CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2022
YEAR 34 INSIDE YOUR
FORUM
Holiday Pop-Up Castro Valley couple opens ‘flower truck’, Foxworthy Floral
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Building a Win RCMS wins first place, advances in First Lego League Competition
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Senior Q&A Is there a way to give a large gift without incurring a gift tax?
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SWEET SUCCESS
HOPE HOSPICE
CV Bakery Celebrating Anniversary
Holidays For the Grieving
By Michael Singer
By Mike McGuire
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
In 2013, Natalie Wong took her passion for baking and created macarons for $1 each at Skyline High School in Oakland. Little did she know she was about to embark on a journey that would see her selling her creations in Castro Valley at the Always Yours Bakery Cafe. Originally making 8-10 flavors under the business name of “Macarons by Natalie,” she began receiving more and more orders. In 2018, she did 3 pop-up markets to growing acclaim, but it was in late 2019 after the Foodie Land Night Market in Berkeley, where she sold her entire stock of 2,000 macarons on the very first day, that she knew it was time to become a full-time baker. “My passion for baking helped me overcome all obstacles and made me even more determined to make owning my own bakery a reality,” Wong said. “Always Yours is proof of my hard work and determination. I now get to do what I love and serve my most delicious desserts made with the highest quality ingredients, 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: Always Yours Bakery Cafe owner Nalove, and care to my community.” see BAKERY on page 6 talie Wong proudly stands behind some of her tasty creations.
Calendar .................. 4 Classified Ads ....... 12 Crosswords ........... 13 Homes ...................... 8 Horoscope ............. 14 Obituaries ............ 15 Opinions .............. 15 Our Town ................. 3 Sports ................... 16 Weather ................. 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
Holidays can be joyous for many people, stressful for others, and perhaps a bit of both for most. Some, though, find holidays even harder, particularly if they have recently lost someone dear at a time when everybody else at least seems to be happy. As many people are emerging from pandemic isolation and craving interaction with others, more people than usual are grieving loved ones during holiday gatherings this year. Arlene Baldwin, director of grief at Hope Hospice in Dublin, which provides help to people in their last days and helps those who just lost a loved one, says one can do both. Baldwin says the Number One tip is to manage your see GRIEVING on page 14
CV Hosts Soccer State Tourney: Girls’ Got Game Lee, who is a Junior at Castro Valley High School, and her fellow Freshman classmate Castro Valley Soccer Club Lillian Cooke were among hosted the NorCal State Cup the seven female referees Girls’ Under-13 Competitive officiating the 22 matches this matches at Alden E Oliver weekend. Statistically, they are Park in Hayward this past ahead of the average. Out of weekend, with a notable stathe estimated 3 million youth tistic: half of the referees were soccer players in the US, 48% female. are girls. That percentage is “It’s cool to be out here offi- drastically different when it ciating for other girls,” Castro comes to officiating. Of the Valley resident Carissa Lee more than 8,700 professional told the Forum. “I got into be- referees in the US, only 24% ing a referee because I played are women. However, women the game when I was younger. are very slowly gaining moI knew most of the rules of the mentum in officiating matches. game after playing for so many The Germany vs. Costa Rica years.” game on December 1 had an By Michael Singer
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CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
entire female referee crew—the first time ever at a men’s World Cup. Back on the local pitch, Cooke says the players, coaches, and fans do notice if the refs are female, though it doesn’t faze her or change the way she officiates the game. “Sometimes we have to be a little tougher on our calls and put more of our voice into it because the players and the coaches will try to push us to make a different ruling, but I feel like many referees deal with it that too,” Cooke said. “Some people say that girls’ PHOTO BY MICHAEL SINGER soccer is tougher than boys’ see SOCCER on back page Lillian Cooke (at left) and Carissa Lee