110 degrees magazine - Index

110 degrees magazine - magazine - Index

ABODE I BY CINDY EHLING I PHOTOS BY RUSSELL BYRNE
THE FRIENDS OF BYRON
MURAL PROJECT
In June 2007, a band of volunteers, made up of
business leaders, community representatives,
and Byron residents joined together to form a
beautification committee, called the Friends of
Byron, with the stated mission of working to
improve the community by increasing property
values, promoting economic development, and
improving the quality of life for local people.
The goal is to build a sense of pride for our
community and to improve the overall curb
appeal of the area with landscape and
streetscape projects.
One of our first undertakings is to create a
series of murals on the sides of the two large
Marin Foods buildings facing the Byron
Highway and Main Street. The local muralist,
Bill Weber, who has been creating murals all
over the Bay Area for more than 35 years, has
agreed to help orchestrate the project. We are
also currently working on landscaping the area
around Marin Foods. The Friends of Byron
committee has many other projects coming up.
A local Byronite and artist, Chantelle
Leighton, has volunteered to chair the mural
committee. She will be working closely with Bill
Weber and other local artists. The murals will
46 www.110mag.com September/October 2008
A GROUP OF CITIZENS ARE JOINING TOGETH-
ER TO REVITALIZE THE COMMUNITY’S
APPEARANCE AND TO REINFORCE A SENSE
OF PRIDE BY AREA RESIDENTS.
have historic themes that recall Byron’s colorful
past. Chantelle is drawing upon a wealth of
historical information from her mother, Kathy
Leighton, a local historian and author of East
Contra Costa Footprints in the Sand.
Bill Weber will be designing the initial mural
with a “Welcome to Historic Byron” theme. It
will be along the Byron Highway side. Other
murals will be placed along the Main Street
side. The project will get underway as soon as
budget and weather permit. We are seeking
donations to cover paint, brushes, scaffolding,
and any other associated costs.
This is the second project of its kind that I’ve
been involved with and know from experience
what can be done by a few willing people with
a vision to transform their community. My
husband, Rich, and I lived in the small unincorporated
town of Sunol. Like Byron, Sunol was
once a thriving community but had sunk to a
mere shadow of its former self. Half the town
had burned down and weeds were growing
among the charred remnants of its fallen glory.
We helped form the Sunol Business Guild
that slowly but surely transformed the ruined
places to lovely park spaces, adding a decora-
tive town clock and a bulletin board. With the
help and support of our local supervisor we
brought buildings back. The formerly charred
area is now a place admired by visitors and held
in pride by local residents.
Byron can do what Sunol has done. We can’t
wait to see what happens next!
If you would like to donate your time or
money please give us a call. The committee is
working under the auspices of the Byron Library
Club, which is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization which confers tax-exempt status
to any contributions.
The committee is offering a particularly
appealing way of garnering donations. For a
price residents can have their own likeness — or
that of friends or family members — displayed
on the murals.
Imagine being able to drive by the mural and
every time you do so, you can see the people
you love, or yourself!
°
For more information contact Cindy Ehling at 925-
381-3224. Or write to us at “Friends of Byron” P.O.
Box 3, Byron, California 94514. Send comments to
editors@110mag.com.