The Pinole Historical Society is stepping things up this year, after attracting more than 500 people to its first Veterans Day Memorial and Flag Retirement last November.

The group is hosting its initial Pinole History Week next Monday through Friday, with the Veterans Day event as the centerpiece Wednesday.

"One of the things we said we wanted to do until we get a museum is bring history to the people and to the schools," society board member Jeff Rubin said.

Society member George Vincent, a retired teacher, will give an hour presentation on local history to fourth-grade classes at local elementary schools during the week.

Fourth grade is when California history becomes part of the curriculum, and "we thought it would be a great tie-in to teaching the history of Pinole," Rubin said.

The program — which will take Vincent to Ellerhorst, Shannon, St. Joseph, Stewart and Collins schools during the week — includes a slide presentation of the city's early teachers, students and schools.

Students will be asked to write about the first memories of Pinole and ask questions to try to identify an early artifact that Vincent will bring.

During the week, Pinole's community cable station will air an interview Rubin taped with Charlotte Shea, the daughter of Dr. Manuel Fernandez and granddaughter of local pioneer Bernardo Fernandez. Rubin said Shea, now 88, has numerous memories of

The channel also will air segments from its Historic Walking Tour series.

The main event is on Veterans Day, when the memorial ceremony will start at 11 a.m. in the barbecue area at Fernandez Park in Old Town.

A special Veterans Day lunch hosted by the Pinole Senior Center, 2500 Charles Ave., starts at noon, and only a handful of tickets remains. To see if any are left, call Rubin at 510-724-9507 or send an e-mail to info@pinolehistoricalsociety.org.

All spots on afternoon tours of the historic Downer Mansion that day are booked.

Learn more online at www.pinolehistoricalsociety.org.

WEST COUNTY NOTES: Saturday is the final day of California Retired Teachers Week. Members of West Contra Costa Division 58 of the California Retired Teachers Association reported 42,181 hours of volunteer service. The chapter and association also fund grants and scholarships for students.