Anniversaries and Us
Many things are engaged in the making of a town like Castro Valley. People come and go when they live here. Some leave and return. Some never leave. Yet, our town keeps on moving forward with a life of its own. Within this environment it is nice to observe that there are places that have provided continuity and continue to do so. Three come to mind. The connecting point has to do with their anniversaries.
The first one is the Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD). This wonderful organization has provided valuable services to our community for eighty years. The services have not only been about recreation. They have been in other key areas as well. This includes after school activities, education, senior services, education, and community building. It has been as important an organization as any in our township for doing positive things for positive reasons to accomplish positive results. For eight decades it deserves credit for the major contribution it has made to the quality of life that many of us have experienced.
A second one is a local grocery store here in Castro Valley. It is Al’s Food Market. The store was originally developed and operated by the Low family. They have been a community asset and a contributor to community causes. They have also provided quality food to our town, with their butcher department being one of the best in our town’s history. They have been operating for 75 years and deserve credit for the services they have provided and contributions they have made.
A third is the upcoming one of a century of service to Castro Valley. It is Pete’s Hardware Store. As our town was developing, Pete’s Hardware was not only a pivotal provider to the construction and maintenance of our structures. It has also been a contributor to the construction and maintenance of our lives and of our community. Since 1926 it has been a model public citizen in our community. It has contributed and supported us as individuals and as a community under development. The founder was Pete Selmeczki, and his family has perpetuated his purpose forward to our present moment in time. Next year – 2026, Pete’s Hardware Store will turn a hundred years old. It has been a pillar of public service to all of us.
With these anniversaries noted, these entities, along with others, have done well to make our town into the attractive and viable community that it is. Without HARD, Al’s Food Market, Pete’s Hardware Store, and others like them, we would not be who we are today. When you find the opportunity, thank them and their employees for their kindness and contributions to our town’s health and well-being.
