LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. On Wed, Mar 16,
we will be talking about Sonoma County Lesbian softball
teams, 1965-95. Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class
and receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
| Marin’s LGBTQ Seniors have a special relationship with Dana and not only because his recent birthday made him a senior. Many of us remember the way things were before he became Interim Executive Director and later Executive Director, when senior issues were ignored. Along with the advocacy of the Senior Advisory Committee, Dana met with seniors repeatedly and made The Spahr Center a welcoming place for us. And he responded immediately to the sheltering-in-place orders two years ago, creating more programming to keep us connected. There’s a big agency-wide celebration of Dana and the Spahr Center’s new ED, Adrian Shanker, on April 14th that I encourage everyone to attend. Our Senior Send-off on March 8 will be a time for us to talk with him more personally and appreciate all he has done to create meaningful community among us. March 8“Second Tuesday”at Mgt. Todd Senior Center To all those who miss being together in our discussion groups, please consider coming back! We’ll do our very best to make a safe space for you. First-timers welcome as well! Hill Community RoomA bigger space behind main building (see map below)Margaret Todd Senior Center1560 Hill Road, Novato 94947 Arrive 12:30 or after:feel free to bring your lunch. Discussion 1 to 2:30 pm Proof of vaccination required.Masks on when not eating, drinking, or speaking to the group. Some people may not be open to hugging;elbow bumps may be preferable.Be sensitive to each other as you approach, and declare your safety zone. Dress warmly, doors and windows will be open for safety. We’ll be spread out through the large room and use a new speaker system so we can all hear each other. If you would like to get a ride or share a ride to the event, please let me know:bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org |
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| To be clear: We’re committed to continuing our zoom groups because many of us cannot join in person due to health or distance or disability. Community for All! |
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| Roster of LGBTQ Seniors Last call for entries! A year ago, we invited people to join a roster of seniors to help us all stay in touch during the pandemic. Thirty of us sent in the contact information we wanted listed as well as our interests we wished to have included. Everyone included their email address, most listed their phone number, and interests varied from live theater to vintage autos, hiking to yoga, painting to music composition, reading to cooking to photography and beyond. If you would like to join the roster or update your information, please send an email to me with the word Roster in the subject line. And let me know what information you want included in your listing. The roster will only be distributed among those who are listed. bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org |
| UPCOMING EVENTS(more info below) March 8 Senior Send-off of DanaIn-Person Second Tuesday at Mgt. Todd March 8 Birthday Celebration on zoom* March 10Readings for Each Other March 15 Games Day at Sam’s Place* March 17 Breakfast Club at Sam’s Place* March 29 Women’s Coffee at Sam’s Place* *Social Committee event, registration requiredby emailing them at socialcommittee@comcast.net |
| 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: |
| 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 10 Readings for Each OtherDo you have a poem or short reading you especially love that you would be willing to share with us? Perhaps it’s something you have written; if so, you would get bonus points but we’re not assigning points, just entertaining and perhaps inspiring each other. Maybe your selection would be by Sappho or Whitman, Stein or Wilde, Mary Oliver, Alice Walker or James Baldwin. Writings by non-LGBTQ+ writers are welcome as well – there’s actually some good ones.  Whatever your choice, the idea is to share writings that have touched your heart or expanded your mind. We also need people to just listen, there will be no pressure to read. If we have time, we’ll also talk about writers that have inspired us and discover if there is a writer hiding within. |
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 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! You can order your free at-home covid tests from the USPS by filling in the form here. 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 415/457-2487 |  |
Space for your Community Notice here. Email Bill with information at bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org. |
| The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. Everyone born in any month will be celebrated on the second Tuesday of that month – including your birthday if you’ll let them know when it rolls around! It happens this month March 8 @ 4 pm. Games Day is March 15 at 3 pm, the Breakfast Club9:30 March 17, and the Women’s Coffee, 10 am March 29, will all be held at Sam’s Place in Novato. They request that participants please be vaccinated and healthy. Please register ahead of time as participation is limited to 20 people. To see their calendar & flyers for March, click here. To sign up for their emails or register for events, click here. |
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| 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. |
| 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 Managerbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339 |
Join Positive Images LGBTQIA+ Center and North Bay LGBTQI Families for a Social Saturday: Intergenerational Gathering on March 12th from 11am-2pm at Cloverdale City Park! (450 W 2nd St.)
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.
At our March gathering we are excited to be offering two amazing activities: Zumba and cyanotype art!
Zumba: For participants interested in music and movement, Delia (she/her) will offer participants two different 30-minute Zumba sessions, which will include bilingual instruction in both English and Spanish, and start at approximately 12pm and 1pm. Delia is originally from Los Angeles and has been a licensed Zumba instructor since 2010.
Cyanotype Art: For participants interested in an art activity, Positive Images Program Coordinator Drew Crawford (he/they) will lead a cyanotype activity. Cyanotype is an ancient form of photography that involves placing items (in this case, natural items that we will forage) onto a special type of paper to form a pattern using sun exposure. You could also call it “nature art” or “nature prints” in simpler terms. Our cyanotype activity will begin at approximately 11:30am.
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:
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. On Wed, Mar 9
Ken Kunert will be presenting on The Billys, formed in
1988 during the AID epidemic to support rural gay men.
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class
and receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
| GOIN US IN OUR FIRST-EVER CAPITAL PROJECT & HELP US TO EXPAND OUR IMPACT IN SONOMA COUNTY |
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| VIST OUR “ON THE MOVE” WEBSITE On the Move | Face to Face | ending HIV in Sonoma County (f2f.org) |
| For 39 years Face to Face has been helping people with HIV/AIDS. Recently we have explored strategies to expand our impact in the region and to reach more people with our services. When COVID hit and we were forced to close our door, our team went to work going mobile. Our Prevention & Care services team did not miss a beat. There was no way that we could not continue our work. This solidified the urgency identified in our Startegic Plan to go mobile, and knew we would be making the greatest impact with a dedicated mobile van. The goal is to end the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sonoma County, and the answer is to begin our 39th year by launching “Face to Face-On The Move”- an Electric Vehicle Mobile Van that will travel throughout the county to deliver our Prevention and Care Services to under-served populations. With this van we will be able to perform rapid HIV testing, educate, initiate and prescribe PrEP; offer harm reduction services and care for people who cannot access our F2F office here in Santa Rosa. TODAY WE ARE KICKING OFF OUR $250,000“ON THE MOVE” CAMPAIGNThese funds will help us purchase and retofit an EV Mobile Van, all licenses, registrations and insurance along with the programs operational costs for two years. Beyond the first two years those costs will be funded by fees for services which are contracted by local, state and federal government agencies, and from additional grants and gifts. |
| SUPPORT OUR ON THE MOVE MOBILE EV VAN Donate Today!To date we have raised $61,000.00 from donors like you who recognize the importance of our work and this program.Please GIVE today to ensure our work continues tomorrow so that we can expand our work, scope and impact in Sonoma County.CONTRIBUTE NOW |
| THE NUMBERS TELL OUR STORY. HELP US TO INCREASE OUR SERVICES IN OUR COUNTY. |
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| Become one of our Mobile Van “On The Move” Sponsors.Know an organization that would support our program? Please contact our Development Director, Gary Saperstein 707-544-1581 ext 105 or email to gsaperstein@f2f.org |
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. On Wed, Mar 2
Adam Richmond will be presenting on the SoCo Lesbian &
Gay Democratic Club, late 1980s – 1991.
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class
and receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
The next HOP Day (“Helping Other People”) will be on April 9!
| If you are a senior and need a hand with basic projects around your home, the Senior Center and local service clubs have partnered to help you. The next HOP Day (“Helping Other People”) will be on April 9! For details and to apply, click here. We give MUCH Thanks to the partnered agencies: Sebastopol Area Senior Center, Gravenstein Lions Club, Rotary Club of Sebastopol, Rotary Club of Sebastopol Sunrise, Kiwanis Club, Soroptimist, Active 20/30 Club, VFW Gold Ridge Post, Sebastopol Grange, Masons La Fayette Lodge #126 |
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class and
receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu
(Please note this is offered through SRJC, not the Senior Center.)
March 31st is Transgender Day of Visibility
Joe Biden officially proclaimed March 31, 2021, as a Transgender Day of Visibility, proclaiming in part, “I call upon all Americans to join in the fight for full equality for all transgender people.” For more information, read THIS.
What We Are Hearing From Around Town:
SOS is a non-profit agency providing affordable therapy and counseling services to the community through sliding-scale fees. Through our Community Counseling Clinics in Santa Rosa and Windsor, we offer individual therapy for adults, teens and children, couples counseling, and families. We have a diverse team of licensed therapists, interns, and trainees who bring varying clinical specialties to our clinics.
Website: www.soscounseling.org
Contact: 707.238.4171 email on website
The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging is the country’s first and only technical assistance resource center aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender older adults. Established in 2010 through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging provides training, technical assistance and educational resources to aging providers, LGBT organizations and LGBT older adults. The center is led by SAGE, in collaboration with 18 leading organizations from around the country.
Website: www.lgbtagingcenter.org
Contact: 212.741.2247 info@lgbtagingcenter.org
SAGE leads in addressing issues related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) aging. In partnership with its constituents and allies, SAGE works to achieve a high quality of life for LGBT older adults, supports and advocates for their rights, fosters a greater understanding of aging in all communities, and promotes positive images of LGBT life in later years.
Website: www.sageusa.org
Contact: 212.741.2247 info@sageusa.org
Hotline: 1.888.234.SAGE(7243) M-F 4pm-12am Saturday 12-5pm Eastern Time sage@glbthotline.org
Every day, The Trevor Project saves young lives through its accredited, free and confidential phone, instant message and text messaging crisis intervention services. A leader and innovator in suicide prevention, The Trevor Project offers the largest safe social networking community for LGBTQ youth, best practice suicide prevention educational trainings, resources for youth and adults, and advocacy initiatives.
Website: www.thetrevorproject.org
Contact: 866.488.7386 email/text/chat on website
| The Board of Directors is excited to announce the appointment of Adrian Shanker (he/him) as the next Executive Director of The Spahr Center! In a national search for a new executive, organizations like ours endeavor to find the impossible. A person who has a big heart for our community and a bold vision for our future. Someone who can engage at both the grassroots level and on the national stage. A leader with the technical skills to manage a complex, growing organization and one who will do so guided by the values of equity and justice. We put together candidate profiles that ask for so much because the work ahead of us is so important. I am honored to introduce Adrian to The Spahr Community. I am excited for the agency’s future with him at the helm. |
 Adrian is an experienced LGBTQ+ community leader with a focus on LGBTQ+ health policy and promotion, barriers to care, and health equity. He joins The Spahr Center after founding and leading Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania for seven years. Adrian brings extensive knowledge of health promotion, community building, and non-profit management. His leadership will support The Spahr Center in reaching the goals outlined in its Strategic Plan: ensuring every LGBTQ+, HIV-positive and affected person in Marin County feels that we belong, are valued, and that our civic institutions ensure our health and well-being. Adrian currently serves on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS in the Biden-Harris Administration. He previously served as president of Equality Pennsylvania for three years during the fight for marriage equality. With expertise in LGBTQ+ health promotion and policy, he is also editor of the critically-acclaimed anthology Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health and the forthcoming anthology Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic. He earned a Graduate Certificate in LGBT Health Policy Practice from George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science and Religion Studies from Muhlenberg College. Adrian will begin working full time at The Spahr Center beginning on April 1, 2022. Please join us in welcoming Adrian to our community at our event, New Horizons, on April 14, from 6:00 to 7:30. Tickets are $65 per person and will go on sale on February 22. Dana Van Gorder’s last day as Executive Director will be on February 28, 2022. We are deeply grateful for his leadership at The Spahr Center over the past three years as well as his decades of service to the LGBTQ+ community. Dana brought a wealth of experience in HIV and LGBTQ+ advocacy and services that allowed us to grow our organization to new heights. His resolute leadership through the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic ensured that our Center remained stable, that our clients remained supported, that we launched our Strategic Plan, grew our budget, and established new programs. We congratulate Dana on his lifelong career of serving our community, and wish him all the best in his retirement. We are grateful to The Spahr Center staff for their support throughout the search process. They have worked tirelessly to promote the health of our most vulnerable community members during the pandemic and are true champions. We extend deep appreciation to Kevin Chase Executive Search Group for leading the search that culminated in selecting Adrian as our Executive Director. Please join me in making a donation to The Spahr Center in honor of Dana’s service to our community and Adrian’s appointment. We have so much to celebrate and such important work ahead! In community, Denny David, Board President |
| Dive into environmental issues and discover how things work with our new science databases. From hundreds of 3-D interactive models, to in depth research on scientific topics, there is a whole world of digital science to explore! These new resources are courtesy of the California State Library as part of their K-12 Online Content Project, which enables all K-12 students in California to access vital learning support through their schools and local libraries. Find out more about these exciting resources below! |
| Environmental Studies In Contextbrings together periodicals and multimedia, empowering learners to critically analyze and understand important topics that affect people around the world. Explore topics and events such as Earth systems, global change, pollution, populations, and more. |
| Science: Interactive helps students better visualize and understand concepts in biology, chemistry, earth and space science. Students and instructors can manipulate and explore 3D models paired with reference and periodical content for further understanding. |
| National Geographic Kids is an online database housing books, videos, magazines, and pictures produced by National Geographic for children. The content includes the complete run of National Geographic’s Kidsmagazine from 2009 to present, over 500 books from the National Geographic Kids Collections, and hundreds of downloadable images and videos. |
| In Case You Missed It |
| Looking for more science resources? Check out some of these library favorites! |
| ScienceFlix™ is an online resource that focuses on engaging science content for students in grades 4-10. ScienceFlix™ offers more than 20,000 science-related assets that cover six areas of study, including earth science, space science, life science, health and the human body, physical science, and technology and engineering. |
| SIRS® Issues Researcher is an authoritative resource for pro/con issues assignments offering background and analysis on 360+ leading issues. Editorially curated and created content including engaging Essential Questions, and viewpoint articles help build a solid foundation for understanding complex global issues. |
| Escolar is a Spanish-language resource for native Spanish speakers, bilingual students, and students learning Spanish. Engaging home pages at each level are entry points to thousands of articles, images, videos, maps, and tables, many of which are newly added daily. |
| Dive In TodayThank 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. La ciencia cobra vida con tu tarjeta de la biblioteca Sumérgete en temas ambientales y descubre cómo funcionan las cosas con nuestras nuevas bases de datos de ciencia. ¡Desde cientos de modelos interactivos en 3D hasta investigaciones en profundidad sobre temas científicos, ¡hay todo un mundo de ciencia digital para explorar! Estos nuevos recursos son cortesía de la Biblioteca Estatal de California como parte de su Proyecto de Contenido en Línea K-12, que permite a todos los estudiantes de K-12 en California acceder a apoyo vital de aprendizaje a través de sus escuelas y bibliotecas locales. ¡Más información sobre estos emocionantes recursos a continuación! |
| Environmental Studies In Contextreúne publicaciones periódicas y multimedia, empoderando a los estudiantes para analizar críticamente y comprender temas importantes que afectan a las personas de todo el mundo. Explore temas y eventos como los sistemas de la Tierra, el cambio global, la contaminación, las poblaciones y más. |
| Science: Interactive ayuda a los estudiantes a visualizar y comprender mejor los conceptos de biología, química, ciencias de la tierra y el espacio. Los estudiantes e instructores pueden manipular y explorar modelos 3D combinados con contenido de referencia y periódico para una mayor comprensión. |
| National Geographic Kids es una base de datos en línea que contiene libros, videos, revistas y fotografías producidas por National Geographic para niños. El contenido incluye la tirada completa de la revista National Geographic’s Kids desde 2009 hasta la actualidad, más de 500 libros de National Geographic Kids Collections y cientos de imágenes y vídeos descargables. |
| En caso de que lo hayas olvidado |
| ¿Buscas más recursos sobre la ciencia? ¡Echa un vistazo a algunos de estos favoritos de la biblioteca! |
| ScienceFlix™ es un recurso en línea con un enfoque de ciencias para estudiantes del 4 al 10 grado escolar. Cuenta con más de 20,000 videos sobre la ciencia de la tierra, el espacio, la vida, la salud, el cuerpo humano, la física, la tecnología e ingeniería. |
| SIRS® Issues Researcher es un recurso fidedigno para escribir ensayos argumentativos a favor de un tema o en contra de ello. Ofrece antecedentes y análisis sobre 360 temas principales. Brinda contenido editado y creado, incluidas las Essential Questions y los artículos de diferentes puntos de vista, ayudan a crear una base sólida para comprender problemas globales complejos. |
| Escolar es un recurso en español para hablantes del español, para los estudiantes bilingües y para los estudiantes que están aprendiendo el español. Las páginas de inicio en cada nivel son puntos de entrada a miles de artículos, imágenes, videos, mapas y tablas, muchos de los cuales están agregados a diario. |
| Sumérgete hoyGracias 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.If you would like to manage which emails you receive from us, please click here. Si desea gestionar los correos electrónicos que recibe de nosotros, haga clic aquí. |
LGBTQI History: A Sonoma County Timeline 1947-2000.
Wednesdays 1:30-3pm. Online via Zoom. On Wed, Feb 23
Magi Fedorka will be presenting on Forward Together,
a major activist organization in the 1980s-90s.
Please contact me to enroll in this FREE class
and receive a Zoom invite: cdungan@santarosa.edu