Grow a Greener Community  Become a Master Composter Inspire others and make a difference in your community. The annual Master Composter Training Program is currently accepting applications from Alameda County residents for the 2007 Class. The Master Composter Program is a certificated, extensive compost course. Participants receive training in the art and science of basic and worm composting, soil health, and Bay Friendly gardening techniques. Participants use this knowledge to train others through a compost community outreach project. All participants receive a compost bin and several composting and gardening books, including the East Bay Municipal Utility DistrictÂs 'Plants and Landscapes for Summer Climates of the SF Bay Region.' Teachers who complete the program are eligible for a $200 stipend to use toward school garden and/or classroom compost activities. Classes will meet Tuesday nights weekly from early February through mid-May 2007, with 2 Saturday field trips. The Program offers graduate level and continuing education credits from California State University at Hayward or credit from Merritt College Landscape Horticulture department. Master Composter training enhances the skills of community leaders, activists, educators, environmentalists, gardeners, and recyclers. We encourage people of all ages, abilities, and ethnic groups to apply. If you have ideas and energy for community actions, this class is for you. HOW? Complete an application by January 12, 2007. Reserve the evening of January 17 & 18 for an interview. Visit our website at www.BayFriendly.org to apply on-line or download an application. From the home page, click on the Bay-Friendly Gardening link on the bottom left, click on the Residents icon, and then the Master Composter Program link. The website also provides a class syllabus and examples of projects from past participants. For more information, please contact StopWaste.Org at 510-444-SOIL or www.BayFriendly.org. Here is a link that might be useful: www.bayfriendly.org

If the Parks Dept. is willing to get involved, you've just cleared the biggest hurtle- I work for a Parks and Rec. Dept. as a planner so I am familiar with how difficult it can be to get this type of commitment. The next step is a ton of community outreach on your part. You will want to post information in nurseries and provide an e-mail or phone number people can call if they are interested. Once you have a space set aside, get some publicity from the newspaper about a "new community garden". Give short talks or information packets to Senior Citizen Organizations, food pantries, garden clubs, anything you can think of. That is how we have generated support for our community garden. Good luck.

I don't think I'll be able to come Saturday. Best wishes on a great endeavor. I hope you will post pictures of the gardens and the "brunch bunch". And would love to know about Mother Clyde - what she did to get honored by the naming of the garden. Haven't visited the West End in a long time. Love the charm of the old homes and gardens. Rosie in Sugar Hill

There are many qualified people in this country to do the job Timothy Geitner is nominated for. There are also many people who are honest and pay their taxes, never intentionally making a mistake when filing. My H and I are included. We work hard, and pay what we owe. If it's good enough for us, it's good enough for everyone. People who want high profile jobs in the government, need to bother paying their taxes, as they expect us to pay ours. Tim Geitner is not the person for this job, he doesn't handle his own money honestly, I don't want him governing ours, and when I say "ours" I include all Americans. This has nothing to do with the former administration, let's get into the present day, I am looking at the "change" we were all promised and seeing something that should have everyone shaking in their boots. I vote NO on this man, let's find someone who pays their taxes and does not cheat the rest of us. It can be done.