Page 40 - SCG 11-15.indd

On Nov. 7, Sebastopol World Friends hosts its annual Friendship Dinner at the Enmanji Buddhist Temple. Sharing food and culture from our sister cities, the group will serve an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring sushi, borsht, dumplings and other international treats. Taiko
With the advent of fall, Geyserville is enjoying clear skies at the moment - keeping those wishes for rain alive. But those cloudless skies make a beautiful backdrop to the acres of turning leaves on the grapevines, even as we continue to hope for a gentle end to the
drumming and Ukrainian music follow dinner.
Dinner tickets and sales from the Silent Auction of local goods and services
drought as weather prognosticators promise the return of “El Nino” conditions. Will those weather wizards be right? We hope so!
will raise money for the group’s youth scholarship fund.
“Get connected. Come find out how you can help build world peace, one
What’s Up in Fall in Geyserville
Some special things return to Geyserville with fall, among them the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce monthly dinners which always feature a good meal and an interesting speaker on subjects affecting the town and region. Information for this members-only event is located at www.geyservillecc.com. Not a business owner in the area? The Chamber offers a civic membership. And if you are looking for lodging in our beautiful area of the Alexander Valley wine country, check out the handy “Lodging” page on the site which will connect to many of the accommodation options in Geyserville.
Come Join the Event of the Year
friend at a time,” says SWF Chair Abigail Evans. Participants – students, adults, and host families – become Sebastopol’s “grass-roots ambassadors” to Takeo City, Japan, and Chyhyryn, Ukraine, through the exchange program.
The event will be in the Memorial Hall at 1200 Gravenstein Hwy. South. Doors open at 6 PM and the program starts at 6:30 PM. The suggested donation is $15/adult and $5/child. For more information, contact info@sebastopolwf. org or 707.478.6169.
Work For Peace
Jim Corbett, aka Mr. Music and Mr. Peacetown, will be cleaning up the Peace Garden, located between the Community Center and the Annex.
The big event in November is, of course, the increasingly famous Geyserville Illuminated Tractor Parade and Tree Lighting. This year, the event will happen on November 28th in the heart of downtown Geyserville where dozens of illuminated vehicles - some not quite tractors – will parade past sidewalks jammed with holiday revelers. Shops will be staying open extended hours, so this is a great chance to pick up some unique holiday gifts. Be sure to check out Gin Gilly’s vintage shop, Bosworth’s General Store, the Locals tasting room, Meeker Vineyards, and all the other small businesses that make Geyserville such a special place to visit and shop.
Jim has put a lot of tender loving care into this once-ignored corner and turned it into a special place. He’s decorated it with a Peace Pole and painted circular tiles. He’s created a seating area honoring former Mayor Bill Roventini. Patrick Amiot built a gateway, honoring our children lost to early deaths, marking the entrance to the garden.
Now Jim needs your help on his workday on Nov. 1. For details, contact Jim at 823.5849.
Follow The Peace Trail
Be prepared for a wait at our local downtown restaurants, Diavola and Catelli’s, which will also be keeping late hours for the event. But the “in” place to stop for an early snack is the Geyserville Fire District firehouse, where the famed chili and cornbread will be available for $5 a person – or for absolutely free if you bring a new unwrapped toy for the annual toy drive for underprivileged children. If you prefer hotdogs, those will be available just a few steps away at the Oddfellows Hall. There may be some snacks for sale around the Christmas tree as well.
Sebastopol Walks finishes its eighth successful year on Saturday, Nov. 28, with a 7-mile route about town that links Peace Poles installed in parks, churches, and private yards – the Peace Trail.
The last docent-led walk features the Peace Trail because it was the first proposal submitted to the committee’s new joint effort with Cittaslow Sebastopol called “Favorite Walks”. Conceived by a local peace activist, the
walk features 8 poles with messages in more than 12 languages.
The festivities start early at 5pm with the arrival of Santa Claus and his long-suffering wife, Mrs. Claus. (Who wants a husband who is never home on the holidays, or who sleeps all day on Christmas?) They will be at the official Geyserville Christmas Tree in the Park and Ride center on the east side of Geyserville Avenue. The tree lighting will be accompanied by caroling. Last year, as a newcomer to Geyserville, this charming event was the highlight of my holiday season. Handy tip – a little rusty on those carol lyrics? (Quick, what’s the fourth verse to “Deck the Halls”?) You can find them all online if you’d
like to brush up, though song sheets may be provided again this year by local church groups.
Just like it sounds, the Favorite Walks program
will publicize community- sourced routes in town,
with new highlights and points of interest. Future Favorite Walks will be self- guided. Maps, details and other support will be easily available through the website. Consider filling out an application to promote your most Favorite Walk.
Barbara Talcroft, the founding Chair of LANTERN, our community group working for an improved library facility, encourages you to read this holiday season. “This is a golden age for picture books. The art, contributed by the best illustrators and graphic artists, is wonderful. There’s something for everyone, including adults!” she enthuses.
Special Note - Only One Chance to See the Parade
Enjoy Some Peaceful Time – Reading Cool Books
Last year the parade made two passes through downtown – but that turned out to be a logistical challenge due to trying to turn around the huge number of entries, some of which did not have exactly tight turning ratios. This year, the parade will be making just a single pass along Geyserville Avenue, so be on time and bring your cameras! You won’t have a second chance this year.
With 13 years’ experience reviewing children’s literature, Barbara can lead you to some good books, so you spend quality time reading with your children or grandchildren this winter.
If you would rather be a participant in the tractor parade, entry forms are available online at the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce website, or you
can call Karen or Bridgett at North County Properties at (707) 857 1728 or
at ncproperties@comcast.net. The entry fee is $35 per vehicle. and at least a thousand lights must illuminate each vehicle. For the mathematically impaired, that works out to a minimum of ten strings of 100 lights each. Personally, I’m a fan of multi-colored strings of lights – but the official requirement is for lights of any color.
Check out Barbara’s recommendations at www.lanternlibrary.org. Click on BUZZ then Blog, and you’ll see Cool Books.
Don’t happen to have a tractor handy? Parade vehicles don’t have to be tractors per se, but must be a truck, tractor, or other vintage agricultural vehicle in order to be included.
40 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 11/15
Have more news you’d like to share about Geyserville? Contact me at the email address above and I’ll be happy to include you in a future column.