LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Wed. 9/15 we’ll be talking about the historical significance of Sonoma County LGBT bars. Look forward to seeing you there! Please contact me to enroll and get a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
Get Prepared for Emergencies
Are you ready if disaster strikes? Learn how to prepare yourself and your loved ones in case of an emergency with virtual events through the Emergency Preparedness: Sonoma Ready Series!
Advanced registration is required. See a selection of events below. Some events offered with simultaneous Spanish interpretation.
Listen to experts review different brands/types of products for your Go Bag at the Go Bag Product Review event on Saturday, September 18, at 11:00 am. Register here.
How to Home Harden on Saturday, September 25, at 11:00 am, will teach you how to “harden” buildings and create good defensible space so your home can better resist the heat and embers of wildfire. Register here.
In this special storytime on Wednesday, September 29, at 10:30 am, local author Emma Bland Smith will read her book Odin: Dog Hero of the Fires and share behind the scenes photos. Register here for Family Storytime “Odin: Dog Hero of the Fires.”
Join us on Wednesday, September 29, at 6 :00 for a film screening of the award-winning documentary film Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future, then ask questions to our panel of firewise Sonoma County professionals and film directors Kevin White and Stephen Most in a Q&A discussion. Register here.Get Prepared
Thank you for being a member of the Sonoma County Library community. Visit us online or in person at one of our branches. Be sure to check out open jobs at Sonoma County Library here.
Questions? Please call your local library branch or click here to send us a message.
Prepárese para emergencias
¿Está listo si ocurre un desastre? Aprenda a prepararse a sí mismo y a sus queridos en caso de una emergencia con eventos virtuales a través de la Serie Preparación Para Emergencias: ¡Sonoma Ready!
Es necesario registrarse con anticipación. Vea una selección de eventos a continuación. Algunos eventos tendrán interpretación simultánea al español.
Escuche a los expertos revisar diferentes marcas/tipos de productos para su bolsa de emergencia en el evento Go Bag Product Review el sábado 18 de septiembre a las 11:00 am. Regístrese aquí. Este evento virtual se estará presentada en inglés con interpretación simultánea al español.
Cómo endurecer su hogar el sábado 25 de septiembre, a las 11:00 am, le enseñará cómo “endurecer” los edificios y crear un buen espacio defensible para que su hogar pueda resistir mejor el calor y las brasas de los incendios forestales. Regístrese aquí.
En este especial hora de cuentos el miércoles 29 de septiembre, a las 10:30 am, la autora local Emma Bland Smith leerá su libro Odin: Dog Hero of the Fires y compartirá fotos detrás de escena. Regístrese aquípara Family Storytime “Odin: Dog Hero of the Fires”. Este evento se ofrecerá solamente en inglés.
Acompáñenos el miércoles, 29 de septiembre, a las 6:00 para una proyección del premiado documental Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests and the Future y una conversación con nuestro panel de profesionales del fuego del Condado de Sonoma y los directores de cine Kevin White y Stephen Most. Regístrese aquí. Este evento se ofrecerá solamente en inglés.Prepárese
Gracias por ser miembro de la comunidad de Bibliotecas del Condado de Sonoma. Visítenos en línea o en persona en una de nuestras sucursales. Asegúrese de consultar los trabajos disponible en la Biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma aquí.
¿Preguntas? Por favor llame a su biblioteca local o haga clic para mandar un mensaje.
Join Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center and North Bay LGBTQI Families for a Social Saturday: Intergenerational Picnic on Sept 11th from 10am-1pm at Doran Beach!
All LGBTQIA+ youth, families, adults, and elders are welcome at this picnic, which is part of a recurring series of monthly events taking place throughout Sonoma County where we are seeking to bring together members of our community across generations, particularly gender expansive youth, teens, and adults.
Please feel free to bring your lunch or snacks, along with any chairs or blankets you would like. We will have water and a small selection of pre-packaged snacks available.
Parking at Doran Beach costs $7 (or free for folks with a Sonoma County Regional Parks Pass!) and we are happy to reimburse you the day of!
We will have $50 gift cards available at the picnic to families for whom financial barriers such as the cost of gas, a meal, or missed work would otherwise prevent them from attending. If you feel your family could benefit from this support, please fill out the form at the following link:
We at Positive Images and North Bay LGBTQI Families are still very aware of and concerned about the spread of COVID-19. If you are feeling sick in any way, please stay home and take care of yourself. Masks will be mandatory with no exceptions. We will have masks on hand for those who may need them. We will maintain a distance of six feet from one another at all times.
Please check out our Facebook event here for updated information regarding the exact meeting location at Doran Beach, as well as further details regarding group activities we will be offering at this gathering.
| I got fully vaccinated as soon as I could, since I have health issues that made me very vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. I have diabetes, vision problems, an injury to my feet from a job incident and neuropathy which makes it very difficult to walk. Even after I got vaccinated, I was very careful and continued to wear my mask, but despite my best efforts I got the virus. By the end of June, I had a terrible cough, congestion and was really exhausted. My doctor said that it could have been much worse if I hadn’t already been vaccinated. I try to be as self-sufficient as I can, but I knew that I had to stay isolated and wasn’t sure how I would get food. I didn’t want to pass the illness along to anyone else. The help I got from FFT was amazing. I received healthy food weekly, including fruits, vegetables, grains and high-quality proteins. The support I received really helped me recover from the virus. What Food For Thought does is wonderful! |
| Dear Friends, Since we launched our COVID-19 Nutrition Program in May of 2020, we have served more than 4,300 people to date, including more than 800 in the past two months alone. Demand for our services continues to grow, due to the highly contagious Delta variant. Unfortunately, many people in our community are immunocompromised and some of them can’t get vaccinated due to medical reasons. We all need to do what we can to keep them and our community safe. We also hear regularly from clients that they want to get vaccinated, but because they work every day of the week and aren’t eligible for sick time, they feel that they just can’t afford take any time off and make ends meet. And of course, we also need to keep the health of young children in mind, who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine. We designed our program with the health and safety of everyone in Sonoma County in mind. We provide nutrition support and food to the person with the positive COVID-19 diagnosis as well as the other people living in the household who are at risk of malnutrition. Click here for more information about our COVID-19 Nutrition Program. We could really use your support as we continue to offer this vital community service. |
| Protection from Wildfire Particulate Purple Air is an air quality monitoring website that has the most accurate, localized information. It is a free service and can be accessed on your cell phone &/or your computer by clicking here: https://www2.purpleair.com. If you allow it to access your location, when you click on View the Map, it will focus on your city and provide current readings from air monitors in your locale. The fine particulate we are experiencing from distant wildfires called PM2.5 (Particulate Matter 2.5-micron or less) is odorless yet a significant health concern – for all of us but especially for those with respiratory problems. It’s best to stay indoors with windows closed when the count is high. And if outdoors, the cloth masks we’ve been wearing for Covid are useless for the particulate in the air. For wildfire particulate, masks known as N-95s when properly fitted will protect us from harm. N-95 masks can be purchased at hardware and paint stores. Those with a breathing valve are most comfortable to wear. However, ironically, the ones with a valve don’t meet standards for masking indoors due to Covid. N-95s without nozzles or a regular cloth Covid-protecting mask should still be worn when shopping, etc. |
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| UPCOMING EVENTS(more info below)September 2 – Nancy Facilitates September 25 – save the date! – Spahr Pride PicnicEvery Mon. & Thu. – Spahr Senior GroupsEvery Tue. – Trans/Non-Binary Support Grp. |
| To join the Spahr Senior GroupMondays, 7 to 8 pm, &Thursdays, 12:30 t0 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart or here: |
| 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 September 2In what ways have you changed over the decades?Nancy Flaxman Facilitates What has remained unchanged about the essence of who you are, and what has evolved over time? Has how you view the world and people changed? Has what is important to you changed? Your values? Are you slower to anger and quicker to forgive, or do you find yourself with less patience? Have you worked out ways to handle disappointments and regrets? Has your embrace of yourself as an LGBT person evolved? Have you become more open with some people and more protective of yourself with others? Or other areas of your life you can share with us…. Conversational Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening from our hearts and deepening community. |
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| A Trans/Non-Binary Support Group is offered by The Spahr Center every Tuesday, 7-8:15, for adults 18+. Contact Sam at swood@thespahrcenter.org for more information. |
| 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 415/457-2487 |
| The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. Everyone born in September will be celebrated on the 14th at 4 pm. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather – now in person at Sam’s Place in Novato! – over games and conversation. People wishing to attend still must register in advance due to room occupancy limits. To sign up for their emails or register for events, click here. To see their calendar & flyers for September, 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. |
 New: Covid-19 Risks & Symptoms Q &A Update from CA Dpt. of Public HealthYou will find answers to many of your questions here. Protect Yourself and Your Family and FriendsThe latest advisory is here. FEMA Assistance Programs Related To Covid-19:FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020. (No income- or citizenship-related requirements.) Call 844/684-6333. More info here. Free legal assistance to low-income people affected by the pandemic includes help with hospital bills, estate administration, problems with landlords, and much more. Call 888/382-3406. More info 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 |
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| 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? We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youplus more! Bill BlackburnLGBTQ Senior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339 |
| Dana Van Gorder joined the agency as its Interim Executive Director in February of 2019. In June of the same year, the Board of Directors appointed him our permanent Executive Director. On December 31 of 2021, after 2 years and 10 months of strong stewardship of the agency, Dana will retire at 65 years of age. Under Dana’s leadership, The Spahr Center has grown its HIV, LGBTQ+ youth and senior and advocacy programs; doubled its annual budget; increased its visibility and community support; strengthened its relationship with public policy makers; and created a visionary Strategic Plan to guide its work for the next five years. We are grateful for the knowledge, skill, dedication and spirit he has brought to this work. Dana deserves his retirement after a career of effective service to the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities beginning in 1981. He has been a Legislative Aide to two openly gay and lesbian elected officials, helped guide campaigns to defeat three ballot measures seeking to quarantine people with HIV, staffed two International Conferences on AIDS, guided LGBTQ+ services for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, lobbied in Sacramento to ensure a strong state response to HIV, served as the Executive Director of a leading national HIV patient advocacy group, and is the founder of the San Francisco LGBTQ+ Community Center. He has accomplished much for both communities to which he proudly belongs. I asked Dana to comment for this letter about his thoughts on leaving the agency. This is what he had to say: |
| “What a complete honor and joy it has been to become friends with wonderful clients and community members, serve a strong Board, support a highly capable staff, nurture generous donors, and partner closely with supportive County officials. Together, we have ensured that the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities of Marin enjoy greater health and well-being, a stronger sense of community with one another, more visible public support, and increased empowerment. In December, I will leave my position proud of what we have built, happy to have come anywhere close to sustaining the legacy of the great Jane Spahr, and thrilled that The Spahr Center is positioned for even stronger stewardship.” |
| The Board and I will communicate regularly to you about the results of our search for a powerful and effective new Executive Director. In the meantime, we welcome your questions and comments, and your continued support of our lifesaving and life-affirming work. |
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Next Wed. 8/25,
We will be reviewing Pre-Stonewall San Francisco with
Shad Reinstein. Looking forward to seeing you there!
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class and
receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
| Sunday August 8th 4-6 PMThe Musers / Familiar Strangers |
  The Musers are Sonoma County’s goofy folk trio made up of Anita Bear Sandwina playing banjolin, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and harmonica; Megan McLaughlin on guitar and mandolin and Tom Kuhn driving upright bass and mouth percussion. At a Muser’s show you can be sure that each musical dish will be served with laughter. dancing feet, and the pure joy of their love of music and life. Familiar Strangers are a trio of Sonoma County treasures: Kevin Russell, Candy Girard and Tim Sarter. This trio is chock full of talent, positive vibes and musical prowess that is sure to please any crowd with their swing-y and upbeat selection of music. |
Santa Rose Junior College OLDER ADULTS PROGRAM FREE Non-Credit Course OA 505 Discussion Group Via Zoom
Wednesdays August 18 through December 15, 2021 1:30 – 3 p.m.
1:30 – 3pm
Researched topics from Sonoma County LGBTQI+ History. Guest speakers articulate the dynamic development of our vibrant community as they lived it.
All are welcome! Everyone is encouraged to share stories that add to ourunderstanding of how Sonoma County became home to a robust LBGTQI+ community.
NEW STUDENTS need to first complete an application for Santa Rosa Junior College at https://santarosajuniorcollege.formstack.com/forms/srjc_noncredit_application_for_admission.
REGISTERED AND CONTINUING STUDENTS can enroll in the class at;
https://santarosajuniorcollege.formstack.com/forms/non_credit_enrollment_form
Use the following info: Course OAP 505. Section 2723.
Instructor: Tina Dungan, MA has taught in the Older Adults Program for over 20 years. She is also founding member of Lesbian Archives of Sonoma County and co-creator of the Sonoma County LGBTQI Timeline. She is committed to keeping our LGBTQI history alive.
For more information or to register: cdungan@santarosa.edu