The Wildflower Brunch is a long standing tradition of CLSPIA, with proceeds going to the interpretive association which supports the Clear Lake State Park in many ways, including funding the construction of a new education pavilion at the park.

The brunch is a scrumptious “Create Your Own Omelets,” affair, held outside at the park.

Overseen by local chef and caterer, who also happens to be president of CLSPIA, Madelene Lyon, a wide array of fillings are offered for an individually designed and perfect omelet. Fresh fruit and pastries are also offered.

Cost of the Brunch is just $12 per person and reservations in advance are encouraged. To register for the brunch, as well as other Heron Festival activities, go to www.heronfestival.org, or call the Lake County Visitor Center at 800-525-3743.

The Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch will be held April 26 and 27 and features pontoon boat rides on Clear Lake, nature booths, walks, speakers, children’s activities and more. Check out the website for all of the fun events planned for Heron Festival weekend.

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An avid antique car enthusiast, Paul Marchand, M.D., pilots his MG, a 1932 Type J2, while his 1939 Ford (standard) station wagon lurks in the background. The “Woodie” belonged to his grandfather, who purchased it new. Courtesy photo.

“I got out, looked around, and was struck by the physical beauty of the place,” he recalls. “I promised myself I’d come back some day to camp or hike.”

When he did finally return 15 years later it wasn’t to camp, but to accept a position as a physician in Redbud’s emergency department.

“In 2000, when I got a call from a physician recruiter asking if I’d be willing to relocate to Lake County, I didn’t hesitate – it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he says enthusiastically. “I’m wedded to Lake County because of the quality of life it offers.”

In addition to seeing patients in the Redbud ER, Dr. Marchand is chair of Redbud Community Hospital’s Emergency Medical Services Committee, and has administrative responsibility for running the department.

“The natural beauty and wonderful people who live in Lake County make this area one of the best places on earth,” he says. “I want to make a contribution to the wellbeing of our community. I can do this by taking care of patients in the Redbud ER, and through some of my outside interests.”

To say this energetic individual is passionate about his outside interests would be an understatement.

Take antique automobiles, for instance. He’s one of the founding members of the Konocti chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America, the largest and oldest antique automobile club in the country. He owned a Model A at age 11; drives a 1939 Ford “woody” wagon that was purchased new by his grandfather; and counts a completely restored 1932 MG and 1939 Royal Enfield motorcycle among his other prize possessions.

Dr. Marchand is also passionate about the environment. “Lake County is an outdoor paradise,” he says. “Many people here aren’t aware of the fact that we live in one of the world epicenters for biodiversity – a place that is home to one of the largest number of endangered species.”

In an effort to make a positive difference, he joined the Executive Committee of the Lake Group Chapter of the Sierra Club, where he’s worked to create a balance between the area’s natural beauty and environmentally friendly growth. This year he’ll be involved in helping develop hiking and horseback riding trails.

And then there’s his interest in dressage, a discipline focused on the care and training of horses that began with the ancient Greeks. Dr. Marchand, his wife and daughter are members of the Lake County chapter of the US Dressage Society, where he chairs the scholarship committee. “We developed the club’s first scholarship,” he says proudly. “Two scholarships were given to local students last year, teaching them to ride and care for horses.”

Flying also remains one of Dr. Marchand’s interests. His love affair with flying began early. During his medical residency, he was a member of Los Medicos Voladores/The Flying Doctors, a group of physicians who flew to remote parts of northern Mexico to care for Indian communities.

“At that time we were flying in parts of Mexico where there was no radio navigation,” he recalls. “We were reduced to flying with a map and a compass.”

Today, he still drives to the Lampson airport where he takes a personal aircraft up for a spin around the County. “I never get tired of the view,” he smiles.

This year Dr. Marchand is serving as the president of the Mendocino-Lake Counties Medical Society. “As president, my goal is to get involved in the social issues that are our greatest barrier to giving the best possible care to the citizens of both Mendocino and Lake Counties,” he says.

Talking with Dr. Marchand, you soon see that there’s not nearly enough time for him to pursue all the things that interest him. But that doesn’t keep him from trying

“You’ve got one life to live,” he’ll gladly tell you, “get busy and make the most of it!”

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Since the early 20th century, readers in Lake County have had library service, growing from local grass-roots efforts into the county-run system we have today.

Networks of several kinds have been important to libraries in Lake County for more than 100 years. Some of these networks formed in various communities to start libraries, while other networks included people and institutions far from Lake County. Computer networks now connect the library to the rest of the world.

The individual libraries had their own networks as interested citizens and civic organizations such as women's clubs, town improvement clubs and library committees banded together to bring library service to their towns.

Library supporters borrowed space in a number of buildings, donated books and labor, and raised money for the town libraries.

Benefactors with connections outside of Lake County, and even beyond California, provided major support to local libraries. Harriett Lee Hammond, a native of Massachusetts who lived near Upper Lake, donated money to construct the library in Upper Lake and hired a Boston architect to design it. Chauncey Gibson of Oakland and Middletown donated Middletown's Gibson Library. The Carnegie Corporation of New York granted money to Lakeport for the Carnegie Library on Park Street.

As early as 1906, The California State Library sent crates of books to Lake County as part of the Traveling Libraries program and local organizations distributed the books to readers. In 1918 and from 1921 to 1922, county library organizers from the State Library visited Lake County, urging local officials to form a county library, but their efforts did not succeed. Efforts to form a county library in 1946 and 1956 also failed.

When Lake County finally committed to starting a county library system in the 1970s, the State Library organized and managed the federally-funded Lake County Library Project, from which the current county system developed. The Project's bookmobile delivered books to many Lake County communities.

Voters elected to form the Lake County Library system in the mid-1970s, bringing Lakeport, Clearlake (Redbud Library) Upper Lake, and Middletown Libraries into one system. The Kelseyville Library, which the Kelseyville Women's Club had operated since 1914, reportedly ceased operations around this time.

The most significant change for the Lake County Library since the 1970s occurred in 2001, when the library system automated and joined a catalog/circulation network with the Sonoma and Mendocino County Libraries.

Library patrons in Lake County now have access to the collections of the three counties, approximately one million books, through the automated catalogs in the libraries and the online catalog. See the library Web site at www.co.lake.ca.us/Page386.aspx, and choose “Catalog” to locate and request books from home. A library card issued at any branch library in the tri-county network is good anywhere in the system.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m.; telephone 263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m.; telephone 994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21267 Calistoga Road, is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; telephone 987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second St., is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; telephone 275-2049.

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The round table will explore what genetically modified crops are, what negative impacts they have on Lake County’s agriculture, and what can be done to stop them. A new ordinance that would regulate these crops also will be discussed.

Calls from the community will be taken on 263-3435 during the program. The program will be repeated on Tuesday, April 15, at 10 a.m.

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