The Orinda Association Annual Report and Program Update for 2025 The Orinda Association (OA) is a 501(c)3 dedicated to enhancing our community and enriching the quality of life for Orinda residents. We promote awareness and encourage dialogue among Orinda residents on issues of importance to the community, and mobilize volunteer efforts to enhance the beauty, character and security of Orinda.
Our main programs include The Orinda News, the Annual 4 th of July Parade, the
Orinda Classic Car Show, The Orinda Volunteer Center, the Orinda Seniors Around Town ride program and specialized Public Forums. The OA office is located at 26 Orinda Way and The OA website is www.orindaassociation.org.
The 2025 roster of board members was as follows:
Officers: President Kelly Sopak, Vice President Alex Drexel, Treasurer Lisa Burlini, Secretary Cindy Powell; Board Members: Carlos Baltodano, Barb Brawner, Jacalyn Buettner, Kathy Cordova, Eloise Sotelo, Bill Waterman. All officers and board members volunteer their time for their board duties.
The Orinda News is mailed free of charge to almost 8300 households and businesses throughout Orinda each month. The newspaper continues to be the primary local news source for people in Orinda. The Orinda Association covers all costs associated with the operation of the newspaper, including all office and staff costs. Clay Kallam served as the Executive Editor of The Orinda News in 2025.
The website for The Orinda News is regularly updated, see www.theorindanews.com.
The cost of developing, implementing, and maintaining the site is paid for by The OA.
The Orinda Association is open from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday-Friday. The OA maintains a Volunteer Guide online with local volunteer opportunities sorted by Adult and Youth, and nonprofit group listings. There is a short summary of each group, with website and contact information. Additionally, The OA supports other nonprofits with discounted publicity in The Orinda News.
The Lions Recycle for Sight collection box continues to be over-filled with eyeglasses for the monthly collection. This program is promoted on the Lions Club website and a classified ad in The Orinda News.
Seniors Around Town (SAT) was established in 2005 and provides free, door-to-door transportation for Orinda seniors. Many registered riders are on fixed incomes; 32%
The Orinda Association Annual Report and Program Update for 2025 live in Section 8 or affordable housing. Orinda residents, who are registered SAT Volunteers, use their personal vehicles to provide transportation for Orinda seniors who are unable to drive themselves. The program provides rides to non-emergency medical appointments (e.g., dialysis, cancer treatment), personal care appointments and grocery shopping.
DRIVER
STATISTICS
Ride
Requests
Volunteer
Hours
Volunteer
Miles Driven
Jan – Dec
2025 1,429 1086 15,113
The Orinda Classic Car Show celebrated its 21
st Anniversary in 2025. The Orinda
Association provides end-to-end operations for this annual event. This includes website management, advertising, office and administrative support for car show vehicle registrations and payments, and coordination of non-staff volunteers.
Additionally, coverage and advertising are provided by The Orinda News.
Orinda’s 4
th of July Parade (est. 1984) and Celebration marked its 41st Anniversary.
The event is funded with sponsorships and donations and produced by volunteers. The OA partners with Orinda Parks and Rec on activities in the park and the Library Plaza.
The City of Orinda provides police and public works services prior to and day of event.
In 2024, over 95 volunteers worked the day of the event and the Parade Committee, headed by Lisa Burlini and Liza Chooi, began nine months prior, providing over 800 volunteer hours planning and fundraising for the annual event.
OA held no Public Forum in 2025. We are looking forward to 2026 elections and hosting public forums so that citizens can meet the candidates in person.
The small office location at 26 Orinda Way provides support for public and nonprofit groups, schools, clubs, and businesses to coordinate within Lamorinda. Orinda Community Foundation, ONE Orinda, Rotary groups, Orinda Historical Society, Orinda Starlight Village Players, Film Festivals, Garden Clubs, Friends of Orinda Creeks, Friends of Nature Area FONA, Tabor Sister City, JM Adobe Friends, Orinda Woman’s Club, Orinda Jr. Women’s Club, Art in Public Places, Friends of Orinda Library, Lamorinda Adult Respite Center, Farmers Market, School age volunteers, the Orinda Community and the City of Orinda are part of the nonprofit and service organizations network which supports our citizens.
The Orinda Association Annual Report and Program Update for 2025 The Orinda Association participates in donation drives and our office location in Library Plaza, next to the Community Center, serves as a central drop-off spot and the OA websites are regularly updated.
We look forward to continuing the services provided to our homebound Orinda Seniors, planning the 42
ndJuly 4th Parade and Park Activities, and the 22nd Orinda Classic Car Show, and reaching out to the increasing number of Orinda organizations that, like us, look for ways to make our city even better!
The Orinda Association is a 501(c)3 organization and our annual Form 990 is available online.