Local

LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.

Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom.  Join us Wed., 11/23 

when we will be discussing Lesbian & Gay families and the

obstacles they had to overcome historically to stay together.

Please contact me to enroll and get a Zoom invite:

[email protected]

Looking for an activity that benefits others? Want to share your creativity? Send artwork and letters of encouragement to seniors with the Sonoma County Library’s Send Our Seniors Mail program! Send Our Seniors Mail offers kindness and support for elders in our community and is an easy—and fun!—way to spread cheer throughout the holiday season.  Interested? Visit the Send Our Seniors Mail page for a list of participating senior living facilities. Create cards, artwork, and letters for seniors who might need a little extra happiness during the holidays. Pop your goods in the mail! Addresses of senior facilities will be added to the Send Our Seniors Mail webpage as they become available. If you know of a potential Send Our Seniors Mail facility, please email the library at [email protected]sonomalibrary.org.

Spread Cheer

A Reminder from Your Library: Upcoming Holiday Closure

All library branches will be closed Thursday, November 24, and Friday, November 25, for Thanksgiving. We look forward to seeing you when we reopen on Saturday, November 26!

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.  Sáquele jugo a su creatividad y conéctese con su comunidad  ¿Busca una actividad que ayuda la comunidad? ¿Desea compartir su creatividad? ¡Puede enviar dibujos de arte y cartas de apoyo a los adultos mayores con el programa de Envíos de correos postales para adultos mayores! Este programa fomenta la simpatía y el apoyo para los adultos mayores de nuestra comunidad y es una fácil y divertida manera de repartir la alegría de las fiestas. ¿Le interesa? Solo tiene que:Visitar la página web de Envíos de correo postales para adultos mayores para una lista de facilidades de viviencia para adultos mayores que están participando. Crear tarjetas, dibujos y cartas para adultos mayores que estarán encantados de recibir estas joyas de alegría. ¡Enviar sus creaciones a través del correo postal! Continuaremos a añadir nuevas direcciones en cuanto las recibamos. Si conoce de una posible dirección para esta iniciativa, por favor mándenos un mensaje en [email protected]sonomalibrary.org.  Reparta la alegría

Un aviso de su biblioteca: Cierre por feriado

Todas bibliotecas estarán cerradas el jueves 24 y el viernes 25 de noviembre para el Día de Acción de Gracias.  ¡Nos complace verle de nuevo cuando reabrimos el sábado 26 de noviembre!

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 disponibles en la Biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma aquí. ¿Preguntas? Por favor llame a su biblioteca local o haga clic para mandar un mensaje.

LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.

Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom.  Join us Wed., 11/16 

for a conversation about the impact that 12-step programs 

had on our LGBT Community during the late 1970s-80s

Please contact me to enroll and get a Zoom invite:

[email protected]

Join Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center and North Bay LGBTQI Families for a Social Saturday: Intergenerational Gathering on November 12 from 11am-3pm at Empire College of Law (3035 Cleveland Avenue) in Santa Rosa!

All LGBTQIA+ youth, families, adults, and elders are welcome at Social Saturdays, which are 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.

Our November gathering will feature an optional free legal clinic for queer families in need of assistance with securing legal parentage through second parent adoption, as well as for individuals of all ages seeking legal name and/or gender marker changes. Please sign up using the form below if you are interested in these services:

bit.ly/lgbtqia-legal-clinic

For participants interested in art and reflection, Ciel Muir (he/him), a queer and trans California naturalist, will lead some optional creative activities. We will also have some games and refreshments available.

We at Positive Images and North Bay LGBTQI Families are still very aware of and concerned about the spread of COVID-19. Masking will be mandatory at this indoor at this event, and we will have masks on hand for those who may need them.

We’re excited to see you then!

[Image Description: An image graphic with a rainbow stripe frame in the upper left corner and black text on a white background with the event details listed in the caption above, and the logos of the sponsoring organizations along the bottom. Image 1 is in English, Image 2 is in Spanish.]

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Acompañe a Positive Images LGBTQIA + Center y North Bay LGBTQI Families para un sábado social: ¡Reunión intergeneracional el 12 de noviembre de 11 a. m. a 3 p. m. en Empire College of Law (3035 Cleveland Avenue) en Santa Rosa!

Todxs lxs jóvenes, familias, adultxs y ancianxs LGBTQIA + son bienvenidxs en esta reunión, que es parte de una serie recurrente de eventos mensuales que se llevan a cabo en todo el condado de Sonoma, donde buscamos reunir a miembrxs de nuestra comunidad a través de generaciones, particularmente jóvenes, adolescentes y adultxs con género expansivo.

Nuestra reunión de noviembre contará con una clínica legal gratuita opcional para familias LGBTQIA + que necesitan asistencia para asegurar la paternidad legal a través de la adopción del segundx adultx responsable, así como para personas de todas las edades que buscan cambios de nombre legal y/o marcador de género. Regístrese utilizando el siguiente formulario si está interesadx en estos servicios:

bit.ly/lgbtqia-legal-clinic

Para lxs participantes interesadxs ​​en el arte y la reflexión, Ciel Muir (él), un naturalista queer y trans de California, dirigirá algunas actividades creativas opcionales. También tendremos algunos juegos y bocadillos disponibles.

En Positive Images y North Bay LGBTQI Families todavía estamos muy conscientes y preocupadxs por la propagación del COVID-19. El enmascaramiento será obligatorio en este interior en este evento, y tendremos máscaras a mano para quienes las necesiten.

¡Estamos emocionadxs de verte entonces!

[Descripción de la imagen: un gráfico de imagen con un marco de rayas de arcoíris en la esquina superior izquierda y texto negro sobre un fondo blanco con los detalles de la clínica enumerados en la leyenda anterior y los logotipos de las organizaciones patrocinadoras en la parte inferior. La imagen 1 está en inglés, la imagen 2 está en español.]

LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.

Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Next Wed. 11/9, 

we will be discussing SoCo political history and current 

LGBTQ+ candidates’ races across the country and here as well. 

Contact me to enroll and receive a Zoom link: [email protected]

It’s Raining MennGLBT History of Guerneville and the Russian River Saturday Nov. 19, 11 AM at Guerneville Library

The Russian River has always been a Gay destination. What was the scene in Guerneville like in the mid 1960s? Did you take the bus from San Francisco to Wholer Bridge? What was the “Moon Over the River” game? Did you grab a beer at The Rusty Nail or attend a women’s weekend? Do you know fires targeted gay businesses?

This 1 hour presentation of the GLBT history of the River starts in the 1930s and follows its rise as a gay vacation destination in the ‘70s and ‘80s. It ends in 1986, before the flood and AIDS. Featuring old River photos and memorabilia, we invite you to come and add your stories!

Presented by Shad Reinstein and Jody Laine

A free legal clinic hosted by Crocker Law, North Bay LGBTQI Families, and Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center will take place on the Empire College of Law Campus (3035 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa) on Saturday, November 12 from 11am-3pm to help our community. Specifically, attorneys and paralegals will be available to assist with forms and procedure for securing legal parentage between parents and children, as well as legal name and/or gender marker changes. This event will be held in combination with the November Social Saturday Intergenerational Gathering hosted each month by Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center and North Bay LGBTQI Families.

In light of the recent US Supreme Court rulings, it is more important than ever to secure the rights of LGBTQIA+ families and people. In California, if you are married or in a state registered domestic partnership, you are automatically legal parents to children born during the marriage or partnership. However, marriage or domestic partnership certificates and birth certificates are not court orders and thus not required to be recognized by other states as proof of legal parentage. Only a court order (a document signed by a Judge) will be recognized across state lines. For people who are married or registered domestic partners, the second parent adoption process results in the necessary court order. For those who are not married or registered domestic partners or who conceived via reciprocal IVF (one spouse/partner provides genetic material and the other carries the child in the pregnancy), the legal parentage process results in the necessary court order.

Art activities and/or childcare will be available for those who are interested during or while they are waiting for their appointment time(s) with an attorney or paralegal. Spanish translation and ASL interpretation are also available.

Please sign up if you need these services with regard to legal parentage and/or legal name and/or gender marker changes. Submit the interest form below to assist us with planning, and we will reach out soon with further details such as individual appointment times and information regarding what you should bring. Contact us at [email protected] with any questions!

bit.ly/lgbtqia-legal-clinic

[Image Description: An image graphic with a rainbow stripe frame in the upper left corner and black text on a white background with the clinic details listed in the caption above, and the logos of the sponsoring organizations along the bottom. Image 1 is in English, Image 2 is in Spanish.]

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Una clínica legal gratuita organizada por Crocker Law, North Bay LGBTQI Families y Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center se llevará a cabo en el Empire College of Law Campus (3035 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa) el sábado 12 de noviembre de 11 a. m. a 3 p. m. Específicamente, lxs abogadxs y asistentes legales estarán disponibles para ayudar con los formularios y procedimientos para asegurar la paternidad legal entre lxs adultxs responsables e hijxs, así como los cambios de nombre legal y/o marcador de género. Este evento se llevará a cabo en combinación con la reunión intergeneracional del sábado social de noviembre organizada cada mes por Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center y North Bay LGBTQI Families.

A la luz de los recientes fallos de la Corte Suprema de los EE. UU., es más importante que nunca garantizar los derechos de las familias y personas LGBTQIA +. En California, si está casadx o forma parte de una pareja de hecho registrada en el estado, automáticamente es adultx responsable legal de lxs niñxs nacidxs durante el matrimonio o la pareja de hecho. Sin embargo, los certificados de matrimonio o de pareja de hecho y los certificados de nacimiento no son órdenes judiciales y, por lo tanto, no es necesario que otros estados los reconozcan como prueba de paternidad legal. Solo una orden judicial (un documento firmado por un juez) se reconocerá a través de las fronteras estatales. Para las personas casadxs o parejas de hecho registradas, el proceso de adopción del segundx adultx responsable resulta en la orden judicial necesaria. Para aquellas que no están casadxs ni tienen parejas de hecho registradas o que concibieron por FIV recíproca (un cónyuge/pareja proporciona material genético y el otro lleva al niñx en el embarazo), el proceso de paternidad legal resulta en la orden judicial necesaria.

Las actividades artísticas y/o el cuidado de niñxs estarán disponibles para aquellxs que estén interesadxs ​​durante o mientras esperan su(s) cita(s) con un abogadx o asistente legal. La traducción al español y la interpretación de ASL también están disponibles.

Regístrese si necesita estos servicios con respecto a la paternidad legal y/o el nombre legal y/o los cambios de marcador de género. Envíe el formulario de interés a continuación para ayudarnos con la planificación, y pronto nos pondremos en contacto con más detalles, como horarios de citas individuales e información sobre lo que debe traer. ¡Contáctenos en [email protected] si tiene alguna pregunta!

bit.ly/lgbtqia-legal-clinic

[Descripción de la imagen: un gráfico de imagen con un marco de rayas de arcoíris en la esquina superior izquierda y texto negro sobre un fondo blanco con los detalles de la clínica enumerados en la leyenda anterior y los logotipos de las organizaciones patrocinadoras en la parte inferior. La imagen 1 está en inglés, la imagen 2 está en español.]

SECOND TUESDAY!In-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 We’ll have the windows open for safety so dress warmly and 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.  Topic: Laughter!Laughter is Good Medicine, if I remember the Readers’ Digest of old correctly. What makes you laugh? Let’s share our good medicine and remember that we can still step beyond our concerns and share laughs. Whether they are belly or bray, cackle or chuckle, giggle or guffaw, it’s a joy to share a laugh with friends.

A big thanks to The Social Committeefor hostingTRICKS, TREATS & TOKENSon Saturday, October 29,at Miwok Park in Novato Thirty-two of us joined together for a fun time meeting old and new friends, playing a fun game, and eating great food! Though a Tyrannosaurus Rex showed up, no one was injured.

Please note: The monthly Fourth Tuesday event at San Geronimo Valley Community Center will be postponed one week while the Center upgrades their wifi system. See you on the Fifth Tuesday, November 29!

Check out the Community Notices section below for new entries about prescriptionless hearing aids and the new bivalent covid booster.

UPCOMING EVENTSall events are free unless otherwise noted(more info below) November 8Second TuesdayIn-person at Mgt. Todd Senior Center, Novato12:30 t0 1 pm brown bag, 1 t0 2:30 discussionwatch for more detailsTopic: Laughter November 9Monthly Mixer at San Rafael Joe’splease RSVP to Will: [email protected]4:30 to 6 pm -from 4th Street entrance November 15Games Day *at Sam’s Place, Novato meal at 2 pm, games at 3 pm  November 17Senior Breakfast Club *at Sam’s Place, Novato 9:30 am November 22Fourth TuesdayWest Marin LGBT Senior Town Hall postponed! while SGVCC revamps their wifisee November 29 below November 25Men’s Brown Bag Lunchat Spahr Center’s Conference Roomsemi- (ramp and elevator but no automatic door)noon to 1:30 November 29Women’s Coffee *at Sam’s Place, Novato 10 am November 29Fifth Tuesday on the Fifth Tuesday!West Marin LGBT Senior Town Hall at San Geronimo Valley Community Center 12:30 to 1 brown bag/1-2:30 discussion * Social Committee event, RSVP required;to RSVP or get on their email list, write to them at[email protected];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 November 3Topic to be chosen by participants…

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 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! To see their calendar & flyers for November,click here.  To sign up for their emails or register for events, click 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

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.  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: [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]

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.

LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.

Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. Join us Wed. 11/2, 

when we will be looking at the history of local Lesbian Culture.

Contact me to enroll and receive a Zoom link: [email protected]