Pictured are Dick Burkhalter, V.P of the Orinda Community Foundation and Ted Urban a Community Liaison for the Foundation. Photo by Richard Westin

The Orinda Community Foundation (OCF) has awarded over $23,000 in grants to community organizations and events for 2010. OCF grants helped to purchase two pieces of public art by the Library and Community Center, including the forever in flight frog over the fountain, and also provided funds for the Lamorinda Spirit Van, the Starlight Village Players, the Orinda Chamber of Commerce, Orinda Idol, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, and Big Brothers and Sisters. The Foundation supported several community events and activities as well including the Orinda in Action Community Service Day, a youth writing contest sponsored by the Orinda Junior Woman's Club, a visiting theater arts education program conducted through Cal Shakes and the Educational Foundation of Orinda, and the City's 25th anniversary celebration and July 4th parade.

The Foundation was established a year ago, because the City no longer had the resources to support these sorts of grants, says OCF President Richard Westin. "The first thing we did last spring was to send a letter to the community to explain the Foundation's mission and to ask for donations," he says adding, "We received hundreds of donations. It was really heartwarming." The Foundation also held a community golf tournament fundraiser in July that attracted over 100 participants and hosted the very popular Norcal Kids Triathlon. The OCF will host its 2nd annual golf tournament at Orinda Country Club on July 25th of this year and the third annual kids triathlon will be held on Saturday, August 27th, 2011.

To celebrate the first anniversary of the founding of the Orinda Community Foundation and its 2010 grant recipients, a reception will be held on Monday February 7th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Orinda Library Gallery. All are welcome. For more information about the Orinda Community Foundation and how to donate, go to http://orindafoundation.org/ or call (925) 254-0800.