Friends of Oakley

The longtime Brentwood Community Chest organization has stepped forward to help a fledging group in Oakley looking to build a similar program and help residents in their own town.
Friends of Oakley board member Jim Frazier, announced that the Brentwood organization donated $5,000 to aide in the new Oakley committee’s goal to help feed 125 families for Christmas dinner.
“I volunteered for the Brentwood Community Chest and they inspired me into doing this here in Oakley,” Frazier said. “I’m really excited to help the families that need this.”
Other organizations have provided similar services throughout East County and in Oakley, but members of the Friends of Oakley committee say that there are still many who need help during these hard economic times. As a matter of fact, a few members of the Friends of Oakley committee are also members of the Oakley-Delta Lions Club who have fed between 50 to 70 local families over the past several years.
The Lions Club even intends to keep their services going this year, according to Lions and Friends of Oakley committee member Kevin Romick. Romick said that the Brentwood Community Chest has helped the Friends foundation to start a new “Christmas tradition” with their donation.
The Friends encouraged Oakley families in need to sign up for the Christmas dinner last Sunday, accepting the first 125 families who needed support.
“Before we even set up there was a long line,” Frazier said. It took about two hours for the group to reach their 125-family goal.
“Next year we are hoping to double the total number of families we help,” Frazier said. “It warms my soul to be able to help so many people.”
Friends of Oakley is a new organization in Oakley, put together by City Councilman-elect Frazier and fellow council members Kevin Romick and Pat Anderson, as well as Dr. Mike Painter of Oakley Chiropractic and Shirley Darling of the Redman-Pocahontas Oakley chapter.
Although members of the City Council are involved in the group, it will be run completely separate from the city. They are currently working on establishing themselves as a nonprofit group and getting their paperwork ready to be registered as a 501.3(c) non-profit, which would make donations to the organization tax deductible.
“The mission of the Friends of Oakley Community Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the city of Oakley now and for the future generations through efforts that inspire donor philanthropy to address community needs. We are fortunate that the Toys for Tots Organization is going to be working with us in Oakley,” Darling said.
The Friends of Oakley will be putting bins in several businesses throughout town to collect dry and canned food for the families. They are counting on the community to continue the past generous support.
“We appreciate the Brentwood Community Chest helping us to get started in this endeavor. As Oakley grows and matures it behooves us to reach out to our residents and help them with the needs within our community,” Darling said. “We have found that we have a very generous community and we hope to help guide and promote volunteerism and provide community leadership in providing flexible and cost effective ways for civic minded individuals, families, and companies to contribute to Oakley, now and for all time.”
Non-perishable food bins will be located at the Oakley Chamber Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at City Hall on Dec. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m., as well as at City Hall, Raley’s, ECC Bank, Bank of the West, Lucky’s, Round Table Pizza, Diamond Hills Athletic Club, the Oakley Chamber office, Oakley Chiropractic Clinic, Les Schwab and Delta Black Bear Diner.
Also added to the family packages will be toys donated by the Marine Corp Toys for Tots program. For more information on how to donate toys to the Friends of Oakley Christmas Drive, see the Toys for Tots website at www.ccctoydrive.com.