Past Programs

2010 Student Poetry Contest – The Foundation received over 380 poems from 22 schools for our second annual Student Poetry Contest! The first, second and third pace winners read their poems at the celebration for students at the Lindsay Museum. We were thrilled with this year’s entries and you can enjoy them in this year’s program that you can download here.

Candor and Pearls: An Evening of Social Satire from the Comics Pages
November 12, 2009
Fans of the comics pages were entertained by Stephan Pastis, “Pearls Before Swine,” and Darrin Bell, “Candorville,” nationally syndicated cartoonists who discussed their work and inspiration with Lisa Wrenn, Features Editor for the Contra Costa Times, at the Shadelands Art Center in Walnut Creek.

Watch a video of the event . . .

Poetry Live! – The Voice That is Great Within Us – April 23, 2009
Poets Brenda Hillman, Matthew Zaprulder and Graham Foust, discussed the rich and thriving community of poets in 21st century America at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek. The evening also featured the winners of the Foundation’s first student poetry contest who shared their award winning poems with the audience.

Watch a video of the event . . .

Water: The Next Oil? – The Evaporation of an Essential Resource February 3, 2009
Sunne McPeak,member of the Delta Vision Blue Ribbon Task Force,  Mike Taugher, Contra Costa Times writer, and environmental scientist Booker Holton, examined the many issues around the local and global water crisis.
Watch a video of the event . . .

Ying Chang Compestine – A Writer in Two Worlds October 22, 2008
Author Ying Chang Compestine entertained a captive audience at the Lesher Center for the Arts as she discussed how her grief over the loss of her parents led her on a 7 year journey to write her award winning novel Revolution is Not A Dinner Party. During the event she also spoke of her three loves, cooking, traveling and children, and the impact that they have had in her life.

Watch a video of the event . . .

An Evening with Robert Hass – A Celebration of National Poetry Month April 10, 2008
Over 300 community members enjoyed an evening with Pulitzer prize winner Robert Hass at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek. Hass read from his latest book of poems, Time and Materials.
Watch a video of the event . . .

See photos from the evening . . .