Page 30 - Sonoma County Gazette Oct. 2019
P. 30

   On into golden October! I think we are all hoping for a peaceful “normal” fall season here in Northern Sonoma County. Will we get it? That remains to be seen but with so many of us now extremely fire aware I am hoping that we will have a smoke-free season.
People are tweeting, texting, and e-mailing - and not connecting. There are very few ways for communities to come together. ~ Robert Kraft
this month, our first meeting came to mind. Reece was tabling for the Human Rights Commission in 2003 and Carol walked up to the table and started talking – truth-be-known she is still talking. She had been in town three months; Reece had been here three years. Their friendship started that day 16 years ago and obviously is still going on – together we are writing “Cloverdale Comments” for the Gazette.
I was recently traveling in Greece and passed through the fire-devastated community of Mati, just outside of Athens, where many lost their lives a year ago. Unexpected fires are a growing worldwide problem but here’s hoping that we can unite to cope with these long fire seasons.
FireSmart Lake Sonoma watershed project - what’s next?
This pilot project has come to a close with inspiring results and continued partnerships to mobilize for fire resiliency throughout the region. We consolidated what we learned, and many of our practical tools, into a practical guide. Here are LINKS to access the guides:
We have been reading more and more about how connections are being sacrificed with the increased usage of the internet and social media.
FireSmart Lake Sonoma: https://aginnovations.org/project/ firesmartlakesonoma/
Community events are big ones. Look at Friday Night Live or the Classic Car show. People are out strolling and stopping every few minutes to talk with a friend or neighbor that they haven’t seen in a while. Or they are admiring something like the wonderful cars or possibly listening to the music and they start talking to the person next to them – a stranger. They connect!
Recommendations for Next Steps for Fire Resiliency in the Lake Sonoma watershed: https://aginnovations.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ FireSmart-Recommendations-next-steps.pdf
A list of things one might do in Cloverdale:
Starter Kit for Community Mobilization for Fire Resiliency: https:// aginnovations.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Repaired-FireSmart- Methodology-Starter-Kit-3.pdf
talking, discussing, learning, physical activity, engaging in cultures of the community, and most of all meeting and talking with people - Connecting!
Next steps: FireSmart is eager to continue supporting mobilization around fire resiliency. Collaborations have already formed from this process, including Sonoma Water and Geyserville Fire District coming together to secure a CALFIRE grant to cooperate on vegetation management.
Friends of the Cloverdale Library starts the month October 3rd – 5th with its Annual Book Sale and a bag of books at $5.00. Even more wandering amongst the tables talking with people about a book you love. In the course of your wandering and looking, you may also meet someone new. Thursday 6-8pm; Friday and Saturday 10am-4pm. INFO: www.sonomalibrary.org
Oktoberfest put on by the Kiwanis Club and the Courtney Jade Davis Foundation, both wonderful community organizations, continues that weekend on October 5th noon – 8pm with family fun, music, food, pumpkins and crafts. Hang out in the plaza mingling with other families. INFO: mailcentercloverdale@gmail.com
On October 11th, the Rotary Club is having their 11th Annual Asti Tour de Vine, a bicycling ride of 25K/50K/100K through the back roads of northern Sonoma County. Starts at 7am at Asti Winery finishing at 4pm. Connections through the love of riding. INFO: www.astitourdevine.com
Then, there is the Chamber Mixer on the 16th. A monthly event where business people and other interested parties get to network, connect, and discover ways to move businesses forward. 5:30pm – 7pm at the Thai Spice Restaurant in Furber Plaza. INFO: www.cloverdalechamber.com
The wonderful Alexander Valley Film Festival drawing over 2000 people to see independent cinema featuring international and domestic films, documentaries, and shorts including the results of the local Student
Film Competition. The Clover Theater in Cloverdale and the Raven in Healdsburg are the centers for this event with some showings elsewhere in the County. Quiet with your popcorn and coke (our favorites), but lots of discussions with friends and neighbors before and after the showings. INFO: www.avfilmsociety.org
They are exploring partnerships in the area to support continued work on fire resiliency, and to continue to collaborate with community members.
Do you have a workshop or resource that you think would be helpful for folks living in the rural landscapes of Sonoma and Mendocino County? Please email Genevieve Taylor at genevieve@aginnovations.org
Color Us Fall: One tradition that makes October very special here in Geyserville is the Fall Colors celebration. This fun community event combines an antique car show with a pancake breakfast and dozens of craft booths in downtown Geyserville. The main street is decorated with fall foliage and
corn stalks and a good time is invariably had by all. For more information on how you can participate as a vendor or Car exhibitor check the Geyserville Chamber of Commerce website at the events page.
Many local wineries are enjoying the beauty of the fall season among the vines with special events and tastings. The Francis Ford Coppola winery offers what may be the most unusual al of these—a 1980s-themed murder mystery dinner as part of their “Convivio” series of interactive evenings. Mine the deepest regions of your closet for appropriate fashions and join the fun. The deadly dealings happen on October 12th. Wine club members pay $125; general public is $145. For more information and ticket availability, visit the website at francisfordcoppolawinery.com/en/visit/winery-events#147
Happy Hallowine! It is with great pleasure that I mention the Hallowine Half Marathon schedule for October 26th—not because I have any intention of participating, but just because I love the name. Previously known much
less punily as the Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon, this annual event attracts runners from many places. It starts at the Virginia Dare Winery. There is also a 10k starting at Martorena winery in Dry Creek Valley. More information is available at hallowinerun.com.
A Rockin’ Radical Murder Mystery Dinner at Coppola’s
That’s not all the fun to be had at Coppola’s this month—they are also having their 14th Annual Halloween Carnival. Tickets are limited for this mid-day child-focused frolic so book quickly if you plan to attend. Find further details at the link above.
Another possibility to join the community, meet and make new friends, the Cloverdale Library. Bringing the community together is part of what
a Library does - not so much with books, but the 65-70 programs they have each month gathering people together to enjoy, learn, and connect. A few October events are: Ballet Folklórico to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month the 26th, 4pm; a Climate Change discussion the 14th, 6pm; Chair Yoga
Did I leave your favorite Geyserville in October event out?
Or another way of connecting – visit one of the new businesses in town Wicked Slush on the north end – great Boston hot dogs and fries. Talk with those around you as you eat your delicious slush. Ummmmm! Or to the south end of town in Furber Plaza – Happy Donuts. Everyone is stopping finding some of the best donuts they have ever eaten and, incidentally, what? Connecting!
Let me know about it at tregula@msn.com and send me your events for November AND to calendar@sonomacountygazette.com to reach everyone!
30 - www.sonomacountygazette.com -10/19
As we began talking about what is happening in Cloverdale
“How do we connect or meet people these days?”
on Fridays; and Master Gardeners with a Healthy Approach to Weed Management the 12th, 10:30am. INFO: https://sonomalibrary.org





























































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