As some of you may know, in mid-April, Laila (Berkeley Ironworks staffer Tommy Halvorson's dog) fell from the top of Main Rock at Mickey’s Beach. Apparently she is made of rubber, escaping the 50-60 foot fall with only a broken leg. However, repairing her leg came with a very large price tag-around $8,000.

Luckily, Laila is a part of the Touchstone community and on Saturday, May 10 from 6-10pm, BIW is putting on a Bouldering Comp to raise money for the vet bills! That’s right, Bouldering for Laila! There will be free beer and hot dogs, prizes for the winner of each division, a raffle with some amazing prizes for climbers and non-climbers alike, music, climbing, all the things you have come to love from Touchstone Climbing comps. all the proceeds/donations go to helping this little girl get back to playing frisbee. We hope to see you there!!!

Labels: climbing, community, comps, staff

If for some reason you find yourself walking one day on the tough streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin district, you may just happen across the odd sight of a woman instructing yoga right on the dirty sidewalk. That woman is Sacramento Pipeworks yoga instructor Tamara Standard who, as her alter ego Yoga Girl, rolls out yoga mats and challenges denizens of the Tenderloin to literally practice yoga on the streets. Her mission is to share with others; bringing yoga to the underprivileged and those who haven't been exposed to the practice or may not have an opportunity to practice.

"Yoga should be accessible to all people" she said. Tamara was inspired to begin her service
as Yoga Girl 2 years ago when she was in the same down and depressed frame of mind that she now sees in the people she teaches. She finds most people she approaches on the street are actually willing to practice with her, often noting the softening of peoples faces and improvement in their posture or attitude after a session.

"Yoga is a very transformative experience".

Tamara is looking for people to help sponsor a small studio in the Tenderloin where she hopes to incorporate training others to help spread the word. You can watch video of her street work:
http://yogagirlsf.com/index.html or anyone who wants to participate can contact her at: yogagirlsf@mac.com

Labels: community, fitness, pipeworks, staff

Touchstone is proud to support our members who are participating in the AIDS/Lifecycle ride from San Francisco to L.A. on June 1-7, 2008. The AIDS/Lifecycle ride is a 7-day ride that travels 545 miles through beautiful California from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The ride is about raising money and awareness for HIV/AIDS.

To learn more about the ride, visit: www.aidslifecycle.org

If you are a Touchstone member participating in this ride, Touchstone will make a $500 donation to your fundraising goal. (This offer is limited to the first 10 members who contact us. After that, we will make $100 donations.) We will also provide a Touchstone Bike Jersey for you to wear during the ride.

If you would like to be sponsored, please e-mail us at: aidsride@touchstoneclimbing.com

Labels: community, cycling, members

One advantage to Great Western Power Company's urban location is its proximity to a number of schools. It is not uncommon on weekdays to find a group of kids experiencing their first taste of climbing on the walls of GWPC. To further Touchstone's commitment to serving underprivileged kids, GWPC provides indoor climbing experiences to kids who otherwise would never know that such an activity exists. Often these kids walk away with a great sense of accomplishment and increased confidence in their ability to face a new challenge. And as this picture attests, the staff has a great time with the kids, too!

Labels: community, kids, oakland

Photo Caption: Two weeks worth of E-Waste waiting to be recycled. All of this will be saved from landfills thanks to our earth friendly Concord members.

This January Touchstone Concord will be continuing its Electronic Waste Drive (E-Waste) through the end of January in part to the initial success of its first two weeks. What is E-Waste you might ask? It could be a few different things depending on the type of pack rat you are. An old computer that is sitting in your garage, a broken cell phone you recently ran over, or even the large outdated TV that you replaced with a new plasma flat screen “a to me from me” Christmas gift. Come by the front desk to check out what is accepted (almost any electronic device) and if you drop something off we will give you a FREE day pass (1 pass per member).

Labels: community, concord

Giving to the American Safe Climbing Association

Members at Class 5 have donated over $210 this year in spare change to replace old and dangerous bolts and anchors. Dropping spare change into the plastic bucket near the register really adds up!

The American Safe Climbing Association works to return classic climbing routes to their original danger level by replacing deteriorating old fixed anchors, usually bolts, with modern camouflaged gear.

They have replaced over 4000 old bolts to date in Yosemite and many other areas throughout the U.S., mostly in the western states.

Class 5’s donations will replace from 20 – 40 bolts and anchors. That little bit of extra change will help make climbing a little bit safer. Thanks Class 5 members who have been so generous since every little bit helps.

Labels: class 5, climbing, community

Want to help out the Earth this Holiday season? Drop off your old electronics between now and January 2nd (please view the guidelines below) at Touchstone Concord and receive one FREE guest pass (1 per person). Scrounge around your home and office and clean out that garage of yours to bring in the New Year by helping out the planet.

“TDR Electronic Recycling LLC is a Northern California electronic waste management company and recycles all materials in accordance to government-regulated standards. All the materials we process are logged and tracked starting from the collection point to the end-of-life process. Certified compliant by The California Integrated Waste Management Board under SB 50 for universal waste and CRT collection.

We accept all computer hardware and electronics, including cpu computers, monitors, television sets, networking equipment, personal electronics, industrial equipment, test equipment, wires, stereos, speakers, keyboards, mice, cell phones, home phones, office phones, remote controls, radio equipment, LCD displays, laptops, wires, some metals, personal electronics, VCR, speakers, and more. Computer hardware and electronic equipment is accepted regardless of vintage or working condition. Customer’s privacy is protected; all drives are individually erased and destroyed.”

Labels: community, concord

Touchstone Concord wants to reach out this December. Help someone out this holiday season by making a nonperishable food donation at Touchstone Concord. Donation barrels are located at the front desk. Needed items are iron rich cereal, 100% fruit juice, canned fruit (in juice), dry beans, canned vegetables and tomato products, enriched rice, powdered milk, canned meat and fish, enriched pasta and peanut butter (plastic container). Please donate nonperishable food items, (no glass containers please). We thank you in advance.

Labels: community, concord

It’s better to give, and then receive!

This holiday season you can help underprivileged families in our community by donating a new, unwrapped toy (requested value of $10 or more) to our 4th annual holiday toy drive.

To show our appreciation, we will give you a coupon for a free day pass to Mission Cliffs. You can keep it for yourself, or give it to a friend.

Spread some holiday joy by dropping off your gift to the front desk staff by Wednesday, December 19th.

Labels: community, mission cliffs

About the event:
This year they have work from Galen Rowell, Michael Frye, Glen Denny, Ansel Adams (a rare signed poster), Jerry Dodrill, Greg Epperson, and many other well-known artists. The event is becoming a showcase for top adventure photographers. They will also have several works available for a prize drawing. They hope you decide to join them for this fun and worthwhile event, it is a great opportunity to buy amazing artwork at a reasonable price for a good cause.
The Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Valley hosts the event each year. The work will be hanging from the morning of November 8th until the evening of Friday the 9th. The gala reception and silent auction's final bids occur from 5:00-6:30pm on Friday. It is a festive night with food, wine, and a great mix of park locals, climbing heavies, art collectors and the general public.

To see a selection of the work, visit:
www.smugmug.com/gallery/1936467
This site will be updated frequently.

A little about YCA:
YCA's goal is to preserve the park's climbing history and interpret it for the public. They are non-profit and are a designated NPS park partner. They are currently working towards a climbing museum and library within the Yosemite Valley visitor's center. The money raised goes towards housing and cataloging our burgeoning collection of historic items, acquiring new items, and interpretive programs. It also helps them organize the biggest annual park wide cleanup in Yosemite's history. This year they cleaned up a record 20 TONS of garbage! To find out more check out their website: www.yosemiteclimbing.org. They have had a lot of press this year, including ABC news and National Geographic.

Labels: climbing, community

Touchstone San Jose, in cooperation with NorCal Waste Systems Inc., is participating in the 11th Annual “Coats For Kids” winter coat drive. If you have any winter coats, jackets, sweaters, or vests that you would be willing to donate, you can drop them off at the front desk. Clean, gently worn clothing of any size will be accepted.

The “Coats For Kids” winter coat drive will be running until November 9th.

Labels: community, san jose

For five days in this fall, the Yosemite Climbing Association will once again sponsor a Yosemite-wide cleanup to benefit the park and help restore high use areas after the busy summer season. The goal is an intensive cleaning of all areas in the park before the winter rains set in. This will include roadways, the river corridor, trails, parking areas, campgrounds, climbing areas, and lodging areas.

Meet the YCA in front of the Visitor Center between 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM from September 26th to September 30th, to pick up trash bags and litter sticks. Bring your trash back for weighing and sorting by 5:00 p.m. Signing in and weighing your collection at the end of the day helps us track our progress, reach the most area and create revenue for the Park.

Show up early for assignments, or if you already have a route for the day, sign up, grab a trash bag, and spend some time cleaning the area you are enjoying. If you can’t be there at 8:00 AM, show up when you can, every little bit will help. Each participant receives a raffle ticket for every day they participate. Hundreds of prizes will be raffled off at a special reception for all participants on September 30.

Last year, 1,157 participants donated 9,256 hours, collect 25,000 pounds of trash, valued at $166,970 by the NPS. Thanks to this effort, the NPS presented Ken Yager with the Yosemite Award. Help us make the YCA Yosemite Facelift an even greater success this year.

For more info, contact Ken Yager.

Labels: climbing, community, event

Berkeley Ironworks front desk staffer Rose Waters has embarked on a good-will trip to Guatemala to help out at a health clinic in the village of San Marcos de la Laguna. She started out by taking an intensive language school in the Spanish colonial city of Antigua.

She is now in San Marcos and hoping to practice her Spanish, but most of the people there speak it pretty badly if at all, since they are all indigenous and speak the Mayan language Kaqchikel. But she is using her basic Spanish to communicate while helping with prenatals, attending births, observing the naturopathic doctor, works in the garden (they grow herbs that they use for treatments in the clinic), and going around to check on the orphans that the clinic sponsors.

In the picture, Rose may look like she is shaking her fist at the little girl, but she is actually treating her for a cough, fever and malnutrition (that´s why her hair is falling out).

Labels: community, ironworks, staff

Let's face it, you aren't a superhero, but on August 23rd you have the opportunity to act like one. That's right; it's blood drive time again at Touchstone Concord. Your one pint of blood can save three lives after it has been split into plasma, patelets, and red blood cells as well as gaining you a free pint of ice cream. Touchstone Concord strongly encourages any and all able donors to sign up for a time-slot at the front desk. The drive is taking place from 4pm to 8pm on Thursday, August 23rd.

Labels: community, concord

Berkeley Ironworks will be hosting the Red Cross bloodmobile on June 18th from 1-7pm. Summer time is the most important time to give blood, because there is higher demand and often shortages. If you are looking for an excuse to get out of work early, you'll have the best excuse there is: "I'm giving blood!"

For your convenience, you can even go online to book and appointment. Just got to: www.beadonor.com
and enter IRON for the Sponsor Code to book an appointment today!

Labels: community, ironworks

If you thought San Jose was simply about pebble wrestling, well, think again! This July, Touchstone San Jose member Erika Smith will be climbing Mt. Shasta, a 14,169-foot volcano in Northern California. Her climb will have additional meaning though, as Erika has joined with Bay Area Wilderness Training (BAWT), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping urban youth venture outdoors. To prepare for her trip, Erika is raising money to help get more kids and young adults outdoors to experience the power and beauty of nature first-hand. Having served over 4,700 youth since 1999, taking them safely out on multi-day hikes, camping, and backpacking trips.

We wish Erika good luck with her training and preparation to reach her goals this July!

Labels: community, members, san jose

Touchstone Climbing is extremely proud to be chosen this month as the Access Funds Featured Partner of the month. Since 1991, the Access Fund has worked to keep climbing areas open and conserve the climbing environment. Today it supports and represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing. Touchstone has been its corporate partner since 1998.

Labels: climbing, community, touchstone

Touchstone gyms aren't just a great place to work out; they are also a great place to help out a worthy cause. Recently, Touchstone Concord helped out St. Jude's Children's Hospital and cancer research center by holding a fundraiser in February. All told, Touchstone Concord members donated and gathered $1327, to help this great cause. Members raised money by getting sponsored for routes climbed and hours spent working out. Additionally, many opened their hearts by opening their pocket books. If you have a group that is interested in having a fund raiser at Touchstone Concord, please contact the manager.

Labels: community, concord, members

Mission Cliffs hosted a climbing event for course setter Kent Schmitz’s 5th grade class from Guadalupe Elementary on March 15th. There were over 30 students that participated in a two hour climbing session at the gym.

“The students learn so much about themselves when they go climbing”, says Kent. “They learn that all they need to do is try in order to succeed, and then they understand that nothing can stop them. It’s a great self-confidence building activity”, he adds.

Most of the students never had an opportunity to climb before. They were a little hesitant at first, but afterwards they knew that they can overcome many of there fears.

In a letter received by Willie, he writes "I learned how to rock climb. I learned it’s ok to be scared. I learned that I will not die rock climbing in the jim, but the best part is eating lunch and watching Mr. Schmitz climb."
Another student, Richard recalls, "my favorite parts is when I fall because when you fall it feels like you are flying like a bird. My other favorite part is when you make it to the top and come down. I like to kick off the rock because it is so fun. I do not know why."

Christine writes, "Rock climbing isn’t as easy as I thought it would’ve been. Okay now I’m not scared of heights going to Mission Cliffs. I like challenging myself. Rock climbing is the best way to challenge myself into not being afraid of heights. I would call myself bad at rock climbing. I want to be better at rock climbing, but I can’t do anything about it now."

Jacky writes, "I learned how to tie a double figure eight knot and a safety knot. Well I learned the double figure eight knot and the safety knot at class but I actually forgot. I also learned not to stick my hand in the thing where you put your rope in or else when you fall, your finger gets ripped out of your hand, but I don’t believe that’s true."

This is our 7th session working with one of Mr. Schmitz’s class and we truly enjoy seeing the kids grow within the short two hour climbing session. This experience will be embedded with the students for a very long time.

Labels: climbing, community, mission cliffs

Touchstone Concord was pleased to host a group of 27 teenagers from Mt.
Diablo High School for an afternoon of rock climbing. The group was
invited at the behest of the Concord Police Department who used the
event as an opportunity to thank the students for volunteering their
time as peer counselors and mediators on campus. Since climbing
promotes teamwork and cooperation, the police department felt that a day
climbing at Touchstone Concord was the perfect activity. A great time
was had by all and most everyone left with tired forearms and a desire
to try climbing again.

Labels: community, concord

Photo caption: USF Law students Andrew Salenger, Zach Hansen, Jenny Yu, Heather Thurgood, Nicole Cabalette, and Liz Hallock discussed the state of the justice system in New Orleans with The Hon. Edith Brown Clement, a Court of Appeals judge for the 5th Circuit.

Front-desk staff at Berkeley Ironworks and University of San Francisco law student Liz Hallock organized a legal aid trip to New Orleans to help Hurricane Katrina victims. The group worked with the Student Hurricane Network, which has brought hundreds of law students to the Gulf Coast to rebuild homes and work in legal aid offices. The USF students were placed with ACORN, an organization committed to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward. That neighborhood was destroyed in August, 2005 when the Industrial Canal levees breached, ripping homes from their foundations, and a 45-ton barge floated through the area, leveling remaining homes beneath it. The students discovered that one of the major roadblocks to recovery for the people they met was a lack of consolidated information on how to access legal help, and before they left New Orleans, they created a legal resource guide for ACORN members, designed to help residents find information on everything from applying for Road Home program benefits to finding a lawyer. The trip was also supported by the USF Law in Motion Service Program, and more information about the Student Hurricane Network and ways to help can be found at: www.studenthurricanenetwork.org

Labels: community, ironworks

During the last week of February, San Jose staff member, Paul Spitzmueller, who also teaches at Bellarmine College Preparatory went to Guaymas, Mexico with eleven high school students to volunteer his time to a community in need of support. The trip had a few goals in mind that included an immersion experience into Mexican culture, accompaniment with the people they serve, and finally, to understand their context in the setting of global poverty. Both the school and the trip aimed to move students into a space that challenged their traditional ways of thinking.

The days consisted of working with a Franciscan community in the morning, fulfilling certain projects that needed to be complete (ie. community clean up jobs, interacting with the youth, etc…). This year, they returned to a house covered in tasteless graffiti. They scraped the paint off, re-painted the surface, and replaced them with student-painted murals of Mother Theresa and Jesus. As a side note, they've found from past experiences that walls with murals (typically with a Christian theme) are respected and valued much more by the community and tend to be preserved better than blank walls that are seen as empty canvases. The students who did not work on the mural planted a garden. In the afternoon, they served food at the soup kitchen and listened to the stories of the local homeless. For many of the students, this was their first time hearing Spanish spoken exclusively at meals, providing a good challenge and opportunity to deal with their comfort zones. During the evenings, they went to a local boys and girls club to play with you kids that ranged from 7-12. This club is the only kind in town, started by an American 14 years ago, it serves as a social outlet for kids to go and play safely with others as soon as school lets out. It's an effective way to keep them off of the streets where they are exposed to drugs and violence.

Labels: community, san jose

Mission Cliffs
Third Annual Holiday Toy Drive

This holiday season you can help underprivileged families in our community by donating a new, unwrapped toy (requested value of $10 or more) to the front desk staff at Mission Cliffs. For every gift that we receive, we would like to extend our appreciation by giving you a coupon for a free day pass to Mission Cliffs.

So please help us spread some holiday joy, and drop off your gift by Monday, December 18th and collect your free coupon.

Happy Holidays from the staff at Mission Cliffs.

Labels: community, mission cliffs

If you ever meet Will Harris, expect him to be pedaling. For the past two years he’s been a Spin instructor at Sacramento Pipeworks. As a member of the Pipeworks Bike Club, he bikes 50 to 100 miles most weekends. And he bikes to his day job as a geologist at the California Geological Survey, about a 10-mile round trip.

“It keeps my butt from getting soft,” says the 44-year-old Sacramentan.

While Harris is bike-centered, he’s not self-centered. Earlier this year he was instrumental in setting up a bike cooperative program for residents of Quinn Cottages. The transitional housing for the formerly homeless is right across the street from Pipeworks.

Harris got the idea while on the weeklong Cycle Oregon ride in 2004. Many volunteers and volunteer groups help to organize the annual ride, including folks from Portland’s Community Cycling Center. Harris learned of the CCC’s annual bike collection drive that puts bikes in the hands of Portland’s disadvantaged youth. Harris and fellow Bike Club members transplanted the idea to Sacramento and, with the help of the Quinn residents, modified it. They set up a bike “library,” where bikes can be checked out by any Quinn resident. The Quinn folks call it the QuinnWorks Bike Corral.

The Pipeworks Bike Club collected 25 bikes from gym members, friends and coworkers for the Corral. They fixed the bikes up pretty and raised more than $1,000 for more bike repair and general operating expenses.

“Quinn Cottages is just half a mile from the American River Bike Trail,” Harris says. “We wanted the Quinn residents to be able to take advantage of the beauty and recreation the trail has to offer, and we want them to have bikes for general transportation. Sacramento is so flat—it’s ideal for bike commuting.”

The Corral opened this past spring with a group ride on the trail — a “non-Lycra ride,” says Harris — and included a dozen Bike Club members and 17 men, women, and kids from Quinn. In the Corral’s first week, Quinn residents checked out bikes more than 40 times.

Harris was back on the Cycle Oregon trip this past September, a 500-mile loop starting along the Columbia River and through the Blue Mountains. He was joined by Pipeworks Bike Club members Scott Clark and Kent Gillis. They rode with about 2,000 cyclists, stopping and staying in small towns in central and eastern Oregon. The visits extend the tourist season for those rural communities just a bit longer. Cycle Oregon provides an opportunity to get to know good friends better and to meet new friends, all while riding through beautiful country, says Harris.

And you never know what kinds of neat ideas might present themselves along the way.

Labels: community, cycling, members, pipeworks

Mission Cliffs is proud to participate in the San Francisco Food Bank’s Holiday Food Drive this season. We will have our barrel available for non-perishable food donations at the front desk this month until December 5th. Help us make a difference.

Shopping List of urgently needed items include:
Canned Vegetables
Canned Fruit
Tuna
Canned Meats
Soups, Stews and Chili
Peanut Butter
Cereal
* no glass containers, please

The San Francisco Food Bank delivers groceries to more than 500 pantries and agencies serving thousands of San Francisco families, seniors and individuals in need. With your help, the Food Bank can distribute food for 55,000 meals every day.

Labels: community, mission cliffs

Touchstone San Jose proudly co-sponsor eight enthusiastic International House students from San Jose State University in the 2006 Metro Silicon Valley Marathon. The race took place in downtown San Jose on October 29th at 7:00am. The elite eight SJSU students hail from Spain, France, Cyprus, Japan, and South Africa. The group proudly sported bright orange tees with the Touchstone San Jose logo and were cheered on by onlookers with, "Go orange team!"

"Only two of us have run a marathon before," said team organizer Adrien Wiesebron, a software engineering major and student from France. "We want to just have fun and run together."

The first finisher for the I-House Touchstone/Jamba Juice team was Remim Astier, clocking in at exactly 4:00:00 for his first marathon. Wiesebron, Clement Guyot from France and Omar Coassio Gonzalez from Spain ran down the 100-meter-long stretch, their hands joined and raised to the sky as the orange trio finished the 26.2 miles in 4:18:29. Also representing the I-House Touchstone/Jamba Juice team and finish the marathon were Sara Hussein, Dino Kouiyalis, and Rosemary Workman.

Labels: community, members, san jose

Berkeley Ironworks is proud to announce a new program to help the homeless. Stephen Krank of the St. Vincent de Paul Champion Guidance Center designed a 12 week program to help the homeless get back on track. The 'Climb Out of Homelessness' program is made up of two parts: learning to climb at Berkeley Ironworks and the Champion Guidance Center's 'Meet Your Needs Workshop'.

The group's first meeting at BIW was on September 7th, where they were given a belay safety class and tested their new-found skills on the walls. Everyone had a great time and left with a sense of accomplishment and optimism. We hope the participants are successful in their climb out of homelessness and are excited to provide this opportunity at no cost.

Labels: climbing, community, ironworks

For five days in this fall, the Yosemite Climbing Association will once again sponsor a Yosemite-wide cleanup to benefit the park and help restore high use areas after the busy summer season. Our goal is an intensive cleaning of all areas in the park before the winter rains set in. This will include roadways, the river corridor, trails, parking areas, campgrounds, climbing areas, and lodging areas.

Meet in front of the Visitor Center between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from September 27th to October 1st to pick up trash bags and litter sticks. Bring your trash back for weighing and sorting by 5:00 p.m. Signing in and weighing your collection at the end of the day helps us track our progress, reach the most area and create revenue for the Park.

Each participant receives a raffle ticket for every day they participate. Hundreds of prizes will be raffled off at a special reception for all participants on October 1st. The park entrance fee will be waived for Facelift participants. Free camping is available on a first come first served basis.

Last year, 600 participants last year donated 4,696 hours, collected 7,655 pounds of trash, and created $77,671.84 in revenue for Yosemite National Park. Thanks to their efforts, the 2005 Facelift was recognized with a conservation award from The Access Fund. Help us make the YCA Yosemite Facelift an even greater success this year.

For questions and more information, please contact Ken Yager or visit our website.

Labels: climbing, community, event

As reported last month, Steve Karafa, along with local Yosemite climbing legend John Bachar and his girlfriend Anastasia Frangos, were involved in a tragic car accident. Sadly, Steve did not survive the accident. While Anastasia was fortunate to have escaped with only minor injuries, John sustained multiple spinal fractures and will be faced with insurmountable medical bills, as well as a long road to recovery.

To help John with his medical bills, a benefit has been setup. Many companies in the climbing community have donated prizes and there will be a drawing for those who donate to this fundraiser. It's an important distinction to make, that this is not a raffle, but rather a voluntary fundraiser where each contributor's name will automatically be enrolled into a special prize drawing. If you would like to contribute, please visit the Bachar Benefit website. If you would like more information on this benefit, you can also read an article about it at rockclimbing.com's website.

Labels: climbing, community, event, touchstone

Did you know that every 3 seconds someone needs blood and that just 1 pint of donated blood can help save as many as 3 lives? Blood is in short supply during summer and winter vacation months, so we are urging all Touchstone members and friends to show up at Touchstone Concord on August 24th to participate in our 1st Annual Blood Drive.

If you are wondering who can participate, anyone who is in good health, is at least 17 years old, and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days. It only takes 10 minutes to draw the blood, but expect the whole process to take 45 minutes, including time to rest and eat cookies! You can also check here for more information on requirements to donate.

All blood donors will receive a coupon for a pint of free ice cream, a free day pass to use for themselves or give to a friend, as well as be entered into a raffle to win some great prizes! Those folks who call ahead to reserve a spot will have priority on the night of the drive so please call (925) 602-1000 and sign up to save a life!

Labels: community, concord, event

Who’s been going to bat for us on climbing access and resource management issues -- lobbying the National Park Service in Washington, DC, for example, regarding how climbing environments are managed and maintained in national parks?

The Access Fund, which represents over 1.6 million climbers nationwide.

The group represents climbers of all types: Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Mountaineering, and Bouldering. Touchstone has long supported the Access Fund because of its commitment to keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment.

In 2006, the organization has articulated the responsible climbers’ perspective as a proposal to sell off massive quantities of US Forest Service lands, some of which contain climbing resources, gains momentum. And, in the last few months, it has made the responsible climbers’ case to the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and US Forest Service in Washington, DC regarding fixed anchors in areas such as Yosemite Valley (CA), the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (CO), the Sawtooth Mountains (ID), and Linville Gorge (NC).

Nearly 85 cents of every membership dollar funds projects and services that conserve climbing access, protect the climbing environment, and minimize impacts and restrictions across the U.S.

Regional coordinators are the Access Fund's principal liaisons to local areas and represent climbers' interests on both public and private lands. Regional coordinators facilitate the efforts to keep climbing areas open at the local level. The Access Fund contact for the northern California territory is Alison Walker.

Labels: climbing, community

Class 5 will be hosting an event to raise money for Breast Cancer Research put together by Class 5’s very own Meg McCloskey. This event will have a raffle, beer, music door prizes and a lot of fun. All proceeds go towards Breast Cancer Research so buy raffle tickets and help save lives.

Come over, have a great time and support a great cause!!

August 12th 8pm to midnight at Class 5 in San Rafael.

Labels: class 5, community, event

On behalf of The Sacramento Pipeworks Bike Club, Will Harris recently accepted an award from Quinn Cottages for creation of the QuinnWorks Bike Corral program. The QuinnWorks Bike Corral is a western-themed bike loan cooperative serving Quinn Cottages, a transitional housing facility for the formerly homeless, located near the American River Bike Trail and the Sacramento Pipeworks gym. The corral provides a stable of 25 bikes (plus helmet, lock and light) that residents can borrow to enjoy a days outing along the river or ride to work or to run errands. The Corral is managed by dedicated Quinn residents who check bikes in and out, as well as perform basic maintenance.

Harris, a Pipeworks cycling instructor, got inspiration for the project from a similar venture by the Portland Oregon Community Cycling Center. Starting with more than 25 bicycles of all types and sizes that were donated by Pipeworks Bicycle Club members, gym members, friends and colleagues, the next goal was to get the bikes in working order prior to turning them over to Quinn. Pipeworks Bike Club members spent several days cleaning, adjusting and oiling the bikes, getting them ready for the inaugural ride. A donation fund (that eventually grew to over $1000) was also established to purchase supplies, tools, and equipment for the bikes. Everything else, including more than 30 bicycle helmets, was donated or provided at cost by sponsoring bike shop The Bicycle Chef.

The day dawned sunny and warm for opening of the Corral. Seventeen residents, ranging from kids to adults, joined 12 Pipeworks bike club members as the group rode for two hours along the American River Bike Trail. For one Quinn resident, it was the first time in 30 years that she had ridden a bike. The future looks rosy for the QuinnWorks Bike Corral as the bikes were checked out by residents more than 40 times in its first week of existence!

Labels: community, members, pipeworks

On May 19th, Mission Cliffs hosted 29 5th graders from Guadalupe Elementary School for their class field trip. For most of the kids this was their first opportunity to try rock climbing and provided them with an opportunity they otherwise would not have. The trip was organized by their teacher, long time member and part time course setter, Kent Schmitz. Kent has over the last several years brought his classes from both Guadalupe and Treasure Island elementary schools for field trips to Mission Cliffs.


This trip was donated by Touchstone, as part of our effort to continually outreach into the community.

Labels: climbing, community, kids, mission cliffs

Berkeley Ironworks is proud to host the annual kick-off party the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (AKA BORP) on Saturday May 20th between 2pm and 4pm. BORP is a non-profit organization that provides adventure fitness and recreation for people with physical disabilities.

In December BORP's bike storage facility was burglarized. All hand-cycles, tandem bikes, trikes, helmets and tools were stolen, and in one fell swoop their whole adaptive cycling program came to a halt. The media quickly picked up their story and sparked an overwhelming response from the community. PG&E and Wells Fargo swiftly put up challenge grants, and immediately donations began to pour in from people all around the Bay Area and beyond. BORP has received over $130,000 in
grants and donations since the theft.

Join Berkeley mayor Tom Bates as BORP thanks all of their generous donors for rebuilding the Cycling Program. Don't miss the ribbon cutting ceremony at 3pm that will showcase the brand new bikes.

Labels: community, cycling, event, ironworks

Anyone fed up with the media’s apparent complication of information regarding food groups? Touchstone’s CEO certainly is. ‘Study after study on the topic of health is flawed. Correlation is not causality’ he says. ‘And besides, we’ve known many of the answers to basic health for decades.’ Mark Melvin, a casual reader of Scientific American, finally dug up an old article and had it reproduced for members as a courtesy of Touchstone. If you’re interested in hearing that fat percentage does not equate to being fat, and that whole grains might as well not be the same group as non-whole grains, ask for a complimentary copy at the front desk of any Touchstone gym.

Labels: community, fitness, tips, touchstone

Thanks to the generosity of Pipeworks members over the last several months, 32 unused bikes were gathered to benefit Quinn Cottages, a facility near Pipeworks that provides transitional housing and life skills for the formerly homeless. That’s seven bikes beyond the stated goal of 25! The donated bikes are to be used by Quinn residents and families for recreation and transportation. On one recent Saturday, 18 Pipeworks Bike Club members, friends and family spent a day cleaning and repairing the donated bikes in preparation for the April bike give away. A big thanks to all who donated their time, a bike or money to this worthy cause!

Labels: community, cycling, event, members, pipeworks