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Brentwood Press - DiscoveryBayPress_08.15.08 - Index

AUGUST 15, 2008 COMMUNITY THEPRESS.NET | 5A
Community charity offers a helping hand
by Ruth Roberts
Staff Writer
The idea for the venture – as notions
often do – came from the least
likely of sources in the most unexpected
of places.
“We were actually discussing Oakley’s
(mandatory landscape) maintenance
program,” said Councilman Kevin
Romick, “and the thought came up: what
about those who can’t afford to make
those repairs to their yards, or can’t afford
to keep their lawns watered? What happens
to them? What if there was a group
or organization that could help them out
fi nancially?”
Oakley Planning Commissioner Jim
Frazier agreed, and with a little creativity
and a can-do approach, Romick and Frazier,
along with Oakley Councilwoman
Pat Anderson, Dr. Mike Painter and local
resident Shirley Darling, set about creating
the Friends of Oakley, a nonprofi t,
community foundation created to meet
the needs of a broad-based constituency.
Which in layman’s terms means
what? “Well, it means we’re limitless,”
said Frazier. “We can help whomever we
want, unlike charity-specifi c groups like,
say, the YMCA or the Salvation Army.
We can see a need and fi ll it.”
And the need appears to be abundant.
From setting up scholarship funds
for students, to creating art and cultural
endowment programs, to pooling dollars
for a community center, working
with hospitals to fund a local medical
clinic, or even helping a senior with yard
maintenance or household repairs, if you
can think of it, says Romick, the Friends
of Oakley can do it. “This (Friends of
Oakley) is broad-based and fl exible in
its approach to meeting the community’s
needs.
“There is so much money out here
that is leaving East County because people
don’t know what’s available out here.
I don’t think there is currently anything
like this out here.”
All of which is good news for those
in need. “I think this provides an opportunity
that this community has needed
for a long time,” said Anderson. “I’m just
happy to be a conduit. I feel very blessed
to be a part of this.”
The group is currently in the process
of acquiring its nonprofi t status, which it
expects to receive before the end of the
year. From there, it’s full-steam-ahead.
Which project the Friends will embark
upon fi rst is still up for discussion, but
Frazier and Romick have a few ideas.
“I would like to help the YMCA
reach its goal for the (special needs) playground,”
said Frazier. “But I would also
really like to get a community center here
with a senior and teen wing on it so that
Photo by Dave Roberts
A new nonprofi t community organization called the Friends of Oakley is
being formed by local organizers striving to meet the needs of a broadbased
constituency. The organization’s board of directors, back row from
left, are Dr. Michael Painter, Kevin Romick and Jim Frazier; front row:
Shirley Darling and Pat Anderson. The board is modeling the organization
after the successful Brentwood Community Chest program.
we can have and host events in our own
city.”
“Personally, one of my goals is
to help the city set aside that corner of
Norcross and Main Street for a veteran’s
memorial,” said Romick. “There used to
be a war memorial here in town – which
I think is now in Pleasant Hill or somewhere
– and if I can’t get that back, I’d
like to get a new one. We could be the
fundraising arm for something like that.
It’s very exciting. The sky’s the limit.”
To comment on this story, visit www.
thepress.net.
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