to three times per month. Mayor Wilk sat for a conversation with The Scene to share news and updates about what's going on in and around Walnut Creek. | | Collab Fertility Celebrates Babies' 1st Birthdays and Growing Families | | Last month, on a beautiful spring day in April, Collab Fertility hosted an historic babies’ first birthdays celebration, outdoors at the Shadelands Ranch Museum, bringing together a host of families supported by the Collab care team on their fertility journeys. To date, Collab has helped bring 42 babies into the world, with 61 more on the way. Its IVF pregnancy rates consistently exceed national averages across age groups, owing to the expertise of its embryology team, a state-of-the-art IVF lab (opened in Shadelands in January 2024), and a highly individualized approach to care. | | Spring is Foxtail Season: Enjoy the Outdoors, but be Aware | | After California’s winter rains, spring ushers in warm, dry days and welcomed invitations to take long walks and hikes along the paths and trails of our foothills, parklands, and open spaces with our four-legged friends. This is also foxtail season, however, as wild grasses dry out and the sticky foxtail seeds become a risk for pets who venture outside. Just as we need to be aware of ticks while walking and hiking in high, dry grass, said Shann Ikezawa, DVM, with Walnut Creek Veterinary Hospital, pet owners need to be aware of the dangers of foxtails and other sticky barbed wild grasses that can cause serious problems for our pets. | | Walnut Creek Memorial Day Observance Monday, May 25, Civic Park | | |
Memorial Day Observance
May 25 | 11am–Noon
Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek
Free and Open to the Public
On Monday, May 25, Walnut Creek will hold its annual Memorial Day Observance at Civic Park, honoring those who have given their lives in military service to our country. The ceremony will include presentations by city leaders and guests, and a musical tribute by the esteemed Walnut Creek Concert Band. The morning will conclude with a gathering across the street at the Veterans Memorial for a brief closing ceremony.
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Nonprofits are a part of the Shadelands landscape
Did you know that, while considered a robust business, commercial, and lifestyle district, Shadelands also counts a number of nonprofits among its many community members? Nonprofits serve our communities in diverse ways, providing critical resources to those in need and filling in gaps where help in other forms is scarce. Listed in the Shadelands Directory, you'll find Contra Costa Crisis Center, Diablo Ballet, Easterseals Northern California, Joybound People & Pets, and Meals on Wheels Diablo Region. Shadelands is a vibrant community marked by extraordinary nonprofits and resources that help people and animals live healthier, happier lives.
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