March 14Second Tuesday LGBT+ Senior Group at Mgt. Todd Senior Center 1560 Hill Road, Novatoin the Hill Community Room behind the main building(see site map & more information below)Topic: Your Hopes & Dreams12:30 to 2:30 March 16Senior Breakfast Club *at Sam’s Place, Novato  9:30 amMarch 21Games Day *at Sam’s Place, Novato  meal at 2 pm, games at 3 pm  March 27Women’s Coffee *at Sam’s Place, Novato  10 am  March 31Men’s Brown Bag Lunchlast Friday of every monthdownstairs at the Spahr Centersemi- ramp but no automatic door150 Nellen Ave. #100, Corte Maderanoon to 1:30 pm * Social Committee event, must RSVP, at least 8 participants required;to RSVP or get on their email list, write to them at [email protected] ** See flyer below

SECOND TUESDAY!March 14In-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 Topic: Your Hopes & Dreams New Covid Protocols: If you are vaccinated, wear a mask if you wish. If you are unvaccinated, you are required to wear a mask at all times indoors. Let’s be sensitive to others needs for safety, approaching with a hug only if the other is open to hugging. And please stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms! The purple arrow points to our meeting room behind the main building at the Mgt. Todd Senior Center:

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 March 9Self-compassion, Self-careI often think about how a toddler learns to walk. They fall down a lot! Then they struggle to get upright again, hold onto things, manage a few steps and Boom! They’re down, only to try again and again. Muscles strengthen, the brain starts to control those muscles and eventually, they manage to walk. We repeat that pattern in other parts of our lives: studies, work, relationships, coming out, expressing our sexuality and gender. We develop our moral guidance this way, too, sometimes making mistakes. It’s how we learn. To accept that process and find self-forgiveness is key to becoming whole. There’s an old Steven Stills song, its title alone carries more wisdom to me than many books: Love the One You’re With. And there’s no one we’re with more than ourselves. Join the online discussion, share your process, and learn how others find compassion for themselves.

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.

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. You can check out their March calendar by clicking here.

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

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. Robert, our Pantry Manager, does a terrific job in trying to meet the individual needs and preferences of the people we serve.

Contact The Spahr Center for more information: [email protected] or 415/457-2487Space for your Community Notice here. Email Bill with information at [email protected].

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 weekdays[email protected]

Plum Blossoms on a Cloudy DayO’Hair Park, Novato 2/20/23

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 Manager[email protected]415/450-5339 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.