SECOND TUESDAY! In-person at Mgt Todd Senior Center 1560 Hill Road, NovatoHill Community Room, behind the main building / see site map below new people warmly welcomed!  October 1112:30 to 1 pm brown bag1 to 2:30 pm discussion Topic: RESILIENCYpresented by Dana Pepp and the Marin Center for Independent Living

Fourth Tuesday! West Marin LGBT Senior Town HallComing to San Geronimo Valley CC We had a great first time out at our Fourth Tuesdayevent. There were twelve participants which included a West Marin community member we haven’t seen in quite awhile and a person new to Spahr who only learned about us through our event publicity there. We shared meaningful conversation, laughter, a sense of community and a commitment to spreading the word about our next gathering on October 25th. On the Fourth Tuesday of every month, The Spahr Center’s LGBTQ+ Senior Program will be hosting an event for West Marin LGBT seniors at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. The Center has given us a big roomy space & we’ll have windows & doors open. We also encourage people to wear masks if you wish. Let’s be safe together!

UPCOMING EVENTSall events are free(more info below) October 2LGBTQIA+ Meetup **Mill Valley Plaza  October 4LGBTQ & HIV+ Grief Support Group **at the Spahr Center (mostly-) & on zoomPlz email Nikki: nmillet@thespahrcenter.org October 11Second Tuesdayat Mgt. Todd Senior Center, Novato Topic: Resiliency presented by Dana Pepp & MCILwatch for more details * Social Committee event, RSVP required;to RSVP or get on their email list, write to them atsocialcommittee@comcast.net;find a link to their calendar and flyers below ** See flyer below

To join the Spahr Senior Groupon ZoomMondays, 7 to 8 pm, &Thursdays, 12:30 to 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart or here: 

Join Group

New participants are warmly welcomed!If you’re zoom-challenged, let me know and I’ll work with you!

Topical Thursdays12:30 to 2 pm October 6Change & How We Handle ItIt’s said that the only constant is change. We often don’t have control over what those changes are that appear on our horizon. We do, however, have some control over how we respond to them. How do you respond to change? Let’s share our experience & wisdom as we face changes in our lives and our world around us.

Living Room Mondays7 to 8 pm We share with each other about how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening from our hearts and deepening community.

Coronavirus Updates The Spahr Center has coronavirus rapid home test kits & masks and they are available for free in the office – 150 Nellen Avenue, Suite 100, Corte Madera 94925; 415/457-2487. The office is open 10 am – 3 pm weekdays. Only vaccinated people may come to the office and masks must be worn inside the building. Any staff person can direct you to the kits. This is a great resource we are pleased to offer, please don’t hesitate to get these kits!  In order to keep track of new infections, the County asks that we report self-test results here.  To see Marin County’s latest pandemic information, click here.  The mask recommendations of the Mask Nerd– an aerosol scientist who studies mask effectiveness – are featured in this article and highly informative video.  May we all be safe and well!

Community Notices

Social Security Opens to Survivors of Same-Sex Couples Who Could Not MarryThe Social Security Administration now allows lesbians and gay men to receive survivor’s benefits if we can show that we were in a committed relationship and would have married had that been possible. More information here.

The Spahr Center’s Food Pantry is open to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up.

Contact The Spahr Center for more information: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457-2487Space for your Community Notice here. Email Bill with information at bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org.

The Northbay LGBT+ Senior Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. Everyone born in any month will be celebrated in that month’s email – including your birthday if you’ll let them know when it rolls around! Please RSVP ahead of time as participation is limited to 20 people. They request that participants please be vaccinated and healthy.  Watch  here for  their October  calendar. To see their September calendar & flyers, click here. To sign up for their emails or register for events, click here.

Vivalon Resources for Seniors  Whistlestop, now renamed Vivalon, offers many resources for us seniors, now listed in this easy-to-print one-page guide. Access to rides, food, classes, activities, resources, referrals, and more. Membership not required for most classes and services during the pandemic. Some in-person events are being planned. To get Vivalon’s listings, click here. They also provide access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. Click here for their website.  The Jackson Cafe has great specials, a roomy dining room, small tables and big round tables for groups. Open 11:30 to 1:45; $8 for members, $10 for guests, with takeout readily available. You can find their daily changing menu and more information here.

Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom

To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try it, it’s easy!

To Join Group by Phone CallIf you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296#If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn at 415/450-5339

California Department of Aging ResourcesThe CDA has a website that is packed with information and resources relevant to the lives of seniors in our state. From Covid-19 updates to more general care for age-related health issues, access to legal assistance to getting home-delivered meals to help with housing, you may well find answers to your questions by clicking: here.

Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org

Questions? Assistance? Suggestions?  We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistanceproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youplus more! Bill BlackburnLGBTQ+ Senior Program Managerbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339 Funding for this program, at least in part, is made available by the Older Americans Act, administered locally by the Marin Department of Health & Human Services, Aging & Adult Services.