2018 December Colony Magazine

TENT CITY
Brunch on the Bluffs
Atascadero Greyhound Foundation Serves a Dish of Piedras Blancas
Recently, I stopped by
the Atascadero Unified
School District office and
found some original pamphlets of
the Atascadero Greyhound Athletic
Foundation, which proudly
stated a goal “To Build A Better
Greyhound Future.”
If you are unfamiliar with the
foundation, it is worth review because
over nearly a quarter century,
it has done just that. With an initial
purpose of raising money to build an
all-weather track for the Atascadero
High School, the foundation began
with a big focus on the Greyhound
athlete. Since then, it dropped the
“Athletic” part of its name to open
the focus on all Greyhounds — including
past, present and future.
In 2012, the foundation formed
the LIGHTHOUSE committee
to address devastating drug-related
issues affecting our community, specifically
designed to help high school
students struggling with addiction.
In the past few years, LIGHT-
HOUSE expanded its scope and
continues to grow. In 2017, it raised
more than $50,000 to seed a high
school mentorship program pairing
seniors at AHS with sixth-graders
at Atascadero Middle School. Currently,
a couple dozen pairs of mentor-mentees
are participating for the
2018-19 school year.
LIGHTHOUSE has grown,
and is not done building “A Better
Greyhound Future.” There is still
lots to do for the organization “developed
because … major improvements
in our [high school] facilities
were only going to happen through
community involvement.”
A History of
Atascadero Pride
You might have heard that the
boys water polo team were practicing
in wetsuits during the fall season
because the AHS swimming
By Nicholas Mattson
Donn Clickard thanks Diana and Wayne Cooper for catering.
Photo by Nicholas Mattson
pool heater had finally given up the
ghost. Coincidentally, the Atascadero
Greyhound Foundation pamphlet
described “a long history of volunteer
community pride” in Atascadero that
included a 1960s effort of “extensive
fundraising and mobilized corps of
volunteers to build the pool at little
cost to the school district.” With a
price tag of multi-millions to build
a proper aquatics center for the high
school, it is not likely that will come
at “little cost to the school district”
this time around, but it will still take
a community effort.
AHS coach and middle school
teacher Jon Conrad, along with former
water polo player and local developer
Max Zappas, approached the
Atascadero Greyhound Foundation
in their current campaign to kickstart
new pool construction. Conrad and
Zappas are currently looking for support
in the initial stages of research
and development as they work to
provide the kids a place to swim.
Conrad coaches high school water
polo, as well as age-group water polo
which serves kids from 5- to 18-years
old. Zappas pointed out that the pool
is something the community uses for
a variety of purposes from exercise
and sports for people of all ages.
While the Atascadero Greyhound
Foundation held emotional interest
in supporting the cause for a new
pool, there remains a large volume
of research needed to get the effort
going the right direction, and Conrad
and Zappas could use all the help
they can get in the early stages. If you
are interested in helping, please contact
Conrad at 310-985-3692.
LIGHTHOUSE
Benefit Brunch
The AGF is charging forward
with a head of steam in fundraising
for LIGHTHOUSE, its current
flagship cause. Once again taking
a place among the stars with a spot
in the 2019 Atascadero Dancing
With Our Stars program. In 2017,
the foundation hit a home run with
a new event — a LIGHTHOUSE
Benefit Brunch at the scenic Piedras
Blancas Light Station in San
Simeon. The PBLS is open to the
public for tours, but they are scheduled,
guided tours so any access to
the historic property is a commodity.
On Sunday, January 27, the AGF
will be busing 180 lucky folks on
three charter buses to and from the
event, serving a Stein’s Catering
brunch on the bluffs of San Simeon
overlooking the panoramic view of
the Pacific Ocean.
The event will feature a live auction,
with exclusive guided visits to
the top of the historic Piedras Blancas
Light Station, and a wine walk
along the bluffs after brunch —
featuring St. Hillaire, Starr Ranch,
Seven Angels’ Pear Valley, Paso
Port, Guest House Grill and Eberle
Winery. Along the path of the wine
walk, you can stop and learn about
the history of the historic landmark
and if you are lucky enough, you
might find a knowledgable docent
to provide a guided tour.
Martin Paris and Debbie White
will serenade the event, and Joebella
Roasters signature LIGHT-
HOUSE Coffee will be available all
day long, just in case the off shore
winds are blowing cold.
As you explore the multiple
walking paths where silent auction
items await, you’ll also be treated
to the majestic scenery and numerous
marine animals. California sea
lions and harbor seals hang out on
the offshore rocks to rest. Elephant
seals utilize nearby beaches. Gray
whales, humpback whales, and bottlenose
dolphins can often be seen
on the open waters, and sea otters
forage along Point Piedras Blancas
and wrap themselves in kelp to rest.
The afternoon will be capped
off with a preview dance from the
Atascadero Greyhound Foundation
Community Dancer Tom Butler
(Atascadero Unified School District
Superintendent, and his Choreographer
Kara Frenzel.
All proceeds from this amazing
event will support the Lighthouse
Education Programs. The Greyhound
Foundation has committed
themselves to raise the funds needed
for continued support of the
LIGHTHOUSE Coffee Company,
Mentoring and Counseling
programs, Reality Tour, Wellness
Center, After School program and
Resource Center now located at the
Atascadero Chamber of Commerce.
Tickets to the Piedras Blancas
brunch are now available. Call AGF
Executive Director Donn Clickard
at 805-712-6356 or email donn@
atascaderogreyhoundfoundation.org
to RSVP and get your spot on the bus.
Tickets will not be available on the
day of the event.
24 | colonymagazine.com COLONY Magazine, December 2018