2018 July COLONY Magazine

printery 

foundation 

Painting a Vision of the Future 

For a Historic Icon 

Colony District 

Forcast: Renaissance 

Fourth of July 

Bluegrass Freedom 

Festival 

Colony Days 

Announces Theme 

Inaugural Issue 

COLONYMAGAZINE.COM 

Flash History: 

What’s in a Name?

FEATURES 

contents 

JULY 2018, Issue 1 

16 20 

ATASCADERO PRINTERY FOUNDATION 

REVIVING THE FORMER HEARTBEAT OF THE COLONY, ONE BRICK AT A TIME 

By Nicholas Mattson 

LA PLAZA & DOWNTOWN 

INFUSION OF ENERGY BRINGS NEW LIFE TO 

THE COLONY DISTRICT 

By Melissa Chavez 

DEPARTMENTS 

11 08 28 

SOMETHING WORTH READING 

06 Publisher’s Letter 

TWO IN TOW 

08 Colony Buzz: Congratulations AHS Grads 

10 Taste of Americana: Pink Lady Apple Pie 

11 Two In Tow: Elfin Forest 

12 Summer Activities Around Atascadero 

13 Flash History: What’s in a Name? 

14 Rotary Winemakers Cookoff 

BUSINESS 

22 Arlyne’s Flowers: 

A Family Business with a Personal Touch 

23 Paso Robles Physical Therapy: 

Tony Wallace Moves Closer to Home 

TENT CITY 

24 Nonprofit: Woods Humane Society Opens 

Clinic in Atascadero 

25 Education: Community Building Summit 

by County Superintendent Jim Brescia 

25 Stand Up, Stand Out 

by Weston Hooten 

COLONY TASTE 

26 Tea Trolley Serves Up a Spot of British 

Hospitality 

EVENTS 

28 Second Annual Bluegrass Freedom Festival 

29 Colony Days Announces Theme 

30 North SLO County Activity & Event Guide 

LAST WORD 

34 L’Envoi: Atascadero, an Epic Tale in the Making 

ON THE COVER 

Digital Oil Painting of Atascadero Printery 


4 | colonymagazine.com COLONY Magazine, July 2018

ATASCADERO GREYHOUND FOUNDATION 

Making A Difference 

Athletics 

HARES ‘N’ HOUNDS 5K 

haresnhounds.org 

Mentoring & Education 

LIGHTHOUSE COUNSELING 

lighthouseatascadero.org 

ALL COMERS TRACK & FIELD MEETS 

atascaderoallcomers.org 

LIGHTHOUSE MENTORING 

lampatascadero.org 

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 

atascaderogreyhoundhalloffame.org 

ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS 

lampofknowledgescholarships.org 

CAPS FUNDRAISER 

atascaderocaps.org 

Don’t miss All Comers Track & Field Meets! 

Meet us at Atascadero High School Memorial Stadium on Wednesday evenings 

for all-ages — Under 6 to Over 60 — fun on the track and field. 

EVENTS INCLUDE: Long Jump, High Jump, Hurdles, Shot Put, Pole Vault, Turbo Javelin 

100M & 200M Sprints, 1-Mile & 1500M Runs, 800M, 400M, 200M, 100M, 3000M 

Upcoming Wednesdays: 

• July 11 • July 18 • July 25 • August 1 

Events start at 5:30 p.m. | National Anthem at 6 p.m. | Visit atascaderoallcomers.org for more info. 

ATASCADEROGREYHOUNDFOUNDATION.ORG

Something Worth Reading 

805-391-4566 

COLONYMAGAZINE.COM 

publisher@colonymagazine.com 

MAIL: P.O. Box 163 

Atascadero, CA 93423 

EDITOR & PUBLISHER 

Nicholas Mattson 

publisher@colonymagazine.com 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Denise McLean, Mode 

Communications 

LEAD DESIGN 

Travis Ruppe 


Kris Fininen 


Kevin Kaub 

ART PRODUCTION 

Sue Dill 

ONLINE EDITOR & WRITER 

Meagan Friberg 

COPY EDITOR & WRITER 

Melissa Chavez 

WRITER 

Heather Young 

COLUMNIST 

Tom Taylor 

COLUMNIST 

Tonya Strickland 

WINE EDITOR 

Mira Honeycutt 

VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 

17,000 Printed | 14,900 Mailed 

COLONY Magazine is published monthly and distributed FREE to every 

residence and business in Atascadero 93422, Santa Margarita 93453, and 

Creston 93432 zip codes. Postage paid at Paso Robles, CA 93446. 

2,100 Dropped at High Traffic Locations 

COLONY Magazine is also available for our visitors at wineries, Chamber of Commerce, 

North County Transportation Center, local motels, hotels, vacation homes, B&Bs, the 

airport, doctor’s offices, restaurants, and other high-traffic hotspots. 

Subscriptions 

AD CONSULTANT & WRITER 

Millie Drum 

AD CONSULTANT 

Pam Osborn 

AD CONSULTANT 

Jamie Self 

AD CONSULTANT 

Karli Twisselman 

AD CONSULTANT 

Carmen Burton Kessler 

COLONY Magazine ©2018 

is owned and published by 

Nicholas & Hayley Mattson 

*No part of this periodical may be reproduced in 

any form by any means without written consent 

from COLONY Magazine. 

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Your Hometown Magazine Online at 

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Share COLONY Magazine! Annual subscriptions to COLONY Magazine, mailed to 

areas beyond the described distribution areas, are available for $26.99 per year (no 

international mailing). Subscribe online at COLONYmagazine.com. 

Whatever your mind can conceive 

and believe the mind can achieve 

regardless of how many times you 

may have failed in the past 

— Napoleon Hill 

Our inaugural issue! Wow! How 

do we even begin to express 

our deepest gratitude for the 

support and love we have received to 

have faith and trust to start a sister 

publication to PASO Magazine in our 

Home Town of Atascadero. A dream 

that we have been working to see 

come to fruition for as long as I can 

remember … 

A dream of a publication mailed directly to residents and businesses 

that would focus on the beautiful people and businesses in 

our communities doing the amazing things they do. A publication 

that would allow the untold stories of the silent heroes, the incredible 

strength of a group of people pulled together by a common goal 

or passion to make our community better, the stories of businesses 

and business owners that show up every day to fulfill a dream of 

their own and provide a service that is needed, the teachers, students 

and administrative staff that are at that very core growing the next 

generation that will be better than we are today, this publication is 

for all of you. 

Our desire to tell your story is shared by our incredible team that 

believes in the wonderful communities we all call home. It is with 

their faith, dedication and passion that the magazines come together. 

It is with the trust and confidence from all our advertisers that the 

magazine is able to be printed and the stories told. And it is because 

of the incredible vision, love and energy and our shared desire to 

provide our communities with a motivating, one of a kind, public 

that pulls it all together. 

Our goal with each publication is to bring you in-depth highlights 

that showcase our inspirational community in format that you will 

want to keep on your bookshelf for years to come. A piece of history 

in the making. A legacy that we can pass on to our children that 

teaches them the importance of being involved in the community 

and showing up for one another and that it is not all about us… it 

is much bigger. Our family is incredibly humbled to be able to call 

the North County our home and together with our team we will do 

everything we can to help tell your story, share and promote your 

business and provide a valuable tool when you have loved ones come 

to town to help them experience the heart of community in which 

we live. 

We truly thank you all with our whole hearts… let’s do this! 

Please enjoy this inaugural issue of COLONY Magazine. 

Hayley Mattson 

805-239-1533 

hayley@colonymagazine.com 

If thou wouldest win Immortality 

of Name, either do things worth 

the writing, or write things 

worth the reading. 

For advertising inquiries and rates, story ideas and submission of photos, 

letters, press releases, etc., email publisher@COLONYmagazine.com. 

— Thomas Fuller, 1727 


Thank you Atascadero 

— Reclaim • REHABILITATE • REPURPOSE — 

Jean Adams 

Give Fitness 

JoeAnn and Larry Bruzzo 

Charles Bourbeau 

Dr. Kevin Colton 

George Arndt Trust 

Debbie Arnold 

Charles Dunlap 

Kathy Dunlap 

Jan & Gilberto Gaona 

Brian Ellis & Liz Harned 

Catherine Hillman 

John Hollenbeck 

Idler’s Home 

Robert Grigger Jones 

Our Founders 

Livia Kellerman 

Kent Kenney 

Kiwanis Club Atascadero 

Nelson & Colleen Kobata 

Stephen LaSalle 

Nicholas & Hayley Mattson 

In Memory of 

Dr. Mike McNamara 

Christine Moser 

Nancy Moure 

Erick Pierce & Vy Nguyen 

Out of the Mire Ministries 

Jean & Jeff Pedigo 

David Ponemon & Terry 

Childers 

Thank you sponsors! 

Richard & Lois Ramont 

Greg Ravatt 

Rotary Club of Atascadero 

SLO Garbagemen’s Association 

The Dewing Family 

Sharon Turner 

Margaret Vandergon 

Tom Wand 

Steve Williams 

Anne Wilson 

Tony Wilson 

Jan Wolff & Bob Martz 

Mike, Peggy, Max & Zoe 

Zappas 

Come see us at 4th of July Bluegrass Festival for a glass of wine or beer 

— Wednesday, July 4 • 4-8:30 p.m. • Atascadero Lake Park — 

805-466-1961 • atascaderoprinteryfoundation.org • 6351 Olmeda Avenue, Atascadero • A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

ROUND TOWN 

“I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days 

before you’ve actually left them.” — Andy Bernard, The Office 

Congratulations! 

Class of2018 

Second Annual Benefit Concert 

atascadero lake park 

Free Bluegrass concert 4-8:30pm 

More food vendors 

Snap Jackson & 

The Knock On Wood Players 

Little Black Train 

The Blue "Js" 

Fun and games 

Lakeside Paddleboats 

Bluegrass jam session 

Bring 

Your Lawn 

Chair! Blankets 

Discouraged. 

atascadero4thofjuly.com 

BBQ sales benefit Colony Days 


Hats off to the 2018 

Class of Atascadero 

High School. It was 

my hope that I could 

follow a this class from Baro Gym 

where I first met Franko Jira as 

an eighth-grader with his junior 

high basketball team. He did not 

hesitate to let me know he was 

headed to Stanford University 

(my future alma mater) for 

medical school after high school. 

On a warm and bright June day, 

he delivered the commencement 

speech as valedictorian of the 

Class of 2018, and eloquently 

wove in a quote from Andy 

Bernard before the diplomas were 

certified, tassles turned, and caps 

tossed into perpetuity. 

Knowing you are in the “good 

ole days” is half the battle. If you 

know where you are going, then 

go there ... you’ll find yourself 

there. If you don’t know where 

you are going, then pick a place ... 

you will find yourself there. The 

only time you are ever really lost 

is when you forget that you are 

already there, just getting started. 

Bon voyäge Class of 2018. 

Make us proud, 

Nic from the News. 

FOR ATASCADERO CITY COUNCIL 

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July 2018, COLONY Magazine colonymagazine.com | 9

ROUND TOWN 

Taste of Americana 

With Barbie Butz 

Strawberry Pink Lady Apple Pie 

1 pie crust recipe for 9-inch deep-dish pie pan 

Filling Ingredients: 

• 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Pink Lady apples 

• ½ cup granulated sugar 

• Grated zest of 1 lemon 

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

• 1 quart ripe strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and 

sliced 

• 3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

Cream Crumb Topping Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 

• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

• ¼ teaspoon salt 

• 1 teaspoon baking powder 

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold heavy cream 

*Alternative apples or pre-made pie crusts are optional. 

I 

was first introduced to Pink 

Ladys in the 80s when my 

husband, John (Butz Construction) 

had a contract in 

Cuyama, CA building an office 

and employee barracks for Logoluso 

Farms. 

I grew up on Golden Delicious, 

Red Delicious, and Granny 

Smith apples and I don’t 

remember much variety in the 

markets at that time. So, when 

John brought home “Pink Lady” 

apples, and I ate that first one, I 

knew they’d be at the top of my 

apple list! 

Don’t be misled — the apple is 

not pink inside, but the skin has 

a pinkish blush, showing areas 

of light green on its elongated, 

asymmetrical shape. Words like 

crunchy, tart, juicy sweet, crisp 

all come to mind when I try to 

describe this special fruit, making 

it a great apple for eating as 

well as for baking. 

When I found this recipe in 

a 2002 cookbook titled “Apple 

Pie — Perfect”, authored by 

Ken Haedrich, I loved the idea 

of pairing Pink Ladys with fresh 

strawberries. I hope you’ll enjoy 

this wonderful summer pie — a 

dessert for all occasions from 

a pot-luck dinner, a family reunion, 

to a simple picnic. 

Directions: 

1. Prepare pie crust and fit into 9-inch deep dish pie pan. Place in freezer until ready to fill, at least 30 minutes. 

2. To make the filling, combine apples, granulated sugar, and lemon zest in large mixing bowl; toss well. Pour lemon juice over apples; toss 

again. Mix in strawberries. Shake flour over fruit—using 4 tablespoons if berries are very juicy; set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

3. Turn filling into frozen pie shell. Smooth filling with your hands to even it out. Place pie on center rack in oven. Bake for 30 minutes. 

4. While pie bakes, prepare cream crumb topping. Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in food processor; pulse 

several times to mix. While pulsing machine, add cream in slow, steady stream through feed tube. Stop machine as soon as topping starts 

to form clumps; for the most part, it should be loose and granular-looking. Refrigerate. 

5. After 30 minutes, remove pie from oven and place on large, dark baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 

375 degrees. Carefully dump the crumbs in center of pie, spreading them evenly over surface. Pat crumbs gently to compact them. Place 

pie on baking sheet and place back in oven; bake until juices bubble thickly around edge of pie, another 40 to 45 minutes. If topping starts 

to darken, cover loosely with tented aluminum foil for last 15 minutes. 

6. Transfer pie to cooling rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. 

Lorem ipsum 

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Voted Favorite North County Real Estate Agent in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018! 

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Seniors Real Estate Specialist 

(805) 466-2540 


ROUND TOWN 

Clara poses amid magical pygmy oaks. Photo by Tonya Strickland 

One of our hands-down, favorite 

kid-ventures voutside of the North 

County is the magical Elfin Forest 

in Los Osos. This 90-acre slice of 

public land at South Bay Boulevard and Santa 

Ysabel Avenue encompasses a series of scenic 

walking trails with views of an estuary and 

woodlands. 

Its most-known attribute, though, is its 

magnificent pygmy oak forest of twisty, tiny 

oak trees that make for some truly awesome 

Instagram-worthy selfies and photography of 

your kids. 

To start your trip, we suggest parking off 

the 16th Street entrance that leads to a stroller-friendly 

boardwalk looping the park to two 

lookout points toward Morro Bay. The park’s 

other street entrances lead to sand trails. We 

lucked out that we were all wearing sneakers 

for our first trip there. Because with the boardwalk’s 

wooden slats, small kiddos tend to trip 

more often than not — making sneakers your 

best bet for footwear. Shorts would be a solid 

fashion choice climate-wise, but an ample 

amount of scruffy vegetation (spoiler alert: 

some of it is poison oak) means pants are your 

new BFF on this walk. 

Overall, though, everything at the Elfin 

Forest is nicely laid out for visitors, with obvious 

trail lines and signage so you won’t get into 

too much questionable foliage. 

Along the walk, the kids really loved stopping 

to take a closer look at the plant life and 

colors in nature. 

After meandering on and around the boardwalk 

for a bit, the loop will lead you to one of 

the waterfront lookouts. If I had two seconds 

to actually look at all the cool and unique birds 

and whatever else lives out there I’d be sure to 

tell you all about them. But…kids. They run 

away. And get into everything. 

So, I can say with certainty that for the solid 

20 seconds I spent admiring the lookout, it 

was super pretty. But that’s about it. Shortly 

after the lookout, the loop will guide you to 

some benches for a nice picnic lunch pit stop. 

And, per usual, the kids will take two bites 

of said lunch and then run away to go find the 

next thing. But if you play your cards right, you 

can actually have 10 glorious minutes to eat 

next to some sandy dune spots on the south 

side of the park, while the kids get their dig on. 

And, at the end of the trip, the kids’ adorable 

dirt-smudged little faces will be evidence 

of your successful outdoor adventure. Even if 

a crazy mid-day bath is required at the end. 

#worthit 

Tonya Strickland lives in Paso Robles with 

her husband, their two small children and 

one crazy but lovable dog. A longtime 

journalist and government reporter, Tonya 

stepped back from her writing career in 

2016 to stay at home with the littles, now 

ages 2 and 4. In 2017, she launched the 

family adventure blog Two in Tow & On 

the Go. It features pictures, tips and stories 

about things to do with kids on the Central 

Coast, all with a hearty (but hopefully humorous) 

dose of real life. 

You can share in the adventure at @ 

two.n.tow on Instagram + Facebook or the 

blog at twontow.com. 


ROUND TOWN 

Outdoor Summer 

Summer is here — and it’s hot. 

What can you do to keep the 

kids entertained, and maybe 

even a bit cool? 

This summer, the Atascadero 

High School pool will not be 

open for recreational swim as 

it has in past years. Instead, the 

City has partnered with Kennedy 

Club Fitness in Atascadero to 

offer swim lessons to the public 

at member prices. Kennedy Club 

also has family swim for $6 per 

nonmember on Thursdays and 

Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m., and on 

Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 

4 p.m. Punch cards are available, 

which reduces the per use fee. 

Get out and get some exercise 

and enjoy nature by hitting 

one of our local trails. 

• Stadium Park has two trails 

that vary in length and difficulty. 

The Blue Oak Trail is easy and the 

Activities 

Pine Mountain Trail is difficult. 

Most of the trails are not wide 

enough for a stroller, but there is 

a road that leads from the parking 

area on Capistrano Avenue to 

Marj Mackey Meadow, which is 

perfect for a picnic and for kids to 

run around the open space. 

• The Jim Green Trail is a 1.7- 

mile moderate hike along the 

Salinas River. The hidden gem is 

covered in a canopy of trees and is 

great for all ages, dogs, horses and 

bikes. To access, drive to the end 

of Cortez Avenue, which is accessible 

from Curbaril Avenue near 

the river. There is parking lot at the 

end of Cortez Avenue for the trail. 

• Three Bridges Oak 

Preserve Trail is 3.5 miles 

roundtrip to the top. Biking and 

horses are allowed on the trail, but 

not all the way to the top. Dogs 

are allowed on leases. There is an 

elevation change of 900 feet. It 

is moderate to strenuous and is 

fantastic for seeing wildlife, the 

blue oak grove, rock formations, 

birds, wildflowers, and more. The 

trail is accessible either from the 

trail that goes from Atascadero 

Lake Park along CA 41 West or 

from the parking lot on (west) 

Carmelita Avenue. 

• Cerro Alto State Park, about 

10 miles out of Atascadero on 

Highway 41 West, is a difficult 

4-mile trail that leads to the top of 

the peak. It’s well worth the hike, 

but take plenty of water, snacks 

and begin your trek several hours 

before sunset. This trail is also 

good for mountain biking, dogs, 

and horseback riding. 

• Santa Margarita Lake has 

several trails that vary in length 

and difficulty. The Grey Pine 

Trail is 3.3 miles one way to Vaca 

Flat, is of moderate difficulty, 

and multi-use. Lakeside Trail is 

an unmarked dirt road along the 

lake shore from Marina to White 

Oak. It is an easy one-fifth mile 

trail. Blin Trail is 9.2 miles one- 

By Heather Young 

way (or 18.4 miles roundtrip) and 

is moderate to strenuous. Be sure 

you are prepared before embarking 

on this trail. Sapwi Trail is a spur 

off Blinn about 3.4 miles in to 

access Khus Camp (another mile) 

and Sapwi Camp (another two 

miles). It is of moderate difficulty. 

Sandstone Trail is 2.7 miles one 

way and is moderate to strenuous. 

Rocky Trail is 1.8 miles one-way 

and is moderate to strenuous. 

At the Lake Park, there is a 

large play area. Enjoy boating 

from Lakeside Paddleboats 

& Event Center. The new 

playground was installed and 

re-opened this month. The sand 

was replaced by a rubberized 

surface. The Lake Park is also a 

great place for children to ride 

bikes or scooters. The other large 

playground in Atascadero is at 

Paloma Creek Park, 11665 

Viejo Camino, and has play areas 

for younger and older children, as 

well as a small climbing wall. 

Heather Young can be reached at 

heather@colonymagazine.com 


Flash History, Central Coast 

“Atascadero” 

By Tom Taylor 

It seems to me that on the occasion of the 

inaugural issue of Nic and Hayley Mattson’s 

Colony Magazine that the meaning of the name 

‘Atascadero’ should be explained and put it in its 

place historically. 

The founder of the town of Atascadero was 

Edward Garner Lewis. Born and raised in cramped 

older cities of the eastern states, he had a vision 

to find a place ‘whose dwellers should have all the loveliness 

and healthfulness of the country with the conveniences and 

advantages of the city’. 

What happened next is best told in the following excerpts taken 

from Marguerite A. Travis’s 1960 book, “The Birth of Atascadero.” 

“Mr. Lewis’ favorite idea, to which he referred most frequently 

as the weeks went on, was his dream city, and before long there 

came an issue in which he announced his intention of starting 

out on a search for a site for the new community that would fill 

his vision. 

After traveling south, north, and west, he finally announced 

that in California he thought he would find the most satisfactory 

location, describing one or two attractive places which he had 

inspected. Then, finally, came the day when he proclaimed the 

glad news that he had found a land of milk and honey, a great 

tract called the Atascadero Rancho, with 23,000 acres of rolling 

hills, green valleys, rippling streams (in winter) whence came the 

name of Atascadero: “Many Waters,” mountain canyons, and 

shady forests-and everywhere the spreading branches of the 

great live oaks which dotted hills and meadows.” 

Clearly stated, Travis was of the opinion that E.G. Lewis thought 

of Atascadero as ‘Many Waters’ and a lovely place. 

The Spanish word, Atascadero, is translated to bog, from the 

verb “atascar” which means to become stuck or hindered. Some 

say pig pen, mudhole, or ‘not a very nice place.’ In the Chumash 

language however, Atascadero translates into a ‘place of much 

water’. 

All that aside, to most of us, Atascadero simply means 

“Home Town” 

John’s Video Palace 

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805-466-5525 

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ROUND TOWN 

Get ready for some serious good times! 

20th Annual Winemakers’ Cookoff 

Get ready for one of the biggest 

wine and food events on the Central 

Coast of California! The 20th 

annual Winemakers’ Cookoff is set 

to take place on Saturday, August 

11th from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. at the 

Paso Robles Event 

Center. 

The event, sponsored 

by the Paso Robles 

Rotary Club and 

presented by Stifel Financial 

Corp., brings 

visitors from all over 

the country to this 

community to showcase 

the quality of life 

we all share here in 

Paso Robles. While 

guests enjoy food and 

wine from 30 different local wineries 

and specialty breweries, local 

high school students benefit in 

the form of college scholarships 

awarded by Rotary from the proceeds 

of this event. 

To date, the Paso Robles Rotary 

Club District 5240 has raised 

nearly $750,000 toward this effort. 

Rotary is now the largest 

scholarship donor at the Paso Robles 

High School. This year, Paso 

Robles Rotary expects to award 

$70,000 in scholarships for high 

school seniors. 

With wineries vying for the 

Judges’ Choice and People’s 

Choice Awards, those who attend 

will sample award-winning wines, 

beer and incredible food pairings. 

They’ll also enjoy live music by Julie 

Beaver and the Bad Dogs and 

experience some of the 

best Paso has to offer in 

a single 3-hour event at 

the fairgrounds. Each 

year, an estimated 

2,000 people attend 

this exciting affair. 

Nestled between 

Monterey and Santa 

Barbara, and just 

inland from Hearst 

Castle, Paso Robles 

is home to the third 

largest wine region in 

California and is one of the fastest 

growing wine regions in the state. 

Close to the mountains and the 

beach, the area provides something 

special for everyone who visits. 

Courtesy Photo 

Tickets are $85/pp ($45 designated 

driver) and include a commemorative 

wine glass. Must be 

21 years old to attend. For more 

information on the Winemakers’ 

Cook Off, or to volunteer as a 

winery or brewery to participate, 

please visit our website at winemakerscookoff.com 

or check out 

our Facebook page at facebook. 

com/winemakerscookoff. For visitor 

information, visit travelpaso. 

com. 

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CIVIC PRIDE 

IS ALIVE AND WELL 

“Let us keep our faces to 

the sunshine and we will 

not see the shadows.” 

E.G. Lewis 

Photo by Nicholas Mattson 

SIGNS OF LIFE AT Atascadero Printery 

E 

ngraved atop the Historic City Hall 

Administration Building is a quotation 

of focused optimism by town founder E.G. 

Lewis that face the Atascadero Printery building. 

His declaration to see the sun, and not the 

shadows was tested in 2003, just days before 

Christmas, the San Simeon Earthquake shook 

the Central Coast to its foundation. 

The City Hall building was severely damaged, 

but reconstruction in 2013 brought the grand 

dame back to a form and beauty that surpassed 

even Lewis’ inception. Positioned directly in the 

shadow of Lewis’ quotation, however, was the 

Atascadero Printery Building – lone, broken 

and in need of equal consideration. 

Completed and ready for use in 1916, the 

first civic center in Atascadero at Olmeda Avenue 

and West Mall, the Salinan brick building 

was listed sixth of just 37 on the National 

Register of Historic Places in San Luis Obispo 

County in 2004, and registered among the California 

Historical Resources, Office of Historic 

Preservation. Despite escaping a wrecking ball, 

vandals have since contributed to the building’s 

gradual demise. 

Images Worth a Thousand Words 

In April 2015, a collection of images captured 

by photographer Rick Evans and posted 

on Facebook soon drew the interest of several 

people, including Nic Mattson, Mike Mc- 

Namara, his wife Karen and others. What if the 

building could be reclaimed, rehabilitated, and 

repurposed for community use? Their meeting 

would become the catalyst that birthed the 

nonprofit Atascadero Printery Foundation. 

On May 14, 2017, a San Luis Obispo County 

tax auction was held. The Foundation volleyed 

bids against another interested party. In 

the final seconds of the online auction, their 

$300,100 bid secured their emotion-filled win, 


a cost not far from the $250,000 price tag it 

cost E.G. Lewis to construct and supply the 

building for what was once the largest rotogravure 

press facility west of the Mississippi River. 

A more formidable challenge is the estimated 

$8 million needed to restore the building. 

Completed and ready for use 

in 1916, the Printery was the 

first civic center in Atascadero. 

The Atascadero Performing Arts Center 

Committee recently partnered with the Foundation 

to double their own efforts toward establishing 

a theater space in Atascadero and 

enable both organizations to collaborate their 

efforts toward restoring the 18,000-squarefoot 

building. 


One Good Deed 

Deserves Another 

On May 25, 2018, a Deed Celebration 

capped the initial stages of securing the structure 

and kicked off the next leg of community 

fundraising. A flagpole donation dedication 

from the Butz family was a visual representation 

toward staking their claim for preserving 

Atascadero history with an eye to the future. 

Speaking to a group of 70 from the Printery 

steps with APF board member Nicholas 

Mattson standing by, APF President Karen 

McNamara cited the personal investments of 

board members, past and present. It was a bittersweet, 

lip-biting moment. Just two months 

after initiating the Printery campaign, Karen’s 

husband Mike died of a stroke on the morning 

of their 36th wedding anniversary. 

“There’s no possible way that we would be 

standing here today without each of your efforts,” 

said McNamara. “We’ve been a well-synchronized 

team that’s proven that we’re capable 

and willing to complete the rehabilitation 

of our Printery and turn it into a good resource 

for our community, and I sincerely thank every 

one of you for all your amazing help.” 

McNamara also praised the County of San 

Luis Obispo for guidance through the tax auction 

process and support by San Luis Obispo 

County Supervisor Debbie Arnold and her 

staff for donations to secure broken windows. 

“Without this group, the Printery Foundation, this building, 

I’m sure, would have just finally fallen into such disrepair 

that it would have been too difficult to get that back.” 

To this end, City of Atascadero officials scheduled 

regular meetings with the Foundation to lend 

input toward seeking grants toward the project 

goals. One hundred “Founders” are also being recruited 

to kick off donations of $1,000 or more 

(there are 55 so far). Aside from financial donations, 

APF has five Foundation board positions 

to fill and there’s room for practical help, such as 

an excavator, fundraising sponsors and more. 

During the deed reception, and subsequent 

Founder’s Reception, Community Church of Atascadero 

donated $325 in rummage sale proceeds, 

Nancy Moure and the San Luis Obispo Garbagemen’s 

Association also each donated $5,000. 

In her husband’s absence, Karen is continuing 

the charge to make the Printery a vibrant 

and permanent part of Atascadero. 

“Mike cared about Atascadero. Nothing 

he ever did was about himself; it was always 

about others,” said McNamara. “He wanted 

this back and it’s my way to honor him. The 

Printery is for the community, by the community 

– and that’s how we’re going to get 

this done.” 

TO LEARN MORE OR TO DONATE, VISIT 

ATASCADEROPRINTERY.ORG 

OR CALL 805-466-1961 

“It all depends on raising the 

funds. The faster we can raise 

the funds, the faster we can 

get going on this building.” 

“This really has been a rollercoaster of a ride. 

It really has been a complicated effort. I can’t 

even tell you how excited I am,” said Supervisor 

Arnold, who lauded E.G. Lewis’ vision to establish 

Atascadero Mutual Water Company and his 

blueprint for the community, the restoration of 

the City Hall rotunda and the Foundation’s efforts 

preserve his vision over a century later. 

“Without this group, the Printery Foundation, 

this building, I’m sure, would have just finally fallen 

into such disrepair that it would have been too difficult 

to get that back,” said Arnold. “Atascadero is 

changing and it’s growing, yet we’re hanging on to 

our history.” She added, “I predict that this building 

itself is going to bring the community together, 

like we do so often when we focus in on a really 

special project. I think we’re going to enjoy the next 

few years while everyone works. Some people have 

financial benefits to give, and some their labor, but 

I know we’ll all come together.” 

Next Steps 

“We’re shooting for five years,” said Mc- 

Namara. “It all depends on raising the funds. 

The faster we can raise the funds, the faster we 

can get going on this building.” 


OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS 

A 25-Year Old Greyhound Foundation Continues 

to Pioneer ‘Doing What’s Best for Kids’ 


ince 1994, a small group of thoughtful, committed 

citizens of Atascadero have been changing our world. 

The Atascadero Greyhound Foundation began as the 

Greyhound Athletic Foundation, with a mission to build 

an all-weather track for Atascadero High School. Now, 

the organization shifts focus to bring resources to the 

community in the battle against addiction. 

With a massive effort, it succeeded 

in its first mission, and for two 

decades, Atascadero boasted the finest 

track and field facilities in SLO 

County. High Schools around the 

area are catching up, but the Greyhound 

Foundation continues to pioneer 

the delivery of needed resources 

to our local high school students. 

In 2012, the Foundation formed 

LIGHTHOUSE Atascadero, to 

provide funding for addiction counseling 

at Del Rio Continuation High 

School — now Paloma Creek Continuation 

High School. Through the 

LIGHTHOUSE program, high 

school students gain access to a licensed 

SLO County therapist which 

they can choose to see on their own 

volition. The program has provided 

the service for five years. 

“It’s made such a difference in my 

life knowing that because of LIGHT- 

HOUSE other families will be spared 

from going through what our family 

has had to go through losing Jake to 

addiction,” LIGHTHOUSE chairperson 

Lori Bagby said. “It is such 

a great feeling to see our community 

come together to fight this nationwide 

epidemic and I know that 

Lighthouse is changing lives.” 

For many years, the Foundation 

motto has been “Doing What’s Best 

for Kids,” which it still pioneers. 

But with the growing focus on 

LIGHTHOUSE, serving resources 

to battle addiction and substance 

abuse, Foundation executive director 

Donn Clickard has gravitated toward 

“Making a Difference,” which 

is drawn from a short story about 

throwing sea stars into the ocean, by 

Loren Eiseley in 1969. 

Donn Clickard, Derek Kirk, 

Joe Gerardi, Chris Balogh, 

and Ron Johansen. 

Like the marathons that run 

around the track at AHS, the leadership 

of the Greyhound Foundation 

is in for the long haul. Current 

board president Wayne Cooper has 

presided over the board for the most 

of the life of the Foundation, but is 

looking at his term finally coming 

to an end. This year, the Foundation 

has adopted a succession plan with 

board members Rolfe Nelson and 

Jim Stecher stepping into President 

Elect, and President Elect Elect positions, 

respectively. 

“The reason we did that is to create 

a plan for the future,” Wayne said. 

“Our ideas were that we were going 

to find someone younger to take 

over, but also to create a succession 

plan.” 

The growth of the Atascadero 

Greyhound Foundation, like all 

growth, came with its own pains. 

Some contend that the original focus 

on athletics has been lost and 

priorities changed. But the change 

embraces opportunity, and the community 

is much different than it was 

nearly 25 years ago when the Foundation 

began. 

“It has changed dramatically from 

where it started,” Wayne said about 

the growth. “From building the track 

to the Hall of Fame and fundraisers, 

now the focus is really about the 

LIGHTHOUSE. We were focusing 

on a small group, and now we are focusing 

on the entire population.” 

It could be said that the focus 

has not changed, but instead has 

expanded. It was a former student 

at Atascadero High School that 

was the catalyst for a massive shift 

in the focus of the Foundation. In 

2011, Foundation president emeritus 

Doug Filipponi lost his son Jeff 

in a high speed chase after a troubling 

bout with addiction and drug 

“We were focusing on 

a small group, and now 

we are focusing on the 

entire population.” 

abuse. That final blow led Doug to 

call on his colleagues on the board to 

do something to help those in great 

need. Out of that call was born the 

concepts that today drive LIGHT- 

HOUSE Atascadero reach out to 

students who might struggle with 

addiction and other causes of adolescent 

drug abuse. 

A chain is only as strong as its 

weakest link, and LIGHTHOUSE 

applies itself to attending to those 

Photo by Nic Mattson 

links in need, providing solutions to 

catastrophic issues. The help it provides 

is often unmeasurable, but the 

hope drives the mission. 

“It is the funeral we don’t attend,” 

AGF executive director Donn Clickard 

said about the measurement of 

the program’s success. 

LIGHTHOUSE has provided 

financial support for high school 

counseling for six years, and last 

year expanded services to create the 

LIGHTHOUSE Atascadero Mentoring 

Program, or LAMP, which 

pairs high-school mentors with 

sixth-graders. 

“Mentoring is what we really 

wanted to do from the beginning 

[of LIGHTHOUSE],” Donn said. 

“Problems solving, peer mentorship, 

critical thinking, we believe it will 

help kids become drug free. It helps 

them become leaders and not followers.” 

The program was led by teacher 

Julie Davis (not to be confused with 

the Monterey Road Elementary 

principal Julie Davis), and after the 

first year, the Foundation was ready 

for more. 

“I won’t say it exceeded expectations,” 

Donn said, “because we 

expected it to be good. What we 

didn’t expect is the relationships that 

formed between the students. These 

are potentially life-long relationships 

forming.” 

Donn said the completion of 

the first year and planning of 

the future is a dream come true for 

the Foundation, but why stop there. 

The Foundation provides services 

specifically to high school students, 

but they LIGHTHOUSE beacon 

has been a light of hope for those in 

the community in search of answers 

to addiction issues. A fateful phone 

call for help led Donn to believe they 

could do more, and provide a resource 

for people of all ages — so was born 

LIGHTHOUSE Atascadero Support, 

Education, and Resources, or 

LASER, to “answer questions about 

addiction and help people who just 


LORI BAGBY, REALTOR 

don’t know what to do.” 

The Atascadero Greyhound 

Foundation is not a board filled with 

doctors or therapists, but lifelong educators, 

school district administrators, 

and local business owners who 

want to make a difference — symptoms 

of addiction were the problem, 

and LIGHTHOUSE provided the 

opportunity. 

“Hall of Fame is really interesting 

and really cool, or Hares N Hounds 

and All Comers,” Donn said, “but 

when you look at the LIGHT- 

HOUSE run, or golf tournament, 

and the people coming together 

around these programs, it is really 

exciting.” 

With LIGHTHOUSE, LAMP, 

Rolfe Nelson, Lori Bagbi, Wayne Cooper, 

Ryan Cooper, Joanne Peters, Donn Clickard, 

Nic Mattson, EJ Rossi. Courtesy photo 

and LASER lighting the way, 

the Foundation is pioneering and 

fostering the relationship between 

the community and the 

education system, to help kids be 

their best selves. The game is on, 

and for some it is already in overtime, 

but the programs and playbook the 

Foundation is working from might 

just lead to a game-winning touchdown. 

For more information, go to 

atascaderogreyhound 

foundation.org. 

For information on 

LIGHTHOUSE, go to 

lighthouseatascadero.org 

Community Service: 

LIGHTHOUSE Atascadero 

• Chairperson 

Atascadero Greyhound Foundation 

• Board of Directors 

“I’m passionate about helping the 

youth in our community through 

these organizations.” 

Platinum Properties 

Award Winner 

2014 Rookie of the Year 

2014, 2015, 2016 Gold Award 

2017 Platinum Award 

LORI BAGBY, REALTOR 

Lori@PlatinumTeamProperties.com 

DIRECT: 805.610.9332 

1117 Vine Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446 

E-FAX: 1.866.558.7584 

License #: 01950556 

Growing up in Atascadero I 

know the wonderful benefits 

of living in the Central Coast. 

My 22 years in the escrow 

industry in San Luis Obispo 

County provided me with the 

skills to make your real estate 

transaction the best experience 

possible. 

My goal as your real estate 

professional is to get you the 

best price and terms possible 

for your home. I personally 

handle all my files so my 

clients can always be assured 

they are in great hands. I 

believe in communication 

and education, allowing 

everyone to feel confident in 

the selling process. 

Nic & Hayley 

and 

the 

COLONY 

Magazine 

team! 


Atascadero Economic 

Development is on the Rise 


Several significant commercial development projects 

are underway in Atascadero that are expected to 

revitalize the downtown core that will blend new 

construction with needed regeneration of the 

community’s second-oldest structures. 

La Plaza 

Situated on the west side of El 

Camino Real, across from City Hall 

and Entrada Avenue, a fall groundbreaking 

will kick off a major construction 

project on an oblong parcel 

just shy of two acres. The three-story 

mixed-use development consists 

of retail shops plus 38 rental apartments 

and four larger residential 

units for sale. Completion is expected 

sometime in 2019. 

The Palladian-style architectural 

design will incorporate aesthetic 

elements of both E.G. Lewis’ original 

La Plaza building, originally 

sited behind the fire station, and 

the restored City Hall building 

overlooking Sunken Gardens. 

“We’re passionate about the project 

and we’re all in,” said developer Mike 

Zappas, whose daughter and son, Zoe 

and Max, are intricately involved in all 

phases of the development. 

“A lot of research went into 

the planning of La Plaza, and a 

30-member design charrette provided 

for us a thorough presentation 

of the historical perspective, 

showed us any constraints, and 

gave us more ideas for the project,” 

said Zappas. “We anticipate a lot 

of interest from restaurants and 

businesses and a mix of local and 

national retailers. Atascadero has 

more miles of roads than any town 

in San Luis Obispo County, and 

we’re trying to make it more pedestrian-friendly.” 

Zappas noted 

that over 100 spaces in the plans 

met and exceeded the City’s parking 

requirements. 

The 15 to 20 million dollar price 

tag includes hiring workforce, vendors 

and suppliers from throughout San 

Luis Obispo County and the Central 

Coast to complete the project. 

“We have a great hometown spirit 

in Atascadero. It’s good to see people 

love where they live and try to make 

it better,” added Zappas. “We’ve been 

inspired and we hope to inspire others 

as we go down the road.” 

BridgeWork 

Coworking Space 

La Plaza 

A lot of research went 

into the planning of 

La Plaza. 

The “Creekside Building” in 

Colony Square, located at 6907 

El Camino Real, which formerly 

operated as mixed retail 

and then City Hall offices, 

will be repurposed 

for several uses. By way 

of a $15,000 pledge 

and partnership with 

Pacific Premier Bank, 

the Atascadero Chamber 

of Commerce will oversee a 

visitor’s center and a coworking 

space within 32,000 square feet. 

The building will connect to the 

recently constructed Centennial 

Bridge and will facilitate business 

workshops and financial literacy 

classes in tandem with the bank. 

It’s a great place to 

start their businesses 

or work remotely. 

“We’re really excited to be part 

of it,” said developer Clint Pearce 

of Madonna Enterprises. “It didn’t 

take long for me to consider it a 

great, long-term asset. There’s going 

to be a lot of availability for 

folks. It’s a great place to start 

their businesses or work remotely, 

and for artists, graphic designers, 

and people who are into technology 

and more. What’s great 

about those types of situations is 

cross-pollination with different 

skillsets. The Chamber has a lot of 

people signed up for it and it’ll be 

a great asset for the City.” 

In addition, two yet-to-be 

The “Creekside Building” 

named artisanal 

breweries are also 

anticipated. One will 

be a tasting room and 

the other a pub. 

“We’re thrilled 

with the Chamber 

and coworking 

space,” said Pearce. “There’s an energy 

building in Atascadero that’s 

full of enthusiasm and ideas. I 

have great faith in Atascadero.” 

“We take seriously the charge 

to serve as a catalyst for business 

growth and a champion for a 

stronger community,” said Derek 

Kirk, Atascadero Chamber President 

and CEO, “and we believe 

this move and the development 

of a coworking space are a strong 

testament to our continued efforts 

in Atascadero.” 

BridgeWalk Hotel 

Santa Barbara developer Jeff 

Nelson of The Oak Creek Company 

plans new construction of 

an 89-room, four-story(?) building, 

13,000-square-foot hotel and 

a 10,000-square-foot restaurant 

space in Colony Square, north 

of Galaxy Colony Square 10 

Theaters. The development is 

estimated to take up to two years 

to complete. 

We’re carefully putting 

pieces of the puzzle 

together, one step 

at a time. 

“A boutique hotel seemed the 

best fit. We think it can be a real 

fun urban environment. I want 

people to experience the new 

bridge, City Hall, and the nature 

walking trail nearby.,” said Nelson. 

“The exterior architecture is 

a Spanish Colonial Revival style 

and the interior is a more modern, 

relaxed vibe. A lot of interior 

design is bringing together dif- 


BridgeWalk Hotel 

ferent elements – from American 

farmhouse to industrial design. It’s 

laborious detail work and it takes 

time with various consultants 

working on it. But we have a great 

deal of enthusiasm and we’re carefully 

putting pieces of the puzzle 

together, one step at a time.” 

Former U.S. Post Office 

Built in 1923 by J.A. Hier- 

Johnson as the second-oldest 

commercial building in Atascadero 

(the first was E.G. Lewis’ La 

Plaza), this two-story, 2,875- 

square-foot structure at 5900 El 

Camino Real served as a U.S. Post 

Office, beginning in 1924. 

I want to make 

something better and 

I want to keep the 

character of it. 

On El Camino Real, between 

Scotty’s BBQ and Atascadero 

Jewelry & Loan’s satellite unit, 

the structure features groundlevel 

commercial space topped 

by living space accented by three 

arch top windows. What was once 

an exposed façade with white 

trim has been since layered with 

thick plaster. 

Developer George Kartsioukas, 

who purchased the property that 

sat dormant for about 15 years, 

plans to retrofit and restore the 

structure. 

“It’s a great building that’s 

been taken care of and it’s a 

challenge, but I want to make 

something better and I want to 

keep the character of it,” said 

Kartsioukas. “The City has been 

easy to work with. At the end of 

the day, I think it’s going to be a 

nice project.” 

Melissa Chavez can be 

reached at Melissa@colonymagazine.com 


LOCAL BUSINESS 

Arlyne’s Flowers and Gifts 

Since 1950 

Arlyne’s Flowers and Gifts, 

now located at 6485 Palma Ave., 

has been a staple flower shop in 

Atascadero since Al and Arlyne 

Casper and Charleen and John 

Bliss opened the business on the 

side of the Carlton Hotel on Traffic 

Way in 1950. The property, a 

duplex, where the flower shop is 

now was purchased in 1954. The 

Bliss family lived in half of the duplex 

and operated the flower shop 

“There is always a personal touch 

added to the design of each 

arrangement.” 

in the other half. 

At that time, Arlyne’s Flowers 

also offered Western Union services. 

“We were the first FTD florist 

in Atascadero,” said Jaynee Orcutt, 

the current owner of Arlyne’s 


Flowers and the daughter of the 

Caspers. 

The flower shop was was managed 

jointly by Arlyne Casper 

and Charleen Bliss until Jaynee 

and Jeff Orcutt purchased the 

business in 1973 and Jaynee has 

managed the shop for the past 45 

years. The Orcutts’ two daughters, 

Kristin and Karly, were also part 

of the business through their high 

school years. 

“It was a family business,” Jaynee 

said. “We all participated.” 

Over the years, the shop has 

undergone renovations and has 

expanded from flowers and plants 

to an array of gift items, which include 

plush animals, candy, cards, 

vases, candles, decorative lanterns, 

tin ware and more. The business 

also offers fruit baskets. 

“We also custom design silk faux 

arrangements, either in your container 

or ours,” Jaynee said. 

Arlyne’s Flowers decorates for 

all holidays. It focuses on the full 

circle of life from birth to death 

and all the events in between. 

Arlyne’s has kept with the times 

and has a full-service website, 

where a variety of baskets or customer 

flower arrangements can be 

ordered. 

“You can always depend on our 

courteous staff to help you with 

flowers for the funeral of a departed 

loved one or friend or any special 

occasion,” Jaynee said. “There 

is always a personal touch added 

to the design of each arrangement. 

It’s a business where you never 

have two days alike. Each day is 

like a flower blooming.” 

Heather Young can be contacted 

at heather@colonymagazine.com 

Arlyne’s Flowers and Gifts 

6485 Palma Ave., Atascadero 

805-466-1136 

ArlynesFlowersAndGifts.com 


PASO ROBLES PHYSICAL THERAPY 

MOVES TO NEW LOCATION CLOSER TO HOME 

By Meagan Friberg 

fter 17 years of providing 

expert care to patients on 

Park Street in downtown Paso 

Robles, Tony Wallace, PT and 

his staff at Paso Robles 

Physical Therapy 

have moved their 

main headquarters 

to Atascadero and 

added a new satellite 

office at Paso Robles 

Sports Club. With the 

move, PRPT now offers 

three convenient 

locations to serve folks living and 

working in Northern San Luis 

Obispo County – Paso Robles, 

Atascadero, and Heritage Ranch. 

“We had been wanting to 

downsize our Paso Robles location, 

and when I saw this office 

in Atascadero it was just what 

we needed,” Tony said. “Our 

location has changed, but our 

dedication to providing quality 

treatment programs to our returning 

and new patients remains 

the same.” 

In addition to the convenience 

of the Atascadero 

and Heritage Ranch 

offices, the Paso Robles 

Sports Club location 

gives staff the ability to 

access and utilize all of 

the sports club equipment 

for patients when deemed 

necessary. The pool areas 

allow for another new and exciting 

and opportunity – aquatic 

therapy. 

“There are advantages to being 

able to offer aquatic therapy and 

we are working toward building 

that area of our practice with the 

addition of new staff,” Tony said. 

EXPERIENCED | KNOWLEDGEABLE 

PROFESSIONAL 

Tony, owner and director of 

PRPT, is a graduate Long Beach 

State. He started his career at 

Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach 

before moving with his wife, 

Lisa, to Atascadero in 1982 and 

working at Twin Cities Community 

Hospital. In 1986, he 

directed a private physical therapy 

clinic before starting PRPT 

in 2000. Tony and Lisa are the 

proud parents of four adult boys 

and eight grandchildren… and 

counting! 

Of utmost importance to 

Tony and his staff is staying on 

the leading edge of out-patient 

rehabilitation through continuing 

education courses, reading medical 

journals, and maintaining 

ongoing dialogues with fellow 

LOCAL BUSINESS 

See Tony Wallace and the crew in Atascadero, Paso, and Heritage Ranch 

Tony Wallace 

staff members. With a combined 

total of 100+ years of experience 

in physical and occupational therapy, 

the PRPT staff specializes in 

orthopedic, neurological, postsurgical/functional 

rehabilitation, 

and pediatric therapy. 

Visit Tony and the entire staff 

of Paso Robles Physical Therapy 

at: 5255 El Camino Real, Suite C 

in Atascadero; Paso Robles Sports 

Club, 2975 Union Road in Paso 

Robles, or in the Heritage Ranch/ 

Lake Nacimiento area at Lake Life 

Wellness Center, 2150 Heritage 

Loop Rd, Suite D. 

For more information, see 

pasoroblespt.com 

or call 805-237-0272. 

Be sure to follow PRPT on 

Facebook and Instagram. 


TENT CITY 

Woods Humane Society Breaks Ground 


| Nonprofits 

North County to open new spay and neuter clinic 

Woods Humane Society broke ground 

on a North County spay and neuter 

clinic in May. The prefabricated house 

was delivered in mid-June and is planned to be 

operational by mid-July. 

According to the nonprofit, the clinic will 

enable Woods Humane Society to meet the 

pressing needs of dogs and cats in North County. 

In 2017, the clinic in San Luis Obispo performed 

4,264 spay and neuter surgeries. 

“Really, what this is going to do is rise to 

meet the need [in the North County],” Woods 

Humane Society Director of Marketing & 

Community Programs Steve Kragenbrink said. 

“Two-thirds of the animals going into animal 

services are from North County.” 

Kragenbrink contributes the distance of driving 

to the clinic in San Luis Obispo and the 

cost of getting animals spayed or neutered at a 

vet’s office as barriers to North County residents 

getting those surgeries done for animals in the 

area. With fewer animals, particularly cats, being 

spayed or neutered, the number of cats being 

born without a home is higher. Those animals 

often end up at SLO County Animal Services. 

“It’s going to make a large dent in the feline 

over-population in the North County,” Kragenbrink 

said. “[It’s] creating the opportunity for 

people to get their animals spayed or neutered.” 

The idea behind opening the clinic in 

Atascadero, next to the existing adoption center, 

is to create accessibility to those in the North 

County with it being closer and low cost. With 

that, he said, it should help reduce the number 

of animals in shelters around the entire county. 

When it’s complete, the new clinic will include 

a fully functional spay and neuter surgery suite 

that can accommodate up to 20 surgeries per 

day, possibly more. Additionally, the new clinic 

will alleviate surgery space at Woods’ San Luis 

Obispo surgery center. 

“We are thrilled to be on our way to opening 

SLO County’s first public high-volume, 

high-quality spay/neuter clinic,” Woods Humane 

Society Executive Director Jill Tucker 

said. “Ensuring that spay/neuter services are 

both accessible and affordable, is a critical component 

to creating a humane community. This 

new clinic will positively impact thousands of 

animals and the residents who care for them for 

years to come.” 

The Woods Humane Society North County 

Spay and Neuter Clinic will be dedicated in 

memory of Daphne Fahsing. 

For more information about Woods Humane 

Society or to find out when appointments can 

be scheduled for surgeries in Atascadero, go to 

Woodshumanesociety.org or follow the organization 

on social media. 

Heather Young can be reached at 


Founded in 1955, Woods Humane Society 

has served the homeless animals 

of San Luis Obispo County for 63 years. 

Woods Humane Society is an animal sheltering 

and welfare organization based 

in San Luis Obispo that annually places 

more than 2,500 dogs and cats into 

loving homes. 

The Mission of Woods Humane Society is: 

To serve, protect, and shelter homeless 

companion animals; To place animals 

in humane environments; To promote 

responsible pet ownership, provide humane 

education, and reduce pet overpopulation; 

To celebrate the human/ 

animal bond. 


BUILDING COMMUNITY SUMMIT 

Education | TENT CITY 

“The greatness of a community 

is most accurately measured 

by the compassionate actions 

of its members.” 

– Coretta Scott King – 

By Jim Brescia, SLO County Superintendent 

North County 

is a wonderful 

place to work, 

live, play, and 

raise a family. 

Our schools 

and society 

have many linguistic, 

cultural, 

religious, ethnic, and racial issues. 

Small rural communities like ours 

are experiencing changing demographics 

just like large cities, and our 

leaders must confront these needs, 

perspectives, and challenges. How do 

we collectively address everyone and 

build up our community? Violence 

across the United States was the 

topic of my March Superintendent’s 

Council which included Atascadero 

school leadership, law enforcement, 

STAND UP 

STAND OUT! 

By Weston Hooten, Kid Reporter 

Reprinted from his final article as 

the AMS Kid Sports Reporter. 

I had many ideas about what 

my final article would be about-all 

sports related of course. However, 

in light of my recent experience at 

AMS I decided I wouldn’t write an 

article for you all to read, rather I 

would write an article that speaks 

to my fellow AMS students. I am 

making a decision to Stand-Up and 

Stand Out-I want to talk about 

bullying and things we can do as 

students to ensure that it doesn’t 

happen to our friends, the person 

that sits next to us in home room, the 

person we pass everyday in the hall, 

and to make sure we are reporting 

things we see, things we read on 

social media, and even when things 

happen to ourselves. I was recently 

in a situation where I didn’t Stand- 

Up for the most important person 

of all-Me. I want to make sure my 

fellow students know it is o.k. to 

mental health professionals and social 

services. Multi-agency discussions 

from my March meeting served 

as a springboard for the May summit. 

The goal of our summit was to 

facilitate multi-agency communication 

and collaboration, present 

positive strategies for engagement, 

and to build community. Summit 

participants included students, parents, 

non-profit agencies, religious 

leaders, city & county officials, school 

leaders, elected officials, and law enforcement. 

Over 120 participants 

joined the afternoon summit held 

at the Vina Robles Signature Room. 

Twelve table workgroups of 

8-10 were formed consisting of 

multi-agency representation. Participants 

left with both short-term 

and long-term actions to proactively 

find your voice. 

No one should be 

made to feel bad 

about themselves. 

Although, it is true that we can’t 

like everyone, we can be kind-even 

if we don’t feel like it. 

I want to challenge my fellow 

students to Stand-Up-for themselves 

and others. Take a firm stand 

against bullying so we can make this 

campus a safe place to learn and a 

safe place to hang out at lunch and 

break. After all, we are all just confused 

and crazy teenagers trying to 

get through this thing called “middle 

school.” It’s a trying time, we are 

learning to grow-up and manage 

ourselves as students, friends, leaders, 

and athletes, where we are constantly 

hammered with the lure of social 

media, peer pressure, and the urge to 

fit in. But, in this crazy stage known 

as “the teen-age years” no one knows 

better what your going through then 

the person you sit next to in home 

room, the person you pass in the hall, 

and the person in line behind you at 

the cafeteria. The student body needs 

to Stand-Up and support each other. 

address community and school tragedies. 

Sheriff Ian Parkinson stated in 

his comments that “We can address 

our issues proactively, one relationship 

at a time.” 

I opened the “Building Community 

Summit” reflecting on my 

initial student teaching experiences 

in San Diego just after the 1984 

San Ysidro Massacre. Our Sheriff 

explained current practices in place 

to ensure student and community 

safety. He highlighted the high 

levels of collaboration between law 

enforcement and our schools, the 

digital mapping of every campus, 

and plans for testing of a mobile 

school safety App. Our county is one 

of the first in the state to digitally 

map every campus and to collectively 

prepare for disasters. Student 

speakers from North County, San 

Luis Obispo, and Nipomo stressed 

Lend a hand, lend an ear, and use 

words of encouragement. You never 

know when a kind word might make 

a difference in a fellow student’s day. 

I encourage you to think about a 

time that a fellow student put you 

down, used words that hurt. Think 

about the way you felt on the inside. 

Now tell yourself you do not ever 

want another student to feel the 

way you did. Instead, lets Stand-Up 

to bullies. Let us send the message 

that AMS is a campus where bullies 

are not welcome, and that we are 

no longer unwilling or unable to 

Stand-Up. 

You have all heard the saying 

“Rome wasn’t built in a day” and 

neither will a bully free campus. 

However, if students unite towards 

a common goal of safe school campuses 

it can be achieved. I encourage 

my fellow students to Stand-Out. 

Be you, don’t follow-be a leader. 

We will spend three years in middle 

school and four years in high 

school. Stand-Out, carve your niche, 

make a difference, leave your mark, 

make sure on the day you graduate 

someone remembers you were there, 

the importance of working together. 

Tony Milano, a local graduate, and 

owner of RadHuman, was joined 

by representatives from Atascadero 

detailing Bank of America’s “Rachel’s 

Challenge” resources. 

Participants focused on examples 

of disconnect that have preceded 

conflict, concern, or crisis. Each 

workgroup presented at least one 

proactive suggestion that might mitigate 

disconnect. My office is now 

planning with the Children’s Services 

Network, the Sheriff, the Chief 

of Probation, and the Family Care 

Network to host a fall summit. I 

believe that together we can invest in 

our future by facilitating multi-agency 

communications, working collectively, 

and acknowledging that 

we are all part of a community. It 

is an honor to serve as your County 

Superintendent of Schools. 

Kid Reporter Weston Hooten 

leave a legacy you can look back on 

with pride. Most of all, leave the 

school campus a better place than 

before you got there. So, my fellow 

Saints and future Greyhounds find 

the courage to Stand-up, look out 

for others, stand for something, and 

know we are all trying to grow-up 

the best we can, and finally Stand- 

Out, find your interests and make 

the world a better place. 

I hope I have made AMS a better 

place for having been here. This is 

your Kid Sports Reporter signing 

off one last time at AMS. 


COLONY TASTE 

THE TEA TROLLY 

BRITISH-STYLE HOSPITALITY 

RIGHT HERE AT HOME 

Story and Photos By Heather Young 

The Tea Trolley has been offering British-style 

hospitality for the last 18 years. Wendy 

Richardson decided to open a business in 

the little house she and her husband owned 

on Entrada Avenue in downtown Atascadero. 

“My mama always wanted to have a tea room 

in England, but she was a single mom and 

couldn’t,” Richardson said. 

The couple, who moved to Templeton in 

1989 from Southern California, bought the 

little cottage as an investment in the community. 

After fixing it up, they tried to rent it out 

to other businesses. When no one rented it, 

Richardson opened the English tea room and 

it has been operational since. 

“My customers just have a certain feeling 

about coming in,” Richardson said. 

The tea room is open three days a week, on 

Thursdays and Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 

p.m., and on Saturdays for lunch from 11:30 

“My mama always wanted 

to have a tea room in 

England, but she was a 

single mom and couldn’t.” 

in the small cottage. 

“My menu is very simple; it never changes,” 

Richardson said, adding that the only changes 

are the soups and desserts. “I love the oneon-one 

time with my customers. All of my 

customers are my love.” 

Heather Young can be contacted at 


a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

“Everything is made to order,” Richardson 

said. “[My customers] love the food and atmosphere.” 

The Tea Trolley is the only English tea room 

in the county and serves a selection of housemade 

soups, sandwiches and sweets in addition 

to traditional English teas. The tea shop also 

sells tea and English-related gifts. 

Richardson encourages customers to make 

reservations because there are only six tables 



EVENTS 

Atascadero 4th of July Bluegrass Freedom Festival 

returns old-fashioned fun to Atascadero Lake Park 

Barbecue, Bluegrass and Free(music)dom, oh my! 


On Independence Day, live 

music, barbecue for purchase, 

a vendor fair and 

activities for the kids are in store 

– from the community, to the community 

– at the Atascadero 4th of 

July Bluegrass Freedom Festival. 

Tree-shaded lawns throughout 

Atascadero Lake Park at 9100 

Morro Road will provide plenty of 

room for folks with low-back chairs 

to gather in view of the stage for 

the big event from 4 to 8:30 p.m. 

Admission is free. 

Free music 

Emceed by SLO County bluegrass 

musician BanjerDan, a full 

array of entertainers are set to take 

the stage. 

New to this year’s program are 

The Blue Js who will impress audiences 

at 4 p.m. Musically seasoned 

beyond their years, this assembly 

of five young gents from the Bay 

Area and Central Valley of Northern 

California includes Josh Gooding, 

Jesse Personeni, Jacob Gooding, 

John Gooding and Jack Kinney. In a 

versatile repertoire, the Blue Js pay 

homage to the greats of bluegrass, 

including Bill Monroe, Don Reno, 

Red Allen and Frank Wakefield, 

traditional country songs of George 

Jones and that distinctive Bakersfield 

sound popularized by Buck 

Owens. 

Local trio from San Luis Obispo, 

Little Black Train hits the stage at 

5:30 p.m. A three-man band consisting 

of Kenny Blackwell, John 

Weed and Stuart Mason elicit a 

bygone era of barn dance fun with 

fiddle-playing, guitar, mandolin, 

standup bass and resonator pickin’. 

Not only does Little Black Train 

perform Americana, Appalachian, 

and gospel-tinged blues, their 

Scotch and Irish reels with harmonies 

and humor (“Take Your Leg 

Off Mine”) are guaranteed to create 

a memorable time. 

Also appearing are the Toro 

Creek Ramblers. This informal 

group of local musicians gather 

in a twice-monthly jam session at 

Last Stage West / Toro Creek Event 

Center. The group is led by doctor 

and guitarist Bern Singsen and banjo 

player Dan Mazer (BanjerDan). 

Snap Jackson & the Knock On 

Wood Players will round out the 

evening at 7 p.m. Snap and his charismatic 

crew were a big hit at the 

first Bluegrass Freedom Festival in 

2017, when they kept the crowd engaged 

well after the sun went down. 

Jackson plays banjo in both Scruggs 

and clawhammer styles while employing 

a variety of instruments. 

His formidable backing includes 

accomplished working musicians 

The Blue “Js” 

Courtesy photo 

Shane Kalbach, Eric Antrim and 

Brian Clark. 

“The amount of love and support 

that that the people of Atascadero 

and the surrounding area have given 

us over the years has been incredible!” 

said Jackson. “We are continually 

amazed and humbled by the 

size of the crowds that come out to 

share in the musical experience with 

us. A live show is always a group 

effort and we can always count on 

the good folks of Atascadero to meet 

us more than half way. We are super 

juiced to be back at the Freedom 

Fest for the second year in a row! 

What a great lineup!” 

Food and drink 

The 2017 debut celebration enjoyed 

a highly successful turnout 

with 350 barbecue dinners sold onsite. 

In addition to day-of-the-event 

sales priced for adults, kids, and seniors 

65+, organizers are helping to 

meet their audience demand online 

with early-bird barbecue presales 

through July 2 at www.atascaderofourthofjuly.com. 

Along with barbecue 

offerings, beer, wine, cider, and 

Paradise Shaved Ice will be available 

for purchase, beginning at 4 p.m. 

Family fun 

Bounce houses, paddleboats, and 

games will be on hand to keep the 

kids busy again this year. 

Tessa Betz, a lifelong resident of 

Atascadero, expressed that she is 

proud to raise her children in her 

community and looks forward to 

more food vendors. 

“The Atascadero 4th of July celebration 

was a wonderful showcase 

of all that our quaint city has to 

offer – the hometown feel – not 

too crowded, not a hassle to get to, 

and with just the right amount of 

Snap Jackson & the Knock On Wood Players. 

Photo by Rick Evans 

music and fun,” said Betz. “After a 

long day of celebrating and battling 

(4th of July) crowds, we enjoyed just 

relaxing while the kids bounced for 

free! I’m very impressed and will be 

there again this year.” 

Melissa Chavez can be contacted 

at melissa@colonymagazine.com 

Community support 

makes it possible 

A philanthropic focus on 

July 4th will direct a portion 

of proceeds to help benefit 

Atascadero’s Colony Days 

annual parade celebration, a 

501(c)(3) organization (info@ 

colonydays.org). Vendor space 

opportunities are also still available 

from $80 to $200. 

Event sponsors include 

Atascadero Printery Foundation, 

City of Atascadero, Colony 

Media, Associated Traffic 

Safety, La Plaza, . 

To make tax-deductible donations 

or learn more details 

about the Atascadero 4th of 

July Bluegrass Freedom Festival, 

view their Instagram page, 

call 805.466.4086, email info@ 

atascadeofourthofjuly.com, or 

visit atascaderofourthofjuly. 

com. 


and graphics 

Colony Days is New! 

... and OLD! 

The Parade now takes place on the FIRST 

Saturday in October, and the theme is 

“Mudhole Follies” 

By Heather Young 2018 

Atascadero’s 45th annual community celebration of the city’s founding 

will be held this year on Saturday, Oct. 6, which is a change from past 

years when it was held on the third Saturday of the month. 

“We moved Colony Days forward to the first weekend in October in 

an attempt to avoid poor weather conditions,” Colony Days Committee 

Chairwoman Karen McNamara said. “The past two years have brought 

rain during Colony Days, which makes it unpleasant for everyone who 

attends and brings great challenges to all the vendors and participants.” 

This year’s theme is Mudhole Follies, a play from Atascadero’s nickname 

and entertainment from the period of the early 1900s. A folly is silly or 

foolish. Around the turn of the 20th century, there were the Folies Bergere 

in Paris, which was well known for cabaret. Cabaret is what made the flies 

popular, but it began with comic opera, popular songs and gymnastics. 

With those in mind, the committee came up with a logo depicting a 

strong man, a woman on a tight rope and a man on a penny-farthing. 

Some parade entry ideas include 

“We want to have fun. Follies is about silly, being foolish and we want 

to do that on as large scale as possible, but also being responsible,” Colony 

Days Committee Vice President Nic Mattson said. “The purpose 

July 21 st 

of Colony Days is to bring the community together and celebrate each 

other and Atascadero. This year we want to do this with the spirit of 

silliness and fun.” 

Some ideas for parade entries include: 

• Dressing up in silly costumes 

• Playing unusual instruments, such 

as a pots and pans band, a kazoo 

band, recorder band, keytar band 

• Lots of balloons 

• Silly dancing and entertainment 

• Vaudeville-esque floats 

• Dress up as a prominent community 

leader, both past and present 

• Juggling, circus-related fun 

This past year marked the first year that the Tent City re-enactment was 

held in Sunken Gardens. It was brought out of its usual location along 

Atascadero Creek because of construction underway during the event 

for the pedestrian bridge. Tent City was successful in Sunken Gardens 

and will be held there again in 2018. 

“[This year’s] event in the Sunken Gardens was an experiment that 

yielded a lot of great pluses,” Tent City director Dianne Greenaway said. 

“[Tent City] became the visual core of the Sunken Gardens celebration, 

making us easy to find, the ‘city square’ lent itself to a lovely feeling of 

community for our little Tent City, lending it to just hanging out.” 

The committee has begun working on the 2018 event and all those in 

the community are invited to help plan and execute the community event. 

Those who would like to be involved in the committee and in other ways, 

sign up for our volunteer email list, which can be found on the event’s 

website, ColonyDays.org. 

Parade and vendor applications are currently being accepted and are 

available on the organization’s webite. 

Colony Days is produced and operated by an all-volunteer 

501(c)(3) organization, and business and community sponsors 

are needed to make this event possible each year. 

To find out more about being a sponsor, go to colonydays. 

org, or email info@colonydays.org. 

SA 

TURDAY 

IN THE PARK 

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES 

June 16 th 

Back Bay Betty 

(Blues Night) Presented by Solarponics 

June 30 th 

The Jammies 

Presented by Daylight Home Lighting & Patio 

July 7 th 

Soundhouse 

July 14 th 

The Martin Paris Band 

Presented by Atascadero Printery & 

Atascadero Performing Arts Committee 

SATURDAYS Truth About Seafood 

6:30-8:30 July 28 th 

Unfinished Business 

August 4 th 

Stellar 

August 11 th 

The JD Project 

Sponsored by Pacific Premier Bank 

SATURDAYS 

6:30-8:30 

ATASCADERO 

LAKE PARK 

BANDSTAND 

Concerts are FREE and open to the public! 

VisitAtascadero.com 

PRESENTING SPONSORS: 

GRIGGER & 

ALICE JONES 


EVENTS 

Special Events 

July 4 — Paso Pops 4th of July Celebration and Concert hosted 

at Paso Robles Event Center. The gates open at 4 p.m. with familyfriendly 

activities until the concert begins at 8 p.m. For more 

information or to purchase tickets, visit paderewskifest.com. 

July 4 — 2nd Annual Bluegrass Freedom Festival at the 

Atascadero Lake Park from 4 to 8 p.m. Admission and music are 

free, with the option to purchase BBQ by the Atascadero Moose 

Lodge, beer, wine, cider and more. 

atascaderofourthofjuly.com for BBQ tickets or info. 

July 4 — Templeton 4th of July Celebration begins with the 

Templeton Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast at 7 a.m., parade 

at 10 a.m. on Main Street, and family fun, food trucks, live music and 

more until 3p.m. Breakfast Tickets are available to purchase from 

the Templeton FD. Visit templetonchamber.com. 

July 4 — 4th of July Parade and Day in the Park in Santa 

Margarita kicks off with the parade at 10 a.m. followed by fun for 

the whole family in the park at 11 a.m. The events are sponsored by 

the Community Church and community leaders. 

July 7 — 10th Annual Lavender Festival in Paso Robles in the 

Downtown City Park. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is 

free to the public. Meet with the lavender producers from across 

the region; enjoy food, refreshments, displays, and activities. Visit 

nosloco.com for info. 

July 7 & 8 — Morro Bay Art in the Park runs both days from 10 

a.m. to 5 p.m. Located at the Morro Bay City Park, this 62nd event 

offers handmade arts and crafts by over 100 local vendors. Sign up 

at morrobayartinthepark.com for more information. 

July 14 — Ice Cream Zoofari at the Atascadero Charles Paddock 

Zoo is a great time with the whole family. From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., 

come enjoy lots of ice cream along with the animals! For questions 

call 805-461-5080 or visit charlespaddockzoo.org. 

July 18-29 — California Mid State Fair is back at Paso Robles 

Event Center. Carnival rides, exhibits, concerts, rodeo, food, games, 

agriculture, entertainment, art shows and auctions. Special event 

information and more is available from by visiting midstatefair.com. 

July 21 — Vina Robles invites you to join their Summer Grill & 

Chill. Relax on the Petite Terrace with cool wine, rockin’ music and 

delicious food crafted by Executive Chef Randal Torres. The event 

menu and tickets are available from vinarobles.com 

July 21 & 22 — Central Coast Renaissance Festival at Laguna Lake 

Park in SLO is an old-world experience in the modern age. Open from 

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., two days are filled with food, entertainment, jousting 

and family-centered activities. More info & tickets at ccrenfaire.com 

July 28 — Annual FREE Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Main 

Street and the Mid-State Fair is held 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the 

Paso Robles City Park. Enjoy pancakes, entertainment and rides 

with either Cowboy Ken and his train or Harris Stage Lines. Visit 

downtown merchants. 

Aug. 2 — The Beauty of Wine Math – Increase Your Understanding 

of Winemaking Numbers and Calculations — Seminar reviews and 

discusses the most important numbers and calculations in winemaking 

- impacting decisions from harvest to bottling. Whether you grow 

grapes, make wine, or love learning about wine, you will find this 

seminar enriching.8am-12pm; La Bellasera, Paso Robles; $175 ($150 

before June 29); meristemlearning.com/the-beauty-of-wine-math 

Submit listings to events@nosloco.com, and visit nosloco.com for more information on events. 

Fundraisers 

July 28 — S.O.U. L. Kitchen Fundraiser for the Wellness Kitchen at Peachy Canyon Winery, thewkrc.org 

Concerts & Entertainment — Visit NoSLOCo.com for More Info 

Concerts in the Park 

Paso Robles Downtown, every Thursday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

Concerts in the Park 

Templeton Park, every Wednesday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

Saturday in the Park 

Atascadero Lake Park, every Saturday, 8:30 p.m. 

Festival Mozaic Summer Festival — July 17-29 

Music Without Borders. festivalmozaic.com, 805-781-3009 

Live Music Wednesdays on the Veranda — 5:30 to 8 p.m., Paso Robles 

Golf Club. See ad in this issue for local musicians. Reservations 805-238- 

4722, PasoRoblesGolfClub.com. 

Saturday Live — Every Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m., slowdown from your week, 

sit back and enjoy live music - all while savoring award-winning Vina 

Robles wines. 

Whale Rock Music Festival — Sept. 15 & 16 

Castoro Winery, whalerockmusicfestival.com. 

Culture & The Arts 

Winery Partners Wine Bar — Wine tasting at Studios on the Park every 

Friday and Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. benefits the free arts education program 

for local kids. Studiosonthepark.org 

Art After Dark Paso — first Saturday, wine tasting, 5 to 9 p.m., Downtown 

Paso. Hosted by Studios on the Park. 


North Slo County activity & Event guide | EVENTS 

Business 

Atascadero Chamber of Commerce 

Atascaderochamber.org • 805-466-2044 

6904 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422 

July 11 — 4 Chamber Mixer See Paso and 

Templeton Chamber of Commerce events for 

more details below. 

July 13 — Women in Business Luncheon, 

more details online 

Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce 

pasorobleschamber.com • 805-238-0506 

1225 Park St, Paso Robles, CA 93446 

Office Hours with Supervisor John Peschong 

Third Thursday, 9 to 11 a.m., Paso Robles 

Chamber of Commerce Conference Room. 

Taking Care of Business 

North County Toast ‘N Talk Toastmasters 

— Mondays, 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. Keller Williams 

Real Estate, Paso, 805-464-9229. 

BNI— Early But Worth It Chapter — Business 

Networking International — Tuesdays, 7 to 8:30 

a.m., Culinary Arts Academy, Paso, Visitors welcome, 

bniccc.com 

Workshops & Classes 

Free Improvisation Workshop — July 25 

for ages 12 to18, 1 to 2 p.m., PR Youth Arts 

Foundation. 

Writing Support Group with award-winning 

author/editor Patricia Alexander. Every other 

Monday, July 9 & 23, 6:30 to 9 p.m. $25 per 

Contact Vicki Janssen for appointment, 

vjanssen@co.clo.ca.us, 805-781-4491. 

Office Hours with Field Representative for 

Senator Bill Monning — Third Thursday, 2 to 

4 p.m., Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce 

Conference Room. Contact Hunter Snider for 

appointment, 805-549-3784. 

July 11 — Membership Mixer — 4 Chambers 

of Commerce, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Rava Wines, 

6785 Creston Road, Paso Robles. Produced 

jointly by the Chambers of Commerce in 

Atascadero, Templeton, Paso Robles and San 

Miguel. 

or $20 for 4 meetings paid in advance. Call for 

location 805-479-7778. BookOfComforts.com. 

Line Dancing, Tuesdays, 6 to 7 p.m., 

Centennial Park Banquet Room. $50 for 10 

Punch Pass or $5 per class drop in. Beginning 

and intermediate taught by Tina Scarsella, 

Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce 

Restaurant of the Month Appreciation, first 

Tuesday, pasorobleschamber.com for info. 

Templeton Chamber of Commerce 

templetonchamber.com • 805- 434-1789 

321 S. Main Street #C, Templeton, CA 93465 

Templeton Women in Business — July 10 

5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Changala Winery, 805-434- 

1789, info and RSVP, info@templetonchamber. 

com 

Chamber Board of Directors Meeting — July 

11 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., every 2nd Wednesday of 

the month. Pacific Premier Bank Conference 

Room on Las Tablas Blvd. 

Business Networking International — 

Wednesdays, 7 to 8:30 a.m., Cricket’s, 9700 El 

Camino Real, #104, Atascadero. Visitors welcome, 

bniccc.com. 

Above the Grade Advanced Toastmasters 

— first Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. Kennedy Club Fitness, 

Paso. 805-238-0524, 930206.toastmastersclubs.org. 

BNI — Partners in $uccess —Thursday, 7 to 

8:30 a.m. Paso Robles Assn. of Realtors, 1101 

Riverside Ave. Visitors welcome, bniccc.com. 

Speak Easy Toastmasters — Friday, 12:10 to 

1:15 p.m. Founders Pavilion, Twin Cities Community 

Hospital. 9797.toastmastersclubs.org. 

prcity.com/recreation-online, 805-835-2076. 

Community Quilting — third Saturday, 

assists children and senior organizations, 10 

a.m. to 2 p.m., Bethel Lutheran Church, Old 

Country Road, Templeton. Cynthia Bradshaw, 

clbrad1313@hotmail.com. 

A reverse mortgage 

loan could help you 

live more comfortably. 

Call today to learn more about this HECM loan 

program* for accessing your home’s equity. 

Bob Gayle Reverse 

Mortgage 

Specialist 

805/772-3658 

Real Estate Broker, California Bureau of Real Estate, 

License 00466813 • NMLS License. 582948 

Division of 

Aegean Financial, 

CA BRE #01478751, 

NMLS #157935 

Owner must be 62, maintain 

property as primary residence 

and must also remain current 

on property taxes, any fees 

and homeowners insurance. 

Other conditions may apply. 

*THIS PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR 

ENDORSED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY AND THIS OFFER 

IS NOT BEING MADE BY AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT. 17-013 


EVENTS 

| North Slo County activity & Event guide 

Service Organizations 

American Legion Post 50 — fourth Tuesday, 

6:30 p.m. 270 Scott Street, Paso Robles. Info: 

Commander John Irwin, 805-286-6187. 

Hamburger Lunch — American Legion Post 50, 

- $5, Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 240 Scott St., 

Paso. 

Pancake Breakfast — third Saturday 8 to 11 

a.m., $6, American Legion Post 50, 240 Scott 

St., Paso Robles 

Exchange Club — second Tuesday, 12:15 

— 1:30 p.m. McPhee’s, Templeton. 805-610- 

Clubs & Meetings 

Health & Wellness 

The Wellness Kitchen and Resource Center 

thewkrc.org • 805-434-1800 

Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wed. until 6 p.m. 

1255 Las Tablas Rd., Templeton 

• Healing and Wellness Foods meal programs, 

volunteer opportunities, and classes 

(RSVP, register and pay online.) 

July 19 — Healthy Cooking Classes — Cool 

Summer Foods! Instructor Evan Vossler. 5:30 

to 7:30, FREE for those facing illness, otherwise 

$20. No one will be turned away. 

July 20 — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Idler’s Home, 122 

Cross St., San Luis Obispo. RSVP required to 

805-434-1800 or nancy@TheWKRC.org. 

July 25 — Intro to Wellness — A Taste of Change 

with Registered Dietitian Hayley Garelli. 10 

simple ways to begin your clean eating journey 

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP. Class is FREE. 

8096, exchangeclubofnorthslocounty.org. 

Daughters of the American Revolution — first 

Sunday. For time and place, email dmcpatriotdaughter@gmail.com. 

Lions Club Meetings 

Atascadero — second & fourth Wednesdays, 7 

p.m., Atascadero Agriculture Hall, 5035 Palma 

Ave. 

Paso Robles — second & fourth Tuesdays. 7 

p.m., PR Elks Lodge, 1420 Park St. 

San Miguel — first & third Thursdays, 7:00 p.m., 

Almond Country Quilters Guild Meeting, 

July 6 at 6:30 p.m., lecture by Patsy Carpenter. 

Trinity Lutheran Church, 940 Creston Road, 

Paso. Contact kajquilter@ gmail.com. General 

info: 

lisajguerrero@msn.com, acqguild.com. 

Coffee with a CHP — second Tuesday, 8:30 

a.m., Nature’s Touch Nursery & Harvest, 225 

Main St., Templeton. 

Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) 

Chapter 465 — second Wednesday, 7 p.m. at 

Paso Airport Terminal. Getting youth involved 

with aviation. EAA465.org. 

North County Multiflora Garden Club — second 

Wednesday, Noon to 3 p.m. Public is welcome, 

no charge. PR Community Church, 2706 

Spring St., 805-712-7820, guests welcome, 

multifloragardenclub.org. 

Monthly Dinner at Estrella Warbirds Museum 

— first Wednesday, 6 p.m., guest speakers. 805- 

296-1935 for dinner reservations. ewarbirds.org. 

North County Newcomers — July 24 deadline 

for August 1 luncheon at Estrella Warbirds Museum, 

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Gatherings held first 

Wednesday for residents living here less than 

3 years. RSVP at northcountynewcomers.org. 

Active Senior Club of Templeton — first Friday, 

10:30 a.m., Templeton Community Center, 

Cancer Support Community 

cscslo.org • 805-238-4411 

1051 Las Tablas Road, Templeton 

• Support, education and hope. Cancer Support 

Helpline, 888-793-9355, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

SPECIAL PROGRAMS: 

7/10 • 6 p.m. Education: Immunotherapy. 7 p.m. 

Young Survivors Peer Gathering in Templeton 

7/18 • 11:30 a.m. Pot Luck Social 

7/12 • 11 a.m. Advanced Cancer Group 

7/19 • 11 a.m. Advanced Cancer Group 

7/25 • 11:30 a.m. Mindfulness Hour, RSVP 

required 

7/26 • 6 p.m. Young Survivors Peer Gathering 

at Sierra Vista Hospital, 2nd floor, San Luis 

Obispo 

8/1 • Life Beyond Cancer 

Community Hall, 256 13th St. 

Santa Margarita — second & fourth Mondays, 

7:30 p.m., Community Hall, 9610 Murphy St. 

Shandon Valley — Please call 630-571-5466 

for more information. 

Templeton — first & third Thursdays, 7:00 pm, 

Templeton Community Building, 601 Main 

Street 

PR Grange Pancake Breakfast — second Sunday, 

7:30 to 11 a.m., 627 Creston Road, Paso 

601 S. Main St, Templeton 

North County Women’s Connection Luncheon 

— July 13, featuring classical pianist 

Marion Walker. 11 a.m., Templeton Community 

Center. $12.00. Reservations by July 10 to 

JoAnn Pickering, 805-239-1096. 

Central Coast Violet Society — second Saturday, 

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Brookdale Activity 

Room, 1919 Creston Road, Paso. Znailady1@ 

aol.com. 

Classic Car Cruise Night — second Saturday 

(weather permitting), 5 to 7 p.m., King Oil 

Tools, 2235 Spring St., Paso. Tony Ororato, 805- 

712-0551. 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE: 

MONDAY: 11:30 a.m. Therapeutic Yoga at 

Dharma Yoga 

TUESDAY: 1 p.m. Educational Radio Show 

WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m. Living with Cancer Support 

Group — Newly Diagnosed/Active Treatment. 

THURSDAY: 10 a.m. Coffee Chat 

FRIDAY: 7/13, 7/27, 6 p.m., Grupo Fuerza y 

Esperanza. Special Programs — Navigate with 

Niki Thursdays by appointment. Cancer Well- 

Fit® at Paso Robles Sports Club, Mondays and 

Thursdays 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. pre-registration 

is required with Kathy Thomas, kathythomas10@hotmail.com 

or 805-610-6486. Beautification 

Boutique offers products for hair loss 

and resources for mastectomy patients (knittedknockers.org). 

CONSIGN WITH US 

5935 Entrada Ave., 

Atascadero, Ca 93422 

(805)296-3600 


Check out these fun summer camps! 

Babysitting 

Skills Camp 

11-15 yrs 

July 16th-20th & 

July 30th- 

August 3rd 

Pickleball Camp 

7-12 yrs 


July 30th-August 

3rd 

Drawing Animal 

‘Toons 

7+ yrs 

July 27th 

Video Game 

Design Camp 

10+ yrs 


August 2nd 

Creative Brain 

Art Discovery 

Camp 

8-15 yrs 

July 9th-13th 

Volleyball Camp 

11-16 yrs 



August 3rd 

Shakespeare for 

Kids Drama Camp 

9-14 yrs 

July 23rd-27th & 

August 6th-10th 

Chess Wizards 

Camp 

5-14 yrs 

August 6th-10th 

Recreation Info: 805-470-3360 

www.atascadero.org 

Creative Brain 

Robotics Camp 

8-15 yrs 

July 9th-13th 

Jedi Engineering 

Using Legos 

5-7 yrs & 

7-12 yrs 

July 23rd-27th 

R E C R E AT I O N G U I D E 

Summer 2018 

Don’t Miss This Summer’s Saturday in 

the Park Summer Concert Series 


Residential Customer 

July 2018, COLONY Magazine colonymagazine.com | 33 

U.S. POSTAGE PAID 

ATASCADERO, CA 

PERMIT NO. 79 

PRSRT STD 

ECRWSS

LAST WORD 

L’Envoi 

The Epic Tale of the Colony of Atascadero ... in the Making 


Atascadero! To that sounding name 

A far tradition leads its fame … 

So begins “Atascadero — An Epic Written 

for Flag Raising Day” by Paso Robles 

resident Guy E. Heaton on July 4, 

1913. It was written on the same day as 

Edward Gardner Lewis and his wife Mabel 

received the deed to Rancho Atascadero, and 

the author dedicated the epic to E.G. Lewis 

and those who, with him, devote their time and 

talent to the upbuilding of Atascadero. 

Heaton finishes the dedication, “lastly: ‘To all 

that here shall after live’ at Atascadero.” 

Heaton was not then finished with Lewis, and 

closed the introduction with two paragraphs in 

Lewis’ honor. 

“The author offers due apologies for his 

ready indulgence in poetic license and hopes 

to not irretrievably offend against accepted 

astronomical theories, the phenomena of Nature 

or historic fact, and most especially to Mr. 

Lewis for ascribing to the Padre the vision of 

the future Atascadero instead of the real seer, 

Mr. Lewis himself, at once Seer, Counselor and 

Impresario. 

“To him who would behold Atascadero in 

its nearest pristine beauty ere its swift-moving 

transformation merges Art in ever increasing 

proportion with fair Mother Nature’s bounteous 

features, the author says Haste! For the 

mighty want of the magician is moving, Lewis 

is here, and the scenery shifts.” 

The poem is worth a read for historical perspective, 

and is written with some apparent 

influence by Walt Whitman (1819-1892), and 

closes with an ode to the “Common Good Her 

State—a world-wide Sisterhood” with a handdrawn 

wreath with a bow labeled “Women’s 

Republic.” 

The final stanza titled “L’Envoi” gives the 

summation for which the heart of Atascadero, 

buried deep in the Mudhole, still beats. 

Atascadero! Though thy name 

Is stranger now to trump of Fame, 

Shall yet to farthest echo ring 

As art and genius here shall bring. 

Proportioned true epitome 

Of all a perfect State should be. 

And Fame’s eternal scroll shall bear 

“Atascadero” blazoned there. 

I stumbled upon this poem while researching 

the 4th of July and the Atascadero Printery 

Building last year, and it resonated with 

me. I don’t think I’m alone to feel a presence 

in Atascadero. Is it the ghost of E.G. Lewis? 

Is it some leftover inspiration of his utopian 

dream that was run over by “progress” now articulated 

by the US 101 that cuts through the 

heart of his darling downtown dream? Or is it 

something that was here before Lewis arrived; 

something Lewis himself felt and was moved 

by? Is it by chance that we are here now? Is 

it by chance that you are reading a magazine 

published in Atascadero, cover ‘blazoned’ with 

an image of the historic Press Building that has 

been reclaimed by some undaunted — uninhibited 

— spirit that pours out of the soul of 

this place with a purpose, yea a mission, that 

fills the mind with wonder and stirs the imagination? 

Is it by chance that you arrived, by 

choice or by fate, here now with this question 

still begging to be answered … what next? 

Are we here, meant for something greater, or 

just here to judge the past and the failures as 

something that prevent us from realizing the 

greatness we can achieve together? 

It is together that we will succeed or fail, and 

it is together that we should dream. As Guy E. 

Heaton offered 105 years ago, I also offer due 

apologies for my ready indulgence in poetic license 

— and use of the Oxford comma — and 

hope to not irretrievably offend against accepted 

astronomical theories, the phenomena of 

Nature, or historic fact. 

I do hope you will enjoy this publication for 

years to come, and in a world of digital noise, 

bullet trains, cryptocurrency, water banking, 

fake news, and fallen heroes, I hope that this 

magazine will be an anchor to our community 

for the betterment of us all — yea, for all that 

here shall after live. Just as Lewis did not live 

to see his dream’s to fruition, maybe we shall 

suffer the same; but then, maybe there is no 

conclusion. Maybe it is just for us to give the 

next generation a better place than was given 

to us, and better tools on how to improve it for 

the next inhabitants. This is what Lewis would 

want, could Lewis imagine his highest desire, 

and it is what Dr. Mike would want, and why 

this first issue of COLONY Magazine is dedicated 

to his UNINHIBITED spirit — may 

it continue to project “Atascadero” onto Fame’s 

eternal scroll for all that here shall after live. 

‘To all 

that here 

shall after 

live’ 

— Guy E. Heaton — 

This inaugural issue of COLONY Magazine is dedicated to my wife, Hayley, and everything she does. There is no way to describe in fullness the impact she has on everything we do as a 

family. This magazine would truly not be what it is without her support, care, hard work, dedication, and input. She is my everything, and has given me the world. Thank you. 

COLONY Magazine is a free publication, mailed directly to 14,900 residences and businesses in Atascadero, Santa Margarita, 

and Creston, as well as the other communities within the 93422, 93453, and 93432 zip codes. It is all paid for by advertisers. 

Please support your community by shopping local, meeting your local business owners, and enjoying this great community. 

DIRECTORY TO OUR ADVERTISERS 

American West Tire Pros 35 

Arlyne’s Flowers 22 

Atascadero Greyhound 

Foundation 05 

Atascadero Jewelry & Loan 14 

Atascadero Optimist Club 15 

Atascadero Pet Hospital 36 

Atascadero Printery 

Foundation 07 

Awakening Ways 27 

Baby’s Babble 32 

Blenders 22 

Bluegrass Freedom Festival 08 

Bob Sprain’s Draperies 21 

Bravo Pizza 02 

Byblos Mediterranean Grill 02 

CASA 14 

Cassidy, Diane 23 

City of Atascadero 

CONCERTS 29 

City of Atascadero 

Rec. Division 33 

Diversified Landscaping 26 

El Pomar Manor 27 

Frontier Floors 27 

Greg Malik RE Group 10 

Glenn’s Repair 19 

Healthy Inspirations 21 

Hearing Aid Specialists of the 

Central Coast 

Heather Desmond Real Estate 11 

Hope Chest Emporium 14 

John Donovan Insurance & 

Financial Services, Inc. 09 

LivHOME 35 

Lori Bagby REALTOR® 19 

Lube N Go 21 

Michael’s Optical 21 

Morro Bay Art in Park 32 

Natural Alternative 31 

Atascadero Optimist Club 15 

Placer Title 27 

PR Physical Therapy 23 

Ray Buban, EA 

Tax & Financial Services 19 

Robert Gayle 31 

San Joaquin Valley College 12 

SESLOC Fed Credit Union 15 

Solarponics 35 

Stove & Spa Center 24 

Susan Funk for 

Atascadero City Council 09 

Templeton Door & Trim 26 

Triple 7 Motorsports 09 

Triple 7 Tractor Sales 11 

Whit’s Turn Tree Service 13 

Writing Support Group 31 


• Full stock of tires and parts 

for horse trailers and motorhomes 

• Full line of tires 

• Work on all Trucks and Vehicles 

• Oil Change and Transmission Flush Service 

• Vehicle computer work • Brake Work 

• Align all types of vehicles, including trailers 

• Now servicing Air Conditioning systems 

They’re your 

one-stop automotive 

repair shop 

P 

WiFi Available 

Large turn around 

area for trailers & trucks 

8750 El Camino 


Phone: (805) 466-3121 

Open Monday - Friday 7:30 - 5:30, Saturday 8 - 5 

AmericanWestTire.com

2018 July COLONY Magazine

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