Welcome to the Rainbow Connection of the Sebastopol Senior Center! And don’t let that word “Senior” fool you, think of us as the Sebastopol FUN Center!

We are expanding our offerings to adults of ALL ages. We are a place to come to if you wish to THRIVE!  Read on if you want to hear about local events offered by us (and others) for our Sonoma County LGBT+ community.  Especially notice, that after a two year wait, we are hosting our famous Mardi Gras dance again on February 26th.

Check out these LGBT+ activities you can put on your 2022 calendar. Please don’t hesitate to call or email me if you need anything!
Also, click HERE, for those of you new to this blog, and you can read a longer introduction about me and our LGBT+ goals. AND contact me if inquire about volunteering at our LGBT+ events or if you want to drive seniors to their doctors appointments. 

Please note that all our Sebastopol Seniors Center events are subject to modification based on the state of the pandemic. As such, our dining room has closed for the month of January, but meals are still available for pick up. 

Sincerely,

Scotty King
Manager of Special Services
Volunteer Driver Program ∙ LGBT+ Liaison
707-827-8429 direct
707-829-2440 main
Sebastopol Senior Center
167 N. High Street
Sebastopol CA 95472
“Remember when Giving a Ride was the Neighborly Thing to Do? It Still Is!”

LGBT+ Friendship Mixer 
Come meet your LGBT+ Friends and Neighbors 

What: LGBT+ Friendship Mixer
When: Monday February 7th, 2 – 4pm
Where: Sebastopol Senior Center in person
Why: Meet new LGBT+ folks
Cost: Free to members, $5 non-members
Go HERE to register 
This event is for everyone wanting to make a new friend. We will spend the first hour in a structured activity, “speed friending,” where you will get to talk with 10 new people (both men and women, all are LGBT+). You will spend 5 minutes in a 1 on 1 conversation where you can get to know each other a little better.  After 5 minutes, when the bell rings, participants will move on to their next 1 on 1 conversation. 
During the 2nd hour, there will be an informal mixer game. You will be provided questions to ask other folks of your choice.

LGBT+ Mardi Gras DANCE

Come be Dazzled and Energized
Outstanding Dance Music, Video DJ
Wear Your Mardi Gras Fun Clothes

Snacks Provided
Beer and Wine for Sale $5

Must show proof of vaccination at the door.

What: LGBT+ Mardi Gras DANCE
When: Saturday February 26th 6:30 to 10 PM
Where: Sebastopol Senior Center in person
Why: Meet new LGBT+ folks & HAVE FUN

You must register in advance, as spaces might sell out.
Go HERE to register (Available after January 6th)
Email Scotty if you have any questions, Scotty. (scotty@sebastopolseniorcenter.org)

Cost: Pre-Purchase – $15 Each for Members; $20 for non-members

If you would like any information about volunteering for this dance, please email Scotty

Redwood Rainbows Square Dance Club
Let’s Dance!

Come LGBT+ dancing with the largest Gay Square-Dancing club in the country!
Meets in Sebastopol * Everyone is welcome * No partner needed.
Beginners class is starting January 12th 2022
Give it a try—the first class is free! Gently exercise your body and mind while moving to music and having fun.
Dance either role!
For more information visit this website or email them at  contact@redwoodrainbows.org

 The 10 Warning Sings Of Alzheimer’s 

This Alzheimer’s Talk is presented by an out gay man, (and Golden Guy), Gene Girimonte. He lives locally and is a Volunteer Community Educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. All LGBT+ folks VERY welcome.
This program will help you recognize common signs of the disease in yourself and others and next steps to take, including how to talk to your doctor.

When: Tuesday, January 18th, 11 – 12:30pm
Where: Sebastopol Senior Center in person
Why: Delay cognitive decline as long as possible
Cost: Free to members, $5 non-members
Go HERE to register

New GBT Men’s Group Forming in Oakmont
Give Mike a call if you want to find out more and when the next potluck is happening.
What: Silver Guys
Where: East Rec Center, Oakmont
Who: Mike Sotak
707.291.9724
sotak.michael@yahoo.com

Rainbow Women of Oakmont

A large number of lesbians live in the Oakmont community, about 200.  For more information about this women’s group, please call:  (707) 623-9097
Educational, social and community service group for residents of Oakmont Village in Santa Rosa. 

Live Theater in Sebastopol: The Glass Menagerie

I am super excited to see this at our local live theater, Main Stage West! The manager there was so gracious to let me know that on Thursday nights, they have “Pay What You Can” or “2 for 1” night for those of us on budgets.
The Glass Menagerie
Jan 21 – Feb 12, 2022
Thurs, Fri, Sat @ 8pm; Sun @ 5pm
Click here for more: Main Stage West

Senior Peer Counseling Starting in Sebastopol Needs More LGBT+ Folks!

I am very excited about this! They are looking for more LGBT+ folks to join the new class starting in late January 2022.

From: 
Melissa Fike, MFT
Senior Adult Counseling Division Director
West County Community Services

“West County Community Service’s Senior Peer Counseling Program has this VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY.
Are you interested in giving back to the community while helping a population in much need of support & compassion? Consider becoming a volunteer Senior Peer Counselor. Our peer counselors, ages 55+, are compassionate individuals who give their time to help their peers navigate the challenges of aging. Isolation, grief, and depression are common struggles facing seniors. Our training program is provided by licensed clinical staff and is designed to give participants the tools necessary to recognize and assist with the stresses and transitions seniors experience.

Ongoing training and supervision are also a critical component for this program. West County Community Service’s Senior Peer Counseling Program reaches out to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Seniors to ensure these valuable services are also available to the LGBT+ community. LGBT+ community member volunteers enrich these services. We are currently recruiting for our next Senior Peer Counselor training which will begin in late January 2022. The training will run from late January through mid-May (35 hours total). We only offer this training every other year, and the class is limited to 8 participants. We have a great group of volunteers – compassionate and caring individuals who bring a wealth of experience from their own lives to the work. Some have experience in the counseling area, some not at all. They are people who want to learn and grow themselves, are interested in exploring their own aging process, and want to give back to the community. We have a lot of fun too.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact Melissa Fike via email HERE, or call 707-823-1640 ext. 301″

LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. 
Spring semester 2022 begins January 19! Looking forward 
to seeing you there! Please contact me to enroll in this 
FREE class and receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu

SRJC’s “Aging Gayfully!”
From Gary “Buz” Hermes
His next class will meet on zoom, on  Saturday’s 11 am – 1 pm
January 22 – May 28, 2022
For more information go to Gary “Buz” Hermes or contact Buz,
or call  (707) 227-6935
AND, Buz suggests this documentary film about LGBT+ Seniors
“Hi!  I thought you might enjoy this 14 minute film of Interviews of LGBT elders. LGBT+ seniors have demonstrated great resilience of humanity over hardship throughout the years, paving the way for a better and more accepting future for generations to come.”

Not Another Second – is the first in a national series of cultural campaigns from Watermark Retirement Communities – and tells the untold stories of 12 LGBT+ seniors and explores the years they lost due to societal constraints.

That’s all folks! 

Please call or email me with your suggestions!
Sincerely,
–scotty@sebastopolseniorcenter.org
707-827-8429