Successful Blood Drive at DRGAugust 21st was not just any ordinary Thursday, it was the DRG's annual blood drive. Touchstone sends a big thanks to those members at the DRG who braved the needle to donated blood. 23 donors in all came out to give 14 units of blood which was enough to save 42 lives. Way to go everyone!
Laney Fine Art at DRGNext time your at Diablo Rock Gym you may notice a little more color on the wall, its not the neon route setting tape, but the artwork that brightens the front entry way and locker room walls. It is the art of Leisa Laney Waldron, the older sister of our superstar front desk staff Morgan.
"My married name is Leisa Waldron, but I still paint under my maiden name of Laney. As a little girl, I was always coming up with new ideas and projects to express myself creatively. I have had the opportunity to sell paintings and images all over the country. I have also had my work shown and sold in galleries, wineries, and through custom design. I have been painting from my home studio for eight years. I love anything and all things creative.
The subject matter and style in which I paint today differs greatly from what I learned while in college studying graphic and fine art. After studying all of the mathematical aspects of art, I knew what I loved most about creating was to make something of my own. I have learned that I love the simple things in life, and that can be seen in my finished works today."
My studio is out of my home in the San Francisco East Bay, California. For more information or to purchase any of her lovely workt visit her website www.laneyfineart.blogspot.com or email her at laneyfineart@gmail.com
Yoga Beginner's Series at Diablo Rock GymNew to Yoga ? Never tried? Looking for a place to start? This August Diablo Rock Gym will play host to a 4-part beginner's series for Yoga. Learn yoga basics at a comfortable pace in a supportive environment. Poses will be broken down and individuals specific needs addressed. It will take place Tuesday evenings from 5:00-6:15pm on August 5th, 12th, 19th, & 26th. The cost is only $20 for members, thats just $5 a session ($60 for non-members). Sarah Pascual one of our great yoga instructors will be leading the series. Sarah also teaches five different Vinyassa classes each week at Diablo Rock Gym.
Have questions or would like to sign up? Please call out friendly staff at 925-602-1000. Pre-registration and payment is required.
DRG gets AC If your like most you already knew that Diablo Rock Gym was cool. Now it's even cooler thanks to the three new air conditioning units that were recently installed. Next time your in take a look up and you will notice the new duct work above the front desk and weight room. Thank you to those who were patient during the construction.
TRS 2008 gets 2 Thumbs Up The Touchstone Rope Series visited Diablo Rock Gym last Friday with just under one hundred competitors joining in the fun. Not all 18 routes were sent but the tricky beta of the night goes to the 11.D with a finger crack that thwarted most. Climbing movies and guitar hero entertained spectators and those who turned in their scorecards early. The usual pizza and beer ended the night well and according to most people the night received two thumbs up.
TRS3 Charges into the East Bay Friday may be the 13th but yours won't be unlucky if you come by the Diablo Rock Gym for a fun filled night of friendly competition. There is no need to cower at home in fear of black cats or broken mirrors when you think of all the great things you'll be missing. When you combine great climbing, free pizza, beer, & T-shirts any superstitious thought should be a fleeting memory. There will be 18 stellar new routes ready to be sent. This will be the second of five rope climbing competitions in the third season of the TRS. To learn more click here. Registration opens at 5:30pm. Climbing starts at 6:00pm and ends at 10:00pm. This is a FREE event for members and $10 for non-members.
Rock Climbing Summer Camps Tired of your little monkey climbing all over the house? Then sign them up for a week of rock climbing. Summer camps are help at Berkeley Ironworks, San Francisco's Mission Cliffs, Oakland's Great Western Power Company, Concord's Diablo Rock Gym, or Sacramento's Pipeworks. Camps usually run M-F from 9am to noon beginning in June and running through August. Check with your local gym for times and specific details.
Campers will learn how to climb and belay in a supportive, fun, and safe environment. They will also try their hand at rappelling, ascending, slack-lining and playing many climbing games. Rock climbing emphasizes life skills such as confidence-building, self-esteem and goal-setting and is a great way to get kids to be active. Safety and having fun are our top priorities. Sign your kids up today!
GranddudeOn May 1st, former Mission Cliffs & Touchstone Concord employee Avery McClenahan gave birth to her first child. 'Berkeley Vector' was born at 2:30pm and both mother and child are doing well and home from the hospital. Avery is in her final weeks at UC Berkeley where she is double majoring in economics and art history.
For those who may not know Avery, she is the daughter of head route setter Craig McClenahan. This is Craig's first grandchild but don't try and call him 'grandfather.' When asked, Craig said he is not a granddad but rather 'Granddude.'
All of us at Touchstone wish Avery and Berkeley all the best, as well as a huge congratulations to Craig on becoming a 'Granddude.'
SCS stops by the DRG...Next stop GWPC This past Saturday Diablo Rock Gym hosted a local red point rope climbing competition as part of the USA Climbing Sport Climbing Series. It was a window into the future of climbing with most of the 60 competitors under the age of 19 and as young as 8 years old. To view results please visit the competition page and to see photos visit the online gallery. Wish them all luck for the duration of the season and at the upcoming Northern California Regional On-sight competition on May 17th at the Great Western Power Company.
TRS Wants YOU!!!It is once again time to get out your rope, tie in and climb. Touchstone Climbing is pleased to bring back the Touchstone Roped Series for its third year. This will be a series of five Roped Climbing comps that will be held on Friday evenings, one at all five of the Touchstone locations. All events will include a red point roped comp as well as refreshments, games and prizes. Points will be awarded for each comp with overall winners being announced after the final comp. The first event will be held Touchstone's newest gym, the Great Western Power Co. in Oakland on May 16th. There will be a comp each month for the following five months, with the finale coming in September at Mission Cliffs in San Francisco.
May 16th G.W.P.C June 13th Diablo Rock Gym July 11th Berkeley Ironworks August 22nd Sacramento Pipeworks September 26th Mission Cliffs
All comps will be from 6pm to 10pm and FREE FOR MEMBERS!
CrossFit Comes to DRG CrossFit has been wildly popular at Ironworks and the Great Western Power Co. and now has made its way through the tunnel to Diablo Rock Gym. Come check out a class if your looking for a great generalized full body workout that is adaptable to all levels and abilities. Class are offered Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30-6:30pm and Saturday from 1:30-2:30pm. Don't forget that these classes are free to members like all of our yoga and cycling classes. Save a tree and check out DRG's Calendar online.
Touchstone Staff Runs Fast On an extremely rainy and windy Sunday recently, staff members from Touchstone gyms in Berkeley, Sacramento, Oakland and Concord, teamed up to race each other around Oakland’s Lake Merritt. Hosted by Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (LMJS), the Couples Relay event featured a two-person relay, with each runner given a 5K leg around the lake. At 30 years old, this unique competition is LMJS's oldest foot race. Having already run this race several times in the past, Great Western Power Company staff member Skimra Rodriguez thought it would be fun to challenge her colleagues at Touchstone to team up with a staff member from another gym. Thanks entirely to her stellar performance, Skimra along with Pipework’s Vaughn Medford won bragging rights as the fastest pair, but not without good-natured promises of revenge next year from the other teams.
DRG Gets Cool Starting this February Diablo Rock Gym will be installing a air conditioner throughout the gym in an effort to keep the building more temperate over the summer.
This plan dates back over a year ago to the beginning of 2007 when Lyn Verinsky the new Manager of the GWPC in Oakland started this master plan. (Please forward all thanks to her).
During construction we ask for your patience in advance as some of the weight room and other areas of the gym might be in disarray. We’re sure you won’t mind the discomfort when your chilling off during the heat of July.
Photo Caption: Stage 1: Hauling Supplies to the Roof
A New Logo A few months ago we announced that we were excited to be changing the name of Touchstone Concord to Diablo Rock Gym. Today we are extremely excited to unveil the new logo for the Diablo Rock Gym.
New Paint, New Yoga... Come Check out Concords Fitness Studio
If you haven’t taken a yoga classes at Touchstone Concord you’ve been missing out. There are two new yoga classes being offered Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9:00pm. Monday’s class will be taught by Jennifer Tigue and Wednesday’s will be taught by Sarah Pascual.
Not only do we have new classes but a fresh coat of paint. The dull white has been replaced with a vibrant sandy yellow with a nice burnt orange accent. Along with the warmer feeling paint is some reorganization to the fitness props making the room more open and inviting. Give a big thanks to the unsung hero’s who spent a long Friday slaving away with brushes in hand.
Remember that all classes are FREE to members so why not check out a class. Stop by the front counter to pick up a schedule or better yet save a tree by viewing it online by clicking here.
E-Waste Drive Continues.... 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).
Help WantedLooking for a job, part time or full? Then check out Touchstone’s help wanted page. Right now Concord is looking for full and part time staff to work at the front desk. Mission Cliffs is looking for a full timer as well and the new Great Western Power Company is needs belay staff. Check out the help wanted page for more details. We are always looking for quality staff to fill a variety of positions at our different locations. There are always new positions opening up, so if you are looking for a job, be sure to check here often.
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.”
Food Drive in ConcordTouchstone 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.
Climbing & You Tube
The winter season is upon us and you may find yourself stuck inside more than you want. If you have already had a good climbing session that day but you're too tired to continue check out YouTube to get your fix of free climbing videos. There are thousands of videos to watch, some funny, some weird, and many about climbing. Search the site using keywords like climbing, bouldering, bishop, Sharma, and even Touchstone Climbing.
In honor of the Touchstone Bouldering Series that is currently taking place, here is a video from The Bouldering Bonanza at Touchstone Concord that was held July 29th, 2005. You can thank Casey Brunt for the cinematography being he made the film.