Page 44 - Sonoma County Gazette 6-20

By Mary Ely Sebastopol Arts & Events during COVID-19
As a result of the COVID 19 pandemic, many Sebastopol non-profits have had to cancel their traditional fundraising events as well as classes, workshops and other activities. Local non-profits that regularly provide programs and classes are rapidly adapting to new norms around digital offerings, and non- profits that primarily raise money for community services are developing new fundraising mechanisms.
Ives Pool: Ives pool is currently closed due to the COVID 19 pandemic but hopes to open its facilities safely and as soon as possible. Ives’ opening date and plans for specific programs will be determined by the requirements of the Sonoma County Public Heath Department and in coordination with the city of Sebastopol.
Boards and executive directors of these non-profits are working on new strategies to carry forward into the new normal of COVID 19, to not only engage the community but to raise much needed funds to benefit the community. Below are ways that a few of the local non-profits are meeting these challenges:
Ives Board of Directors and management staff are in regular contact with public health officials, and have been working closely all the other aquatic clubs in the county to develop plans to meet the need for social distancing, sanitation and user/staff screening.
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, a cornerstone for performances and classes, is going to present a first time ever, Virtual Youth Talent Show. As many students missed having their school talent shows this year, the SCCC is hosting a celebratory online forum to highlight youth creativity and passion.
Visit their website at https://www.ivespool.org. to sign up for their e-mail notices, which will notify the community of the latest information and updates on reopening. They can’t wait to have swimmers in the pool again.
All students of high school age and younger are eligible to audition. Students with a variety of talents are encouraged to participate. Last year’s winners for the in-person event included a magician, a singer/songwriter and a rock band. Contestants can upload audition videos to the Sebastopol Talent Show Facebook page now through June 12th.
Sebastopol Area Senior Center: The Senior Center is currently closed, but that hasn’t stopped it from serving seniors. Seniors can no longer go to the Center for lunch, but the Center is now providing lunch delivery weekly. The Center is delivering close to 700 meals a week to 140 seniors, including five frozen entrees, fruit, and milk, provided by the Council on Aging, desserts provided by Pacific Market, and bread donated by Wildflour Bakery.
Twelve finalists will be selected, and a Finalist’s Reel will be posted on Facebook and You Tube from June 22nd-28th with online audience voting
and a panel of judges choosing the winner. Tickets to vote can be purchased on Eventbrite.com. Proceeds will help pay for the prizes and support further SCCC programming. More details are posted in The Youth Talent Show Facebook page and the SCCC website https://www.seb.org.
The Center is still providing rides to medical appointments for those who cannot drive themselves. Classes in yoga and balance, support groups, special workshops and field trips are now hosted on Zoom with over 500 sign-ups.
Also new this year on the SCCC Facebook page and its website is the Nuclear Free Zone, a series of interviews with local residents sharing
oral histories of lifetimes lived in Sebastopol. Community members are encouraged to visit the SCCC website, Facebook page and YouTube channel to learn interesting facts about life in West County.
The Center has also kept in close touch with the senior community. There are over 2500 folks on their e-news list, receiving e-mails once or twice a week with updates on programs and COVID 19 information. The Center maintains an LGBTQI blog, Facebook and the website https://www. sebastopolseniorcenter.org. to visit for more information. Most importantly, check-in phone calls have been made to 1300 seniors.
Finally, what’s summer without movies? The SCCC is exploring the possibility of drive-in movie night in the parking lot. Patrons will also be able to pre-order popcorn and other goodies with their ticket purchase online. Details and dates will be posted on the SCCC website.
Ceres Community Project: The COVID 19 pandemic has upended Sebastopol based Ceres Community Project’s operations and increased demand for home delivered meal services three-fold. In mid-March the group was delivering 1,600 meals a week, prepared by hundreds of teen and adult volunteers, to 184 clients. It is now delivering more than 4,500 meals each week to more than 360 clients. Demand for services skyrocketed just as the number of volunteers began to decline, as many opted to stay at home.
The SCCC is planning additional creative virtual offerings for all ages throughout the coming months, keeping the community engaged and enriched until in-person classes and events are allowed once again. Latest updates will be announced through the SCCC newsletter.
Vowing to have no wait list and to provide people meals within a few days, the group temporarily pivoted from a mostly volunteer workforce to an all-paid staff model on March 30. Eighteen new hires including ten who were members of their Teen Leader program are handling all packaging and bagging of meals on two all-day shifts, as well as assisting with the massive task of vegetable preparation needed weekly.
The Kiwanis Club of Sebastopol: Kiwanis cancelled the annual 3rd of July Fireworks and Music Festival, a popular and iconic event that raises money to support local non-profits, food banks, school scholarships, and counseling services in our community. With the event cancelled, Kiwanis faces being unable to fulfill funding requests this year.
Other members of the community have stepped up to meet the new weekly demand. Oliver’s Market’s team at Stony Point prepared 600 dinners to ensure no one would go without. Ceres has also created an on-going agreement to purchase meals with Forestville’s Backyard Restaurant and Santa Rosa’s Park Avenue Catering, will prepare Ceres’ recipes using organic ingredients.
After many discussions, the Kiwanis members have decided to create an online auction to fundraise amidst shelter in place orders. Upon hearing the news that schools will be running an $18 billion deficit statewide, Kiwanis’s online Auction for Education will focus on supporting our local schools, teachers and students this coming year.
Most of Ceres’ clients have multiple health challenges, are over 65 and live alone with less than $18,000 yearly income. Currently Ceres is part of Marin and Sonoma County’s emergency food response during COVID 19. They are prioritizing their services to certain populations. Anyone who would like to know if they or someone they know meets the criteria of their priority population, visit the Ceres website at https://www.CeresProject.org. for eligibility criteria and more information.classes go to the website https:// www.sebarts.org.
Kiwanis will partner with a San Francisco company to help implement the auction, which will feature an array of items provided by the company, as well as items secured by members and from local artists and businesses. Kiwanis anticipates the auction up and running by June 26th, and bidding will be open until the 3rd of July. Winners of all bids will be notified on July 3rd. Further details will be made available at the Kiwanis Club website https://www. sebastopolkiwanisclub.org.
THANK YOU, Mary for serving your community with this list! If you see something missing here...it is elsewhere in this Gazette since it didn’t all FIT on this page!
We have posted your ENTIRE TEXT online @ www.SonomaCountyGazette.com. You are such an asset to your home!
There is Great news for all the seamstresses, knitters and crafters. The Legacy is open on a limited basis for curbside pickup! Go to the website for details and more information.
44 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 6/20