The Shadelands Scene
Community news, updates, and insights
ORTHOPAEDIC EXPRESS BY MOS: CUSTOM BUILT FOR CONTINUUM OF CARE
In December 2018, Muir Orthopaedic Specialists (MOS) opened its innovative Orthopaedic Express by MOS , an urgent care center that specializes in orthopedic injuries and conditions.

Designed specifically to treat musculoskeletal conditions, Orthopaedic Express, located inside MOS at 2405 Shadelands Drive, provides a continuum of premier orthopedic care from exam, through diagnosis, appropriate care, and discharge in one convenient location.

Orthopaedic Express recently relocated from the third floor to the first floor and is now open for patients in a new, custom designed, purpose-built space that enhances the patient experience and delights the urgent care staff.

“Moving to the first floor provides easier access for our patients. We’re right inside the double glass doors and to the right,” says Tomi Barton, manager of marketing and communications for MOS. "The move also allows for longer hours.”

Orthopaedic Express medical professionals evaluate and treat a wide range of orthopedic issues that that affect bone, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and soft tissue. No tummy aches or sore throats, though.

“In this suite, we have X-ray; across the lobby, we have MRI; and on the second floor, we have the surgery center," says Tomi. "We are orthopedic specialists with all the orthopedic services right here in this facility—no shuffling patients around or making them travel for surgery.”

Orthopaedic Express boasts twelve treatment rooms located around the perimeter of the suite with check-in and administrative staff in the center. An orthopedic specialist is always on duty during open hours.

The durable medical equipment (DME) room across from X-ray is stocked with walking boots, splints, wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and braces.

“This is very exciting because it’s like giving and receiving the best gift at the same time,” says Tomi. “It’s wonderful for staff to be in this super new building, but it’s really great for the urgent care patients because it’s been specifically designed for them.

"To be able to see patients in the exam rooms, then send them to X-ray or MRI or whatever care they need based on their injury or condition, and fit them with medical equipment, if need be—to do all that right here in one place is very special. We're thrilled to provide this elevated patient experience.”


Read the profile of
Orthopaedic Express by MOS
in the December 2018 issue of
The Shadelands Scene.
2405 Shadelands Drive
Walnut Creek
888.966.7846
Monday–Friday, 11am–8pm
Appointments & walk-ins
Joe Torres, Certified Physician Assistant (PA-C), is Director of Orthopaedic Express. Here he's examining a patient with a wrist injury in one of twelve examining rooms.
X-ray is located in the same suite as the examining rooms.
Here the patient is fitted for a wrist brace.
EKS: EARN IT! KEEP IT! SAVE IT!
Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) is a coalition of Bay Area organizations that provide free tax preparation assistance to low-income workers and households at more than 200 locations across the region. Experienced tax preparers help ensure that tax payers receive their full refunds and credits, including the California Earned Income Tax Credit.

The Contra Costa Crisis Center is playing a key role in helping to deliver important and accurate information to Contra Costa County residents about EKS.

The Crisis Center call center and online database are updated with current EKS information and tax preparation assistance locations. For information:

Call the Contra Costa Crisis Center at 211.

Text your zip code to 898211.

Search the Contra Costa Crisis Center Database yourself for tax preparation locations.
307 Lennon Lane
Walnut Creek
925.939.1916
MORE THAN CHILD'S PLAY
Marcia Tafarel, lovingly called Coach Tafa, is the program manager of COPA Kids , an innovative hi-tech and hands on approach to teaching children ages 18 months to 7 years the game of soccer and the life skills that come with learning a team sport.

COPA Kids, a program within COPA Soccer Training Center , employs circuit training in three specially designed spaces: the COPA Kids turf arena, the COPA Kids mini-Cube, and the COPA Kids SpeedZone.

COPA Kids Turf Arena
Surrounded on all four sides by a hand-painted mural of the Amazon jungle, players learn to receive and manipulate the ball on specially padded artificial turf in a fun and friendly soccer field environment. Hi-tech ball launchers are programmed from an app on the coach’s smartphone or tablet, allowing the coach to program the direction and height of launched balls, the speed of the launch, and the interval between launches.

This allows one or several players to receive, dribble, kick, and pass balls repeatedly using as much of the field as needed. For the youngest players, those 18 months to 3 years, coaches work on motor skills. As players get older, 4 to 7 years of age, coaches add agility and coordination training.

COPA Kids Cube
A smaller version of the Cube used in the higher level Soccer Train program, the mini-Cube works on focus, agility, and coordination. The player stands in the center of the Cube, which is enclosed on all four sides by 32 netted panels that can light up. Balls are launched from one of four ball launchers to the center.

The player receives the ball, looks around to find the lit panel, pivots, adjusts, aims, and kicks the ball through that panel. Much like a bowling alley, once the ball has been kicked through the panel, the ball rolls down a channel back into the ball elevator, which delivers the ball back to the launcher and into the ball queue.

Drills are fully customizable and programmable for age and abilities. Depending on the drill, from one to five children, beginning at age 4, can be inside the Cube while balls are launching and players are reacting.

COPA Kids SpeedZone
A smaller version of the SpeedLab that is used in the higher level Soccer Train program, the SpeedZone works on following directions, reasoning, and decision-making, as well as agility and speed through the use of math, picture, spelling, and memorization games. Players interact with a wall-mounted monitor and tap spots on the floor based on instructions from the monitor—hi-tech training folded into a child’s game with tasks, goals, and time limits. The SpeedZone, manufactured in Germany, is the only one of its kind in the U.S.

COPA Kids is open six days per week, Tuesday through Sunday. Players are invited to one complimentary demo class before registering for the program. For more information, details, class schedules, and a fun video about kids and soccer, visit COPA Kids .
COPA SOCCER TRAINING CENTER
Shadelands SportsMall
2640 Shadelands Drive
Walnut Creek
925.357.8991
Brazilian-born Marcia Tafarel is a former professional soccer player who represented Brazil in the 1991 and 1995 World Cups and the 1996 Olympics. She clearly has a love for soccer and a passion for working with children and teaching them about sports and sportsmanship.

“When you play sports, it’s not only about learning that particular sport. Children learn so much more than how to kick a ball,” says Tafa. “They gain skills they’ll take with them for life. Training for sports works on cognitive and motor skills; playing team sports builds physical and social skills. And incorporating technology into the traditional forms of soccer training as we do at COPA Kids advances that learning and achievement significantly.”
PAINT YOUR PET!
Join Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) for Paws & Relax , a fun, paint-your-pet activity for any skill level. Explore your inner artist by painting a unique portrait of your pet. The canvasses are pre-sketched with the pet portrait to provide a guideline for creativity. Local artist Ammo will guide you through the process with step-by-step instructions. A portion of the proceeds benefit ARF and its lifesaving programs.

2890 Mitchell Drive
Walnut Creek
925.256.1ARF

Saturdays
March 21: 10am
June 27: 10am & 2:30pm
August 8: 10am & 2:30 pm November 14: 10am & 2:30 pm
STRESS RELEASE PROGRAM AIMS FOR TRANSFORMATION
We first met Rebecca Sgambati (pronounced sam-BETTY ) and Peak Performance Float and Wellness Center in the November 2017 issue of The Shadelands Scene . Peak Performance Float (PPF) remains the first and only float therapy center in Walnut Creek.

Rebecca's mission is to help people alleviate pain, stress, and insomnia through float therapy (zero gravity floating on 10" of water saturated with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt and heated to 93.5 degrees in a private pod or room in calming silence), yoga, and full-body light therapy, which all offer a host of benefits that help people heal and feel their best physically, mentally, and spiritually.

PPF now offers an innovative six-week Stress Release Program.

“Our main purpose for opening Peak Performance Float is to create transformation in people’s lives,” says Rebecca. “Our goal is to provide the means for helping people not only feel good, but live better.”

PPF’s Stress Release Program helps people experience stress relief through a six-week program of weekly float therapy, one-to-one consultation, self-directed online modules that focus on developing new habits toward better health, and an active online community of people experiencing the same journey.

“This program helps people commit to their goals and remain challenged in the journey. We give them tools to implement at a pace they can actually maintain. They have accountability to themselves, their transformation advisor, and their newfound online community. Mutual support and shared journey.”

The focus of the program is not to eliminate stress from people's lives, says Rebecca, but to change their reactions to stress and how they deal and cope with stress in productive ways so that stress doesn’t have the same negative impact on them.

"We’re excited to see the results. I know what’s going to happen. We’re going to see amazing transformation in the lives of people who participate in this program—we’re going to see it and they’re going to experience it.

This means so much to us at Peak Performance to have come to this place where we can offer a program that leads to feeling better and living better through transformation."
311 Lennon Lane, Suite A
Walnut Creek
925.899.8776
Wednesday–Monday
9:30am–9:30pm
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ARTS SPRING & SUMMER CAMPS
Camp Community Arts , offered through the Center for Community Arts , is now open for Spring Camp and Summer Camp registration.

Campers explore visual media (painting, drawing, clay, mixed media, fiber arts), digital media (animation, digital music, graphic arts), and performing arts (theater, dance, music, voice) with professional teaching artists.

All camps include half-day, full-day, morning care, and afternoon care options.

For full camp details and to register, visit Camp Community Arts .

March 30–April 3, ages 3–14

Four 2-week sessions
June 15–August 7, ages 5–14

Shadelands Art Center
111 N. Wiget Lane,
Walnut Creek
925.943.5846
ST. PAT'S BREW
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Calicraft Brewing Co. will release its own St. Pat's brew on Saturday, March 14, which will be available all weekend through Tuesday, March 17.

Calicraft's St. Patrick's Day release is 3 Leaf Stout , a dry Irish-American stout that's a little heavier than a Guinness, but still quite sessionable , which means light, refreshing, and easily drinkable.

Calicraft is brewing the entire batch as a nitro stout, so expect a smooth, creamy mouth-feel with flavors of semi-sweet chocolate and cold brew coffee, with a dry finish.


2700 Mitchell Drive
Walnut Creek
925.478.8103
FREE KAIPERM SEMINARS HELP MEMBERS EXPLORE OPTIONS
Kaiperm Credit Union is offering its members, Kaiser Permanente employees, and employees' families two complimentary one-hour seminars, which will be held at Kaiperm offices in Shadelands.

325 N. Wiget, Suite 130
Walnut Creek
925.939.5626

Lunch 'n' Learn, 12:30 1:30pm
• 3/17: Social Side of Retirement

Dinner Seminar, 5:30 6:30pm
• 3/19: Homebuyers
Meals & refreshments
will be provided.
Registration is required at
TIME TO SPRING FORWARD!
Daylight saving time begins Sunday, March 8, 2am. Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour. Spring forward and enjoy the extra hour of daylight at the end of the day!
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