SECOND TUESDAY!January 10In-person at Mgt Todd Senior Center 1560 Hill Road, NovatoHill Community Roombehind the main buildingsee site map below new people warmly welcomed!  12:30 to 1 pm brown bag & social1 to 2:30 pm discussion Wear a mask if you wish. And let’s be sensitive to others needs for safety, approaching with a hug only if the other is open to hugging.

Social Committee Calendar Coming Soon Sam’s Place, the restaurant that has given the Social Committee activities a home for many years, has a new banquet room policy that needs clarified before the Games Day, Senior Breakfast and Women’s Coffee schedule can be confirmed. Watch for the Social Committee calendar soon. 

Stress In Our Lives Studies continue to show that moderate amounts of stress in our lives can actually improve our physical and mental health as we age. This applies to the stress our bodies experience through exercise but also the kind of mental or emotional stress of tasks to accomplish or the pressure of challenges. Of course, too much stress can have the opposite effect, impacting us negatively. You can read a great article about these findings here. A short TED talk by one of the major researchers in this area can be found here.

Buz Is Back withAging Gayfully! Wednesdays 11 am to 1 pmJanuary 18 to May 24 Buz Hermes brings his much-loved course back online, offered at no charge to all California residents through the Santa Rosa JC. Beautifully structured based on the Conscious Aging Movement, adapted for LGBTQ elders, filled with warmth & humor, oriented toward building community among participants, many of Marin’s LGBTQ seniors express gratitude for having experienced this course. Buz is a delight!  See flyer below; click here for the course description.For more information or to register, contact Buz atghermes@santarosa.edu or 707/227-6935. 

Vitality@Vivalon8-week Healthy Aging CourseThursdays 9:30 to 11:30 am, begins January 12at Vivalon next to the San Rafael transit mall Taught by physical therapist Krissy Waller, DPT, it  provides participants with a baseline assessment of their current health, followed by information, tools, and support to encourage shifts toward new habits that promote healthy aging and includes free individual appointments for additional support. Topics include physical activity and falls prevention, social engagement, cognitive & mental health, nutrition, sleep & stress management, and spirituality. Free. See flyer below. Space is limited so register early if interested. To register, call Megan Farmer at 415-456-9062 or email her at mfarmer@vivalon.org.

UPCOMING EVENTSall events are free January 10Second TuesdayLGBT Senior Groupin-person @ Mgt. Todd Senior Center, Novato 12:30 t0 1 pm brown bag, 1 t0 2:30 discussion January 11Monthly Mixer at San Rafael Joe’splease RSVP to Will: wboemer@thespahrcenter.org4:30 to 6 pm -from 4th Street entrance January 24Fourth TuesdayWest Marin LGBT Senior Town Hallin-person at San Geronimo Valley Community Center 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd12:30 to 1 brown bag/1-2:30 discussion January 27Men’s Brown Bag Lunchat Spahr Center’s Conference Roomsemi- (ramp and elevator but no automatic door)noon to 1:30 ** 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 January 5Making the Year New The rain we’ve been experiencing can lift us out of our concerns about drought and fires. The political winds, though still turbulent, seem to be turning in our favor. You are still here and our community is still here despite the pandemic. What else do you sense on the New Year’s horizon that can uplift you – and 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.

SECOND TUESDAY!In-person at Mgt Todd Senior Center 1560 Hill Road, NovatoHill Community Roombehind the main buildingsee site map above

The Northbay LGBT+ Senior Social Committee has been consistently offering meaningful, fun events for the senior community. 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!  To sign up for their emails or register for events, click here.

Unity In Marin is a welcoming and inclusive spiritual community committed to individual and collective transformation. Unity offers an open-ended approach to spirituality rather than a closed or dogmatic one. Whatever our race, faith background, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, or culture, Unity’s goal is to have us remember our true divine nature and support & encourage the evolution of our consciousness. Their vision is to realize “a world powerfully transformed through shared spiritual awakening.” You can learn more about Unity In Marin’s commitment to Diversity Equity and Inclusion at  https://unityinmarin.org/dei/

Coronavirus Updates A new Bivalent Covid Vaccine is available and it is recommended that most seniors get that shot. Contact your health provider for more information.  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

Carpool to Queer Chorus rehearsals? Any singers out there? Want to sing? A member of Queer Chorus (formerly the Lesbian/Gay Chorus) of San Francisco would love to find someone to carpool with to SF rehearsals. It’s a fun, welcoming, warm community of singers. Check out the website &/or contact Rebecca: https://www.qcsf.org/ ; rebeccab@unforgettable.comMarin County Renters and Landlords Rental Assistance Program can help low-income residents and landlords receive rental assistance for back rent due between April 2020 and now if income impacted by covid or experiencing housing instability or in a low-income household. The program also assists people who borrowed to pay rent. For more information, click here or see the form just below. A recent “bivalent” covid booster is available and is especially advised for older people and those with immune-compromised conditions, etc. Contact your health provider for more information. Hearing Aids will now be available without prescription at places like Costco, Walmart and Walgreens at a saving of upwards of $3000. You can learn more by clicking here.

The Spahr Center’s Food Pantry is open to seniors who need support in meeting their nutritional needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh vegies, fruit & meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Glen & Robert, our Pantry Managers, do a terrific job in trying to meet the individual needs and preferences of the people we serve.

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.

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, clickhere. 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!