“Aging Gayfully!” is a unique class being offered online as part of the Older Adults Program of Santa Rosa Junior College. It is free to all California residents. The class provides a comfortable space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning adults to explore skillful aging strategies that address their unique aging issues. The Fall 2023 semester session begins online on Wednesday, August 16 11 am – 1 pm and continues weekly until December 13. For more information or for instructions on how to enroll email the instructor Gary “Buz” Hermes MA at [email protected].
July 22 at 12:00 Noon at the Guerneville Library we will have Storytiume with the Sisters. This will be interactive fun for kids of all ages!
August 8 Give Back Tuesday 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Rainbow Cattle Company for the Russian River Grants Program
August 13 from 2:00 – 7:00pm the Russian River Sisters will be
OUT AT THE FAIR! See you at the Sonoma County Fair!
August 22 Give Back Tuesday 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Rainbow Cattle Company for the Cold Hands, Warm Hearts Program.
September 5 Give Back Tuesday 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Rainbow Cattle Company for the NOTA Scholarship Program
Keep your eyes out, you never know when the Russian River Sisters will pop up!
BINGO News
The 2023 season of bingo is SOLD OUT. If you would like to get on the waitlist for any of our remaining 2023 bingo games, please go to the eventbrite.com collection page https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/2023-russian-river-sisters-bingo-1426669 Then you need to go to get tickets, then join waitlist. You must add as many times as you need tickets as the waitlist is one ticket at a time. No Guarantees.
2024 Bingo Tickets will be on sale on December 1, 2023
Read the Press Democrat story here: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/a-santa-rosa-church-with-anti-lgbtq-stance-got-400000-from-california-to/?artslide=0
The Sage Casey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was founded in memory of Sage Casey Schmitt. Sage was only 14 years old in 2017 when they lost their life to suicide. The pressure of wanting to be accepted for who they were led to depression, and they were unable to win that battle. And the world lost the most amazing person. Our mission is to bring awareness to suicide prevention, reducing the stigma surrounding conversations about mental health, and to provide positive support and encouragement to local youth by empowering them to find and pursue their own passions, and to follow Sage’s example by always being a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.
Sage Casey was a genderfluid, pansexual Sonoma County youth that attended Hillcrest Middle School in Sebastopol. They were a dedicated musician playing percussion (and eventually accordion), in school bands, jazz band, their OWN band, the Sonoma County Honor Band and the Santa Rosa Junior Symphony as well. Sage was also involved in the school theater program and a variety of sports, and they excelled academically. They were a hard-core Giants fan. They were silly and had a sharp wit and a sarcastic sense of humor. They had a soft, sensitive heart and looked out for their friends, often going to great lengths to stand up for them. They were elected Vice President of Student Council. They were an outspoken social advocate, speaking out on issues that they felt strongly about, like women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. They were my child, and one of my closest friends. They were best friend and hero to their 8-year-old little brother. They wore many hats… all of them pretty awesome. They were also a great friend to many people, across many social circles, and made it a point to reach out to people that they saw struggling or alone. Their death was a tragic loss to their family, their friends, and to our community. The Sage Casey Foundation exists to honor Sage’s memory, and to remind people of their story, in hopes that it might help someone else.
So, when you see rainbows, think of Sage. #SAGESPOTTING. Remember that SUICIDE IS OFTEN PREVENTABLE. Help break the stigma our culture has around discussing mental health. #STOPTHESTIGMA Start the conversation. Make it awkward. Talk about it. And then KEEP starting it. And keep talking about it. The stakes are so high. We can’t afford not to.
It’s no secret that the cost of living in Sonoma County is very high. Some families struggle to put food on the table. That’s why this summer the Redwood Empire Food Bank and the California State Library are sponsoring free kids’ lunches at Sonoma County libraries. Lunches will be offered to children ages 0–18 at all seven branches, Monday–Friday (except July 4), noon–12:30 p.m. or 12:15–12:45 p.m., depending on the location. On some days, children’s programming will be offered prior to lunch. For details, see tinyurl.com/53dh2pwf.
In a fun and educational addition to Out In The Park, this month’s picnic will feature Abby Greenleaf, a young entomologist. She’ll show some specimens from her insect collection and discuss the importance of symbiotic relationships. All ages are welcome so please bring the whole family and your own picnic lunch, and dress for a nature walk!
This event will be hosted next week on Saturday, July 15, from 12:00-2:30pm, at Roy’s Redwoods. Meet us in the parking lot of the San Geronimo Golf Course Clubhouse.
FORBIDDEN KISS @ The California in Santa Rosa 7:30pm – 9:15pm
SPECIAL COMEDY EVENT!
It’s comedy burlesque, sketch comedy, stand-up and more, including the premiere of a new talk show – with Cheryl King, Shan Free and Alia Beeton as The Cunning Linguists.
Join Cheryl and her other guests Velvet Thorn, Martin Gilbertson, Jonni Machado, Serena Elise, and Malia Abayon for this sexy, smart vaudeville show.
Adult-oriented material, for those 18+. Parental guidance is suggested.
Food For Thought’s food drive program is growing, and we need YOU to help collect food donations!
So far this year, we have already collected over 13,500 food items at food drives for our neighbors in need! If you can jump in the mix to TRY ON A FOOD DRIVE it would be most excellent to have your help. We’ve got to keep the food rolling in through the Summer too!
I will be on site with bells on to welcome, orient, and train 1st-time food drive volunteers at:
Saturday, July 8th:
Windsor Oliver’s training shifts 12:30pm-3pm and 3pm-5pm
Saturday, July 15th:
Mendocino Ave Safeway– 10am-12:30pm, 12:30pm-3pm, AND 3pm-5pm
Wednesday, July 19th:
Montecito Oliver’s–10-12:30pm & 3pm-5pm
With the 4th on its way, we’ll blink and July 8th will be upon us…please do grab a shift TODAY! Hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you, thank you!”
For more information about signing up for an orientation shift,
This coming Sunday, Tiburon’s Community Congregational Church is holding a concert with talented young singers from the Marin School of the Arts and its own music program in support of Marin’s LGBTQ+ community. The concert is free but donation proceeds will go to The Spahr Center and our sibling organization Trans HeartLine, along with the church’s music program. This event will be hosted on Sunday, July 9, at 5:00pm, at the Community Congregational Church in Tiburon.
Join the Sonoma County Library for eventsthroughout the month of July, from live music performances to bilingual paint parties. All events are free and you don’t need a library card to attend; registration is required for select events. See some of our July events below!
All Ages
Danza Xantotl de Santa RosaBuild connections with nature and community at this Aztec dancing and drumming ceremony! Join the celebration at three locations: Bayer Park & Gardens in Santa Rosa, Healdsburg Library, and Rincon Valley Library.
Paint PartiesSign up and follow along to paint a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Available at six library locations: Rincon Valley, Rohnert Park- Cotati, Roseland, Cloverdale, Windsor, and Sonoma Valley.
Kids
Magic & Juggling with James Chan Be amazed by 15-year-old James Chan’s astonishing ensemble of tricks. Experience the magic six library locations: Sebastopol, Cloverdale, Sonoma Valley, Rincon Valley, Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa, and Rohnert Park-Cotati.
José-Luis Orozco Bilingual Music Enjoy Spanish bilingual music that will have kids singing, dancing, and clapping along! At six library locations: Cloverdale, Rincon Valley, Sonoma Valley, Healdsburg, Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa, and Central Santa Rosa.
Teens
Art Journaling Workshops with Amanda Ayala Working with collage, ink, and markers, create a beautiful art journal to take home. Advance registration required. Make your journal at six library locations: Healdsburg, Guerneville, Rincon Valley, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Roseland, and Cloverdale.
Join us at the Guerneville Library on Wednesday, July 19, at 6:00 pm for a panel discussion on gender identity and understanding the transgender experience. Panelists include transgender youth, adults, and parents of transgender children who will share their perspectives.
Adults
Veggie Queen Cooking DemosChef Jill Nussinow shows you how to best cook vegetables to bring out maximum nutrition and flavor. Get inspired at four library locations: Northwest Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Cloverdale, and Central Santa Rosa.
Music PerformancesDon’t miss these music performances by Sabor de mi Cuba and the doRiaN Mode Jazz ensemble! Catch a show at six library locations: Cloverdale, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Guerneville, Sebastopol, Rincon Valley, and Sonoma Valley.
A Reminder from Your Library: Upcoming Holiday Closure
All library branches will be closed Tuesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. We look forward to seeing you when we reopen on Wednesday, July 5!
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. Eventos de julio Únase a los eventos de la biblioteca del Condado de Sonoma durante el mes de julio que incluyen música en vivo y reuniones de pintura bilingües. Todos los eventos son gratuitos y no se necesita tarjeta de la biblioteca para asistir. Se requiere registrarse para eventos selectos. ¡Vea algunos de los eventos de julio a continuación!
Para todas las edades
Danza Xantotl de Santa Rosa¡Conéctese con la naturaleza y la comunidad en esta ceremonia de danza azteca y de tambores! Únase a esta celebración en tres localidades: Bayer Park & Gardens en Santa Rosa, biblioteca de Healdsburg y la biblioteca de Rincon Valley.
Reuniones de pinturaInscríbase y aprenda a pintar una pieza de arte única. Disponible en seis localidades: Rincon Valley, Rohnert Park- Cotati, Roseland, Cloverdale, Windsor y Sonoma Valley.
Para los infantes
Magia y malabarismo con James ChanDeje que el mago de 15 años James Chan lo sorprenda con su repertorio de trucos. Experimente la magia en seis localidades: Sebastopol, Cloverdale, Sonoma Valley, Rincon Valley, Bayer Farm en Santa Rosa y Rohnert Park-Cotati.
Música bilingüe de José-Luis Orozco¡Disfrute de la música bilingüe en español que hará bailar, cantar y aplaudir a los niños! Disponible en seis localidades: Cloverdale, Rincon Valley, Sonoma Valley, Healdsburg, Bayer Farm en Santa Rosa y Central Santa Rosa.
Jovenes
Taller para hacer diarios de arte con Amanda AyalaTrabaje con collage, tinta y marcadores para crear un lindo diario de arte para llevar a casa. Se requiere registrarse con anticipación. Fabrique su diario de arte en seis localidades: Healdsburg, Guerneville, Rincon Valley, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Roseland y Cloverdale.