The Shadelands Scene
Community news, updates, and insights
ISABELLA'S STORY
In May 2015, Isabella Medeiros was 15 years old and just finishing her freshman year in high school when she visited her family doctor for unusual bruising and abnormal bleeding she was experiencing.

“They tried to do my blood work in the office, but my numbers were so low they thought their machines were broken,” recalls Isabella. “They sent my blood work to a lab and the lab got back to us about six o’clock that night and said, ‘She needs to go to the hospital now .’”
 
Isabella arrived at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Oakland Campus a very sick child with APL, acute promyelocytic leukemia. She began chemotherapy at Children's, making the trip between Fairfield and Oakland seven days a week.
 
That same year, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals Walnut Creek obtained its license for an infusion clinic and Isabella became its very first patient. She was at the Walnut Creek clinic several times a week and completed her course of treatments on December 31, 2015. She is now in remission.
 
In June 2018, Isabella graduated from high school, in cap and gown, walking with her class to receive her diploma. She has just completed her freshman year at Sacramento State where she is earning her BS in nursing with plans to become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in pediatric oncology.
 
“When I was going through everything, I met a girl named Chylee and she had just gone into remission. She was going to get her port out and they found out that she had relapsed and she never got better and she passed away.

"When I went to her Celebration of Life, I was talking with another friend, Skylar, who also had leukemia and she told me she was going to college to be a nurse and I thought, ‘Well, I want to be a nurse; I want to help people like Chylee.’"
Walnut Creek Campus
2401 Shadelands Drive
Walnut Creek
925.979.4000
High school graduation day for Isabella!

Isabella says about a career in nursing, "It’s never been just about me or for me; it’s always been for Chylee, because I want to be that person for kids with cancer who knows what they’re going through. I can be their hope because I was there, but here I am now.”
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM EXPANDS FROM ONE WEEK TO ONE MONTH OF SERVICE
Every September, Contra Costa Crisis Center offers business team volunteer opportunities throughout the East Bay. Formerly known as Corporate Volunteer Week , this is the largest corporate volunteer program in the San Francisco Bay Area. This year, the program has been renamed and expanded to a full month of service.


September 9–October 5

Teams of volunteers from Bay Area businesses are matched with local nonprofits to complete short-term projects. BVIP provides an easy and innovative way for corporations to strengthen their community involvement and increase employee engagement, while helping nonprofits in their community.

And Contra Costa Crisis Center has a list of nonprofits that need your help!

Check out the volunteer projects on the Contra Costa Crisis Center portal and then rally your team of 6-50+ employees to volunteer their time and services during the month-long corporate volunteer event. There is no fee to participate.
Old crayons are melted down and remade into new ones for distribution to children's hospitals through The Crayon Initiative.
For more information, contact
925.472.5768

307 Lennon Lane
Walnut Creek
925.939.1916
A HEAD FOR NUMBERS AND HUMAN NATURE
For 42 years, Gary LaMusga [La-moo-SHAY], owner of The LaMusga Company , has been providing comprehensive personal financial planning, investment management, and insurance services; and specializing in employee benefits and group retirement plans for small to mid-sized businesses.
 
Gary is also a CDFA®, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. With his extensive experience in the divorce process from his own personal case that resulted in a California Supreme Court ruling, Gary educates people on the divorce process and works with clients and attorneys through divorce proceedings as they deal with complex issues related to division of retirement plans and other financial assets.
 
“Divorce, in itself, is emotional, and there’s a lot that happens with money during divorce that causes even more turmoil and discourse,” says Gary. “I help divorcing couples with the numbers, and as a part of that, I counsel them to better communicate and recognize the psychological aspect of money."
 
In 2017, when Gary was looking to move his business from downtown Walnut Creek where he had been for ten years, accessibility to local and regional clients, comfortable office conditions, and lifestyle amenities were factors in his search.

“We looked at a number of places in the area and immediately liked what we found at Shadelands,” says Gary, who moved into the “perfect” office two years ago at 2125 Oak Grove Road, Building 12, Suite 110, in Walnut Creek Executive Park, managed by The Koll Company.
 
“We’re centrally located for our employees and our clients." And, with the abundance of free, modern, surface parking for him, his clients, and his employees, Gary notes, "No more parking tickets!”
Gary LaMusga, owner, The LaMusga Company, with executive assistant Pamela Wiesendanger
2125 Oak Grove Rd #110, Walnut Creek
925.287.1567
He cites the convenience of Safeway in The Orchards and other markets just across the street. “We’ve got great restaurants and services that have opened in the area, all within walking distance. This is a perfect place to have our office, and it's good to see so many other businesses thriving in Shadelands."
BASS MEDICAL GROUP NAMES NEW CEO
On the heels of BASS Medical Group’s June launch of its state of the art Advanced Urgent Care Center ( The Shadelands Scene , July 2019), BASS announced the appointment of Inez Wondeh as Chief Executive Officer. Wondeh previously held the position of Chief Operating Officer at BASS.

“Inez has been a key architect of the company’s rapid growth strategy at BASS Medical Group,” said Dr. Gregory Rhodes, President of the BASS Board of Directors. “We could not have accomplished the formation of more than 300 multi-specialty physicians in our medical group without her vast industry experience, leadership, and expertise.”

BASS Medical Group was launched in 2006 with offices in Contra Costa County. Now headquartered in Shadelands, today BASS has offices throughout the greater Bay Area and Central Valley, from San Francisco east to Brentwood and south to Porterville.
Inez Wondeh, CEO, BASS Medical Group
2637 Shadelands Drive
Walnut Creek
925.350.4044
NEW BEERS AND A WEEK OF CELEBRATING FOR CALICRAFT!
7th Year Anniversary Week
July 26 – August 4

Join Calicraft as it celebrates seven years of brewing and pouring during a festive week of beer-related events, July 26-August 4.

Look for event details throughout the week on Calicraft's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Check out Calicraft's new beers, Tiki Time , a tropical wheat beer with passionfruit, guava, and orange; and Neurotic Dog , a double IPA inspired by Calicraft CEO Blaine Landberg's dog Maya. Califcraft's taproom is dog friendly, and during the week-long 7th anniversary party, even dogs can celebrate with tasty dog treats, compliments of the house.


Taproom
2700 Mitchell Drive
Walnut Creek
925.478.8103

GREAT TIMES —GREAT CAUSE
Saturday, August 24th
The Clubhouse
at Boundary Oak
3800 Valley Vista Road
Walnut Creek

Doors Open at 5:30pm

Hosted Bar • Hors d’oeuvres Casino • Silent Auction
Full Course Dinner
Live Auction • Dancing

Dress in All Black or All White
or Any Combination
(Black Tie Optional)

For more information, contact
Rocio Polanco
925.939.1916, x100
HERE COMES THE BRIDAL FAIRE!
Hosted by the
Walnut Creek Historical Society

Sunday, September 22
Noon-4pm

2660 Ygnacio Valley Road
Walnut Creek
925.935.7871

Plan your dream wedding
all in one place!

Caterers • Bakeries • DJs
Florists • Decorators • Gift Registry
Photographers & Photo booths
Bridal gowns • Formal wear
Hairdressers • Makeup
Event planners • Travel planners

Raffle and prizes throughout the day, with a chance to win the Grand Prize!

Pre-sale tickets $10/person
At the door $15/person
Price includes one raffle ticket for
Grand Prize Raffle
For more information, contact Christine Baltzley
PUPPY LOVE & KITTEN PLAY


Saturday, September 28
5:30-8pm
2890 Mitchell Drive
Walnut Creek

Enjoy local specialty wines and craft beers, scrumptious appetizers from local eateries, live music, and live & silent auctions.

Therapy pets from ARF’s Pet Hug Pack® will be on hand to greet guests, while adorable, adoptable dogs and cats looking for forever homes mingle with the crowd.

Wine & Whiskers supports
ARF's live-saving programs
for pets and people.
‌
LEARN THE SKILLS THAT CAN SAVE A LIFE
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals offers a monthly Community CPR Certification Program for new parents, youth sports coaches, young athletes, teachers, and the general public.

The CarePlus Infant, Child, and Adult CPR & AED (automated external defibrillator) certification class is an at-your-own-pace online and a 90-minute live skills in-person certification.

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals
Walnut Creek Campus
2401 Shadelands Drive
Conference Room A
Walnut Creek

Monday, September 16
7-8:30pm

Monday, November 18
7-8:30pm
Pre-registration is required.

For more information,
925.979.3420
FAMILY NIGHT FRIDAYS CONTINUE AT THE ORCHARDS
is hosting free summer


Entertainment begins at 7:30pm.
Movie begins at sundown.

August 2 : Bubble play with Bubblemania and A Dog's Way Home


August 9 : Kids Music & Dance Party and The Lego Movie 2
The Orchards at Walnut Creek
Park Amphitheater
in the northeast corner of
The Orchards, which is located at Ygnacio Valley & Oak Grove roads.
STEP BACK IN TIME AND VISIT HISTORICAL WALNUT CREEK
On the 2nd Saturday of the month, now through October, the Walnut Creek Historical Society is sponsoring free , 90-minute guided walking tours through downtown Walnut Creek, stopping at historical points of interest and establishments with storied pasts. These easy walking tours bring to life the early days of Walnut Creek.

The next walking tour is Saturday, August 10.
• Check-in at 9am at the Liberty Bell Plaza fountain, corner of Broadway & Mt. Diablo Blvd.
• Tours begin at 9:30. Registration is not required.

• Saturday, August 10, 9am
• Saturday, September 14, 9am
• Saturday, October 12, 9am

For more tour information, visit Walnut Creek Historical Society
THREE DAYS OF CELEBRATION!
Congratulations to Kaiperm Credit Union on the grand opening of its new 6,000-SF Shadelands branch and headquarters office. More than 300 Kaiperm guests attended celebration ceremonies held over three days in June.

One lucky wheel spinner won the $500 grand prize.

Scores of volunteers made up of Kaiperm board members, family, friends, and former Kaiperm Credit Union employees helped make the Grand Opening a huge success!
325 N. Wiget Lane, Suite 130
Walnut Creek
925.939.5626
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