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Happening Soon at Marin’s Spahr LGBT Center

PLANNING POSSIBLE EVACUATIONS

We seniors have an increased difficulty in evacuation situations. We can tend to get caught up with challenges in assembling medications, deciding what keepsakes we cannot part with, knowing where to go or who to notify. 

Let’s help each other decide what we will do should the dreaded evacuation orders come. Planning will save lives and reduce stress. Packing some essentials now will help. Having flashlights and extra batteries within reach in case the electricity is out will help. Are our cars filled with gas? Or if we don’t drive, let’s figure who will help us evacuate should we need assistance. Having plans for where we might go will help us move more quickly. 

Click here for advice as to What To Pack
Our Monday night groups are usually freeform checkins and conversation but with the drought, heat, fires and possible lightning strikes, let’s have this important exploration together. Now.
Topical Thursdays12:30 to 2 pm
AUGUST 27: 
Please consider signing up for this! Detect and Connect: a free workshop on mental health and dementia in older adults presented by Aging Action Initiative. It’s a subject that we may wish to avoid but one that can help us help friends as well as ourselves. Sponsored by the Social Committee and the Spahr Center Senior Program. Note the extended time, 12:30 to 3 pm. See flyer below and click on the blue box below the photo to register. You must pre-register to participate. 

September 3: 
Nancy Flaxman facilitates. Work: As Labor Day approaches, we will talk about work. Most of us are retired, though some are still working. What role has work played in your life? Did you just kind of fall into jobs or did you choose your work? Did your work fully utilize your strengths? What parts of you can be more realized in retirement than in work? If you were just starting out and you could choose any profession, what would it be? What has and has not changed for LGBT people in the workplace?

Check-in Mondays7 to 8 pm
We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening.
Also in this email:Volunteer opportunities to work from home to get people registered and committed to voting in November’s vital election.Updated Senior Resources link at the bottom of this email.

Upcoming Events link below, thanks to the Social Committee!

Bisexual Support zoom group forming at The Spahr Center.
Creating Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!

The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue every Monday, 7 to 8 pm on Zoom
To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 12:30 pm:Join GroupTry it, it’s easy! 
To Join Group by Phone Call

If you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time, 12:30 pm:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296#

If you want the meeting to call you to bring you into the group, notify Bill Blackburn 415/450-5339
The Social Committee and the Spahr Center Senior Program are sponsoring this important informational training, helping us seniors detect cognitive problems that may develop in our loved ones and community members and find ways to connect with them as well. Note the extended timeframe for this workshop: 12:30 to 3 pm. The format is interactive and the time goes quickly. 

EVEN THOUGH IT IS FREE, YOU MUST REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE!CLICK THE BLUE RECTANGULAR BUTTON BELOW THE PHOTO ON THE FLYER! 
A Bisexual Support Group is planned with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested.
Volunteer Opportunities to get people registered and committed to voting in the upcoming November election: Click here.

Whistlestop provides access to resources as well as free exercise classes, including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click 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
Trouble paying rent? Check out these short videos from Marin County:1. Marin County Eviction Ban2. If you can’t pay your rent3. Paying the rent that you owe4.Help is available

Has your employment or business been impacted by COVID-19? Check out these local resources…click here: WorkForce Alliance

Plus Snap Back Assistance, up to $800 for COVID-19 affected workers:Call: 415/473-3300

click for More Senior ResourcesSocial Committee, Warmline, and LGBTQ Radio/Podcasts
click for Upcoming Eventsgames, birthday celebrations, women’s coffees & special events
Free Covid-19 Testing 

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 youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basis, plus more!

Bill Blackburn, Interim Senior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339

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10 Things to do if a Wildfire is Approaching your House

A wildfire is burning out of control, and your house is in its path. What do you do?

Most importantly, if you have been ordered to evacuate by authorities, get out immediately. Leave with your family, pets, important papers and whatever portable prized possessions you can quickly pack. Lingering could be fatal.

If no evacuation has been ordered, but you anticipate that one could be in the near future, here are 10 things you can do to make your home safer, according to Cal Fire, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Weather Underground and DisasterSafety.org.

1. Call 911 to inform authorities of your location and the location of the fire.

2. Shut off your house’s gas supply. Move propane tanks at least 100 feet away from the house.

3. Fill sinks and tubs with cold water.

4. Keep doors and windows closed but not locked. Leave the chimney damper open, but cover the fireplace opening with a screen.

5. Turn off air-conditioning. Unplug televisions, small appliances and other electronics.

6. If you have time, remove debris from your roof and gutters. Ideally you’ll have done this as part of regular maintenance. It’s critical that the roof be free of dried vegetation like leaves and pine needles because of the danger of falling embers.

7. The same goes for vents in your attic or crawl space. Any debris buildup should be removed and the vents covered with plywood, metal tape or duct tape.

8. Connect all hoses to outside taps. Wet your roof by placing a lawn sprinkler on it. Use a sprinkler to soak shrubs within 15 feet of the house. Fill buckets with water and place them outside around the house. If you have a ladder, leave it out so firefighters can use it to get on the roof if needed.

9. Move furniture away from windows and doors, and take down lightweight or non-fire-resistant window treatments. Combustible patio furniture should be placed inside or in a garage.

10. Leave a note so that in the event of evacuation others will know where you are going.

The best way to increase the chances of your home surviving a wildfire is to take measures weeks or months before a blaze erupts. Properties in high fire-risk areas where wild lands intersect with urban or suburban communities should create a buffer zone between the house and grass, trees, shrubs and any other wild vegetation, Cal Fire says.

The defensible space is needed to slow or stop the spread of fire before it reaches your home. Cal Fire has a lot information on fire-resistant landscaping techniques, plant spacing and maintenance reminders.

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Crews on North Bay Fires Catch a Break as Red Flag Warning Expires

A red flag warning was cancelled by the National Weather Service Monday, but crews on the LNU Lightning Complex in the North Bay are still prepared for the possibility of dry lightning Monday morning and afternoon, as thunderstorms move across Northern California.

Remnants of a tropical storm that pushed into Central California overnight were forecast to deliver a nasty mix of dry lightning and erratic winds and amplify fire activity. The storm cells traveled across Monterey County and pushed across the Santa Cruz Mountains, but they mostly carried high amounts of moisture into the region and even dropped small amounts of rainfall, helping suppress fire activity. Although the warning for high winds and lightning storms has now expired, the NWS still urges vigilance.

“Stay weather aware as weak cells are still over the North Bay; however, most moisture has moved north of our area and instability has decreased giving us confidence to let the warning expire early,” the NWS said Mondayat 9:30 a.m.

That National Weather Service said the Bay Area has mostly dodged the storm.

“There’s still a chance of an isolated thunderstorm, generating gusty, erratic winds and lightning for San Francisco Bay and the North Bay through the morning,” said NWS meteorologist Will Pi. “It looks like the instability on this one was far less than the one we had last week. This is a more typical summer thunderstorm.”

The complex of fires was 341,243 acres with 21% containment before nightfall Sunday, and as of this morning it was 350,030 with 22% containment.

The Walbridge Fire, which was 0% contained on Sunday morning, is now up to 5%; the blaze west of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. The Meyers Fire, north of Jenner in Sonoma County, is now 95% contained. Five damage assessment teams will be going into the burn areas of the Walbridge Fire today to determine how many structures were damaged or destroyed.

Officials cautioned residents to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice, as dry lightning could spark fires and high winds could quickly spread them.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of being prepared to leave,” Cal Fire unit chief Shana Jones said Sunday.

“If that tingling on the back of your neck says ‘I need to leave,’ then please do so,” she added. “Do not wait to be ordered to do so.”

Four civilians have died – three in Napa County and one in Solano County – 871 structures have been destroyed and 234 are damaged, as of Monday morning. Over 30,000 structures remain threatened.

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Fires in Sonoma County, North Bay Continue to Rage with Little Containment

Expanded evacuation warnings in northwestern Sonoma County

Cal Fire officials have issued new warnings advising a wider area of residents in northwestern Sonoma County to be prepared to evacuate. The warnings include the following areas:

Walbridge fire (Northern Forestville/ Zone 4B1)

All areas south of River Road from Martinelli Road to Trenton Road

West of Covey Road

North of Front Street / Hwy. 116

East of Martinelli Road

Walbridge fire (Zone 2K2)

All areas south of Highway 101

East of the Russian River to the Windsor Town limits

North of where Windsor River Road dead ends extending west to the Russian River.

Meyers fire (Zone 1E3)

All areas south of the Russian River

West of Bohemian Hwy.

North and East of Coleman valley Road and Willow Creek Road

Meyers fire (Zone 1E1)

All areas south and west of Willow Creek Road

North of Coleman Valley Road and Wright Hill Road

East of the California Coastal National Monument (Bureau of Land Management property)

Lightning strikes caused 60 fires in Sonoma, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties, according to Cal Fire

At a press conference at the Napa County Fairgrounds Wednesday, Cal Fire revealed staggering numbers that help put the scope of the LNU Lightning Complex into context.

Cal Fire Unit Chief Shanna Jones said the lightning strikes of Sunday and Monday caused approximately 60 fires in Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Solano and Yolo counties. As of Wednesday morning, she said, the blazes making up the LNU complex (at least seven individual fires have been identified and named) had burned more than 42,000 acres.

“The resources out on these fires now are same that have been out there 72 hours,” Jones said, highlighting how overextended firefighting crews are.

Chief Sean Kavanaugh of Cal Fire Incident Management Team 2, who is leading the defensive effort in the five counties, confirmed that 50 homes have been destroyed throughout the fire zone, and another 50 damaged. Kavanaugh anticipated those numbers climbing throughout the day.

Jeremy Rahn, Cal Fire’s lead public information officer for the LNU complex, added statewide numbers, statistics that help to explain why crews here have been able to contain so little of the devastation in the North Bay. Those numbers include:

* 10,849 lightning strikes across the state

* 367 new fires over three days

* 6,900 fire personnel from state and local agencies making up the effort

Kavanaugh said California has requested 375 engines from out-of-state agencies, as well as hand crews.

Cal Fire has established a public hotline for seeking information on the LNU Lightning Complex: 707-967-4207.

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Face to Face’s Art for Life Will Happen as an Online Auction September 17 – 22

BRINGING ART INTO YOUR HOMEGreetings!We have re-imagined our beloved event due to the current health crisis and for the first time ever, friends and family from all over the globe can attend one of the most renowned art events and all from the comfort of their homes for FREE! Join us for this Virtual Celebration dedicated to art and the Face to Face mission. Your support will help end HIV in Sonoma County while supporting the health and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS. 

THE ONLINE AUCTION WILL RUN SEPTEMBER 17-22, 2020

Highlighting art from our regions most talented artists, who have all donated their work in support of our work.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN 
IT’S EASY TO REGISTER TO BID AND FREEREGISTER  TO BIDTake a moment to register and preview the Art and other Experiential Packages that you’ll be able to bid on once the auction goes live on Thursday, September 17th. Check the Preview Gallery often as we update the site as new art and experiences come our way. 

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY TO THIS YEAR’S ONLINE FUNDRAISER

With our event going online that means you can invite your family and friends from all around the globe to participate in this years Art For Life fundraiser. We are excited to be able to expand our event in this virtual way. 

“We Make A Living By What We Get, We Make A Life By What We Give”

Please Consider Becoming An ART FOR LIFE SPONSORTHIS YEAR

Help us achieve our mission of ending HIV in Sonoma County while supporting the health and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS. Your Sponsorship will reinforce and strengthen our work. THANK YOU.

BECOMING A SPONSOR

Although we will miss your smiles and hugs in person we look forward to seeing you online. We will keep you posted as we create opportunities for you to join us virtually when we bring ART FOR LIFE into your home this year. 

FACE TO FACE / https://artforlife.f2f.org FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAMREGISTER TO BID

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Fines for Not Wearing Masks and Other Restriction Violations Now in Effect in Sonoma County

Sonoma County on Thursday gave civil authorities in local government the power to issue fines to individuals and business operators who refuse to follow pandemic safety orders and measures designed to slow or stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But in adopting a new civil enforcement ordinance, a unanimous Sonoma County Board of Supervisors made clear its interest in continued efforts to win voluntary compliance with public health orders, rather than rely on citations and fines.

The intent, Supervisor James Gore said, “is not to penalize” but to educate the public about keeping each other safe, and then “cite people who are jerks, who are looking back at our compassionate enforcement and saying, ‘I’m not going to put my mask on. I’m not going to shut my business.’”

The new ordinance provides the tool to do that, allowing for individuals to be cited and fined $100 for non-commercial violations.

Commercial violations may be subject to civil penalties of $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000, depending if it’s the first, second or third violation by the same party.

Sonoma County’s new ordinance, effective immediately, is similar to those adopted in neighboring counties Marin, Napa, Mendocino and Yolo counties, and comes amid a statewide surge in COVID-19 transmission.

Locally, new infections have soared in recent weeks to nearly 3,300 cases ‒ and probably more. A technical glitch in the state reporting system has interfered with the exact count from private testing labs.

The county had reported 44 deaths as of Wednesday night, up by two from earlier in the week. Both were women who were over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions. One lived in a skilled nursing home, while the other was in a residential care facility, expanding the toll that the pandemic has taken on senior home residents, who account for more than 80% of the county’s coronavirus deaths.

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