Ed Stokes on his Retaile

Stokes Named CIGA Retailer of the Year

Ed Stokes, of Diablo Foods, has been named the 2010 Retailer of the Year by the California Independent Grocers Association (CIGA). The Award will be presented to him at CIGA's Installation Banquet on Saturday, April 14, in Sacramento.



Caldecott Properties Comes to Lamorinda

370B Park Street, Moraga (Rheem Shopping Center)

(925) 376-4000, www.Caldecott.com

Caldecott Properties recently opened a new office in Moraga, a few doors down from the Rheem Theater. Co-owner Andy Read and seven of the 30 Sales Associates currently live in, or are originally from, Lamorinda. Rob 'the Realtor' Jacobus is the manager of the Moraga-based office. "I've lived in Orinda for 22 years," says Jacobus, "I went to grad school at Saint Mary's College, and started my real estate career at Mason-McDuffie in Lafayette." According to the firm, the intent of establishing Caldecott Properties was to create a full-service brokerage specializing in sales, rentals and property management on both sides of the tunnel. Asked about retail in Moraga, Jacobus answered, "My opinion is that this is not the time to be too picky, the town has to be receptive to any and all. Moraga is a hidden jewel, people do not find it by accident; we need to be a little more friendly when they do." As far as residential real estate is concerned, he said that properties are moving, the inventory is down from last year at the same time, and the number of foreclosed home has increased but is still low.



From Lamorinda Moms to Lamorinda Web

www.lamorindaweb.com

Tiraporn Olsen, Stephanie Kusinski, Lauren San Mateo and Holly Sonne met through Lamorinda Moms. The four are concurrently mothers raising children and professional women either in software engineering (Olsen and Sonne) or Marketing and Business Development (Kusinski and San Mateo). Olsen is an Open Source Web Developer at Strategic Social, and the founder of Moraga-based Happy Pixel Studio, LLC. For the past 10 years, she has helped many businesses with their online needs. "I have seen how these small businesses and non-profit struggle to find affordable ways to spread the word about what they have to offer, or about their mission," she says. "As a parent member of Lamorinda Moms I also saw the need for communication between individuals and have questions answered. LamorindaWeb integrates the response to these different needs." The platform was launched on March 1st. Their first outreach campaign is geared to fundraising for the local education foundations. "LamorindaWeb.com will donate $1 to benefit one of the three Lamorinda education foundations for every new person who joins the LamorindaWeb.com community between now and April 15," explains Kusinski, with a maximum of $5,000 to be donated." Joining LamorindaWeb is free. The fund raising membership drive will culminate with the April 21 LamorindaWeb launch party to be sponsored and held at The New Rheem Theater, 350 Park St. in Moraga.



Realtor Dana Green Recognized

J. Rockcliff Realtors

3799 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 100, Lafayette

(925) 385-2330

J. Rockcliff Realtors announced on March 21st that seasoned Realtor Dana Green has been awarded the company's coveted Top 1% honor. The award recognizes her outstanding performance as one of J. Rockcliff's top performing real estate professionals. Green is a resident of Lafayette and a second-generation Realtor. She works with a variety of local organizations, including the Lafayette Juniors, of which she is a past president and the founder of its popular Kitchen Tour event. She has been recognized for her work with local schools, and donates a portion of each transaction to Lafayette Partners in Education.



Tri-Chamber Meeting - Make Your Movie

Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda will hold a Tri Chamber Mixer at The New Rheem Theatre, 350 Park Ave, Moraga, on Tuesday, April 26. Since the meeting will be in a movie theater, the Chambers are asking residents to shoot a video (three minutes or less in length) or create a PowerPoint presentation or slide show about how much they love their town/city. "I thought, we are in a theater and we are all proud of our city - and hey, let's have some fun," said Lafayette Chamber Executive Director Jay Lifson. Winners from each community will be shown on the big screen and win prizes. All submissions must be on a DVD. Please contact the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce for submission instructions, 284-7404.



News from the three Chambers of Commerce

Lafayette

 Join Lafayette Chamber and the A's for Meet, Greet, & Play Ball on Thursday, April 14 at the A's vs. Detroit Tigers game. Event Includes - Pregame, networking mixer in the Eastside Club (5:30-7pm), Appetizers and non alcoholic beverages included, and Discounted Field Level game ticket ($21 - normally $26). If the Lafayette Chamber group has the most members present at the event it will win a private suite for 18 to be used at a future game in 2011. Make sure that when you check in you mention Lafayette Chamber. To order your event tickets please go to www.oaklandathletics.com/meet (Password: GREET.)

 Big Band Dance, Friday, April 8, 7:00pm at the New Rheem Theater, 350 Park Street, Moraga. Tickets available at Chamber Office.

 Shop Lafayette meeting, Tuesday, April 12, 12:30 in the Lafayette Chamber Conference Room.

 Monthly Mixer, Wednesday, April 13, 5:30pm at Lafayette Physical Therapy, 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite B110.



Moraga

The registration deadline for participation in the Moraga Community Faire is April 15. At the March 25 Chamber meeting, Community Faire coordinator Ellen Beans reminded local folks that there are three ways for them to participate: get a booth, purchase a space on one of the Faire's banners that will be displayed all around town for 3 weeks (of the 30 spots available, only seven are still for sale), or volunteer at the Faire on May 14. For more information, contact her at ellen.beans@gmail.com.



Orinda

First Annual State of the City Address and Special Recognition Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, April 20, starting at 12:00 Noon in the Orinda Community Center, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda. The event is hosted by Rotary Club of Orinda and Orinda Chamber of Commerce. It will recognize as Best Small Business in Orinda, Orinda Taxi/Julian Juricevic. The State of the Town Address will be given by Mayor Victoria Smith. RSVP: Required by April 15. Tickets are $20.00 per person - to purchase tickets go to the Chamber's web site at www.orindachamber.org/events.htm#AwardsDinner.