Page 43 - Sonoma County Gazette - May 2019
P. 43

   Happy May! Celebrate Spring and International Workers Day!
Can you feel it? That urge to put your feet in the soft warm sand, dip your toes in the cool ocean, fly a kite, build a sand castle, buy some fabulous art, build a boat, go fishing, dine on delicious seafood & so much more. Yes, it is that time of year when the ocean nourishes our body and lets us enjoy all things Bodega Bay! Ahhhh!
The 46th annual Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Festival is on May 4th and 5th, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Right down the highway, you can enjoy live music, local cuisine food trucks, wine and beer, craft booths, kids zone, pet parade, blessing of
the fleet, demonstrations, wooden boat challenge, art show, raffle prizes and entertainment.
Free parking. Handicap accessible. Takes place at Westside Park. Prices at the door: 2-day pass $25, adults age 12-64 $14, seniors/police/fire/military (with ID) $12, children 11 & under FREE. All Festival proceeds benefit community services in Bodega Bay. More information and tickets, at bbfishfest.org
Celebrating our Fishermen. Got your tickets to the Fisherman’s Festival on May 4th & 5th at Westside Park in Bodega Bay? Buy them today —Presale! Saturday begins with the Wooden Boat Challenge. Come cheer on your favorite team! Sunday is a special day when clergy bless the fishing fleet for
OUT OF THE BOX. If you can make it into Santa Rosa that same weekend, come see me and fellow SRJC dancers perform in the Spring Dance Production, “Out of the Box.” May 3rd and 4th at 7 p.m. and May 5th at 2 p.m., held in the Santa Rosa High School Performing Arts Theater. General adults $18, seniors and students $15, children $10. Tickets at: SRJCdance2019. brownpapertickets.com Proceeds go to students in the Dance Department. We’d love to share our art with you!
We are aware of and sorrowed by the recent mosque killings in New Zealand. I went to a local Bodega man who is a fifth generation New Zealander, Peter Madill, to ask him what he thought about the attacks in his home country.
a safe & prosperous season. Rick Powers, owner of The New Sea Angler, donates his boat so local clergy can bestow the safe blessings. Don’t miss the delicious food, the rockin music, arts & crafts, pet parade, wooden boat challenge and so much more! This festival donates thousands of dollars to a variety of coastal non-profits and is completely run by volunteers. For more info, visit http://www.bbfishfest.org/
Triumph Through Tragedy
Buy some creative art overlooking the ocean. The always
anticipated Salmon Creek Artwalk is also on May 4th & 5th from 10 am to 4 pm & just a mile north of Bodega Bay. Come see their Open Studios and enjoy an “Artful Day at the Beach”. Visit salmoncreekartwalk.com to learn more.
Madill was born and raised in New Zealand until 1975 and visits nearly every year since. He has traveled quite a bit, including to India for studying yoga and meditation and to Australia for the outback, to study indigenous ways and aboriginal survival. He lived in West Sonoma County beginning in 1978, met his wife Hilary in 2012 and moved to Bodega in 2016. My grandfather, David Granahan had built both of their custom homes.
A celebration of kites & castles Celebrate the joys of sandcastle building and kite flying at the beach with the entire family on Saturday, May 18th from 11 to 4 pm at Doran Regional Park in Bodega Bay. Amateurs and experts are welcome. Bring your own kite or purchase one from local vendors. Longtime sand sculptors will be on hand to work on elaborate creations to build the sandcastle you have always imagined. Second Wind
In reference to the heinous events on March 15th in Christchurch, NZ, Madill said he was dismayed and shocked with disbelief about this “horrific atrocity.” As an extremely outdoorsy place, the country is full of ranchers, farmers and hunters who need guns in everyday life. Though New Zealand has a considerable application process to attain a gun licence, is treated like a driving privilege and comes with rules to keep it locked away from children. There is no national organization like the NRA.
- Bodega Bay (Kites, toys, sweets & fun!) co-sponsors this event with Doran Park. Call Second Wind to learn more at: (707) 875-9463
First in Australia, after deadly attacks some years ago, they banned semi-automatic weapons and paid citizens to hand in their weapons.
New Zealanders are in full support and have put in place a similar ban. Madill reports that it is a nice, calm place that is having to deal with white supremacists. His sister said in response, “I can’t feel, I’m numb.” They don’t have the same “gun culture” as in other places, like the USA.
A hero of a volunteer Bodega Bay Fire Chief Sean Grinnell and the Board of Directors of the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District, promoted Volunteer EMT, Steve Herzberg, to the position of Assistant Chief. Steve
will serve with Chief Grinnell on the administrative, advocacy, and public information side of the District’s mission. His current efforts are focused on regionalization, consolidation and improving the County’s Emergency Medical Services system—in a way that bolsters the ability of the public providers to serve their rural residents and visitors. Chief Grinnell’s goal was to make clear the important role that volunteers play in a staffed program, to place them in positions of responsibility and to reward their efforts. Bodega Bay is fortunate to have Steve as our hero volunteer. Send Steve a congrats at sherzberg@bbfpd. org today!
Bodega Bay Community of Fishing (CFABB) They are currently putting together a Seafood Farmers Market at their new property in Bodega Bay at Mason’s Marina. If you are interested in renting a booth at their market contact Laurin at laurinjohnson16@gmail.com for more information.
Early crab closure to reduce whale entanglements – Yes, these entanglements during migration are terrible and potential solutions are being sought but the last-minute decision to close the season early impacted our already challenged commercial fishing industry. From domoic acid, closure of abalone season, past poor fishing seasons & a long winter of rough oceans, our fishermen have struggled to stay afloat. How much more can they take? Aren’t they endangered too? In hopes the current Salmon season helps our local fishermen as early predictions indicate a bountiful one is upon us!
Bodega Bay has spoken So proud of our little village finding its voice on important matters impacting this stunning coast. As I said at the CMAC meeting on the postponed, now rumored to be canceled, Sonoma Coast Marathon “I love Bodega Bay and will fiercely fight to protect it”. The Coast is not for sale. Drive, bicycle, run, swim, surf or walk it for free every day.
The ocean is calling Don’t miss this beautiful time of year at the Coast. Remember “leave no trace” by taking all your trash.
Help keep Bodega Bay Beautiful!
The NZ government is keeping detailed information away from the public, giving time to heal. Madill’s favorite part of New Zealand is being blessed
by “the people, the beauty - number one, the people” who have integrity. Everyone came together as one, to not let anything like that [massacre] happen again. The parliamentary system in NZ makes gun laws easier to pass.
I hope we can take note at how seamlessly other countries are able to pass logical laws. If something horrible happens, especially if it keeps happening, we should join together and help put an end to such evil. It is our responsibility to take action and make change.
 May 15 ~ Sonoma Coast MAC Meetings
 5 p.m. Fort Ross Elementary School, 30600 Seaview Rd, Cazadero. Visit MAC website for
agendas, at sonomacounty.ca.gov/sccmac or by emailing Amie Windsor at amie.windsor@sonoma-
county.org. The Sonoma County Coast Municipal Advisory Council CAC) comprises the areas of
Valley Ford, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Jenner, Timber Cove, Fort Ross, West Cazadero and the Sea Ranch.
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