Page 31 - Sonoma County Gazette 12-2019

As I write this, we are facing another potential power outage in the morning - but that isn’t what bothers any of us much - it’s what that power outage is supposed to prevent. I remember enjoying the breezes in fall and the lovely multicolored shower of leaves they would bring down.
Healdsburg’s Giving Tree
By Hudson Meyer
If you happen to swing by the Oakville Grocery in downtown Healdsburg your eye will most likely catch a tree adorned in paper ornaments. This tree— known as the Giving Tree, isn’t any little craft project. The ornaments on this tree have a story. Each one has a gift request from a shelterless person of Healdsburg.
The Giving Tree was started by Oakville Grocery three years ago with the intention of getting senior residents gifts. Enter Gail Jonas; an amazing friend of the shelterless and long-term advocate of Reach For Home, an organization which helps people without any kind of shelter. Gail knew that the tree could also be used to help the shelterless.
I asked 7th grader Bella Boardman to write about the crafting of the ornaments for the Giving Tree. “At first, it was only a couple of adults and kids such as Gail’s grandchildren Rody and Sophia Jonas. This year it has grown to at least ten kids from The Healdsburg School. After school we met with Gail and began cutting out paper ornaments and attaching labels to be filled in by the shelterless.”
It’s not so easy to get lost in those moments now – the sounds of the wind coming up can be unnerving, especially with the memory of our before-dawn evacuation with all of our birds and animals still so fresh in our minds.
Once again, a huge “Thank you” to the Geyserville Fire department and their colleagues throughout the county, and also to the many firefighters that came from far away to help spare so much of Sonoma County from the flames. There is indeed much to celebrate in this season and so let us do so with these Geyservillian events.
November 30th– Geyserville Tractor Parade The 10th annual Geyserville Tractor Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting will illuminate Geyserville Avenue this year on November 30th from 4:30 to 9 pm, heralding in the holiday season with a visit from Santa, booths providing holiday treats and fun food, and the long line of brightly decorated tractors, earthmovers, fire engines, and other vehicles. It’s one of the happiest nights of the year
in Geyserville, where all of our small town blessings come to the fore. State Senator Mike McGuire and Sonoma County 4th District Supervisor James Gore will be on hand So bundle up and come join the fun. Santa arrives at 4:30 before the parade begins at approximately 6:15 pm. Just passing through about that time? Remember that Geyserville Avenue will be closed during
When I interviewed Sophia Jonas, she explained how much she enjoys this tradition. “It’s fun to get to know them and be able to say hi when I see them” she told me. “I think that you should give [the shelterless] a chance, and if you speak to them, you’ll actually find that they are really nice people.”
the parade, starting at about 6 pm. This will also block access to and from Highway 128 during the time of the parade.
Jersey, a shelterless man agrees. “It’s nice to see that kids are being shown that just because we’re homeless, we’re still people. Most people don’t realize we sleep outside all year ‘round.”
Need a little more adult holiday cheer? Visit the Holiday Open House at Coppola’s on Saturday, December 7th and Sunday, December
8th. There will be special prices on wines for the holiday, and an array of gift merchandise in the Gift Shops. A festive time will surely be had by all at the richly-decorated wineries. The fun happens at both of the Geyserville locations - Coppola’s “main” winery and also at its sister winery, Virginia Dare. Coppola’s is located at 300 Via Archimedes just at the Independence exit on Highway 101. Virginia Dare is most easily accessed from the Canyon Road exit on the 101 - go toward the west on Canyon Road and then turn immediately right. The winery is at 22281 Chianti Road. (While there, you can also “dare” to try their fragrant new hard cider.) For more information, call Virginia Dare at (707) 735-3500 or Coppola’s at (707)857-1400.
Here at Isis Oasis, we have a couple of December events:
Gail Jonas, doesn’t think “homeless” is even an appropriate word for these residents. “Because calling a person ‘homeless’ has such negative connotations, I prefer to call them ‘shelterless.’ ‘Houseless’ is even better, but it results in baffled expressions from [those] who have houses. A shelterless person is one who, for a variety of reasons, has lost a roof over his or her head.”
To some, the shelterless are people to never make eye contact with. To others, they are people who should be acknowledged and treated with kindness. However, Reach For Home has another take on it—they believe that these residents are equal to your average person only with tougher stories. The purpose of Reach For Home helps decrease the struggles of the shelterless, by not only lending a hand in finding them homes, but lending a hand in helping them find themselves.
Saturday, December 21st -Winter Solstice Harp Concert and Holiday Craft Faire: Once again, the Isis Oasis Sanctuary is pleased to be hosting Diana Stork and the Bay Area Youth Harp Ensemble for a Winter Solstice Harp Concert on Sat., December 21 at 7 pm.
Rick Cafferata, the outreach coordinator of Reach For Home agrees. Cafferata works directly with the homeless by assisting them with everything from getting medical help to finding jobs and housing. Most importantly, he helps them find themselves. He and Gail Jonas work together to help the residents write out their holiday gift wish.
giant, unusually multi-trunked Douglas Fir, an officially-recognized Sonoma County Heritage Tree. The big winds that raged during the evacuation period brought down hundreds of cones - and when life gives you fir cones, we say make wreaths. Though that’s not the only option - while we can’t quite get lemonade from our fir tree, you can make a tea from the green shoots which are supposed to be beneficial for coughs and colds.
7th grader Julia Dolph wrote about the meaning of kindness. “To some it is just showing that you see them. The shelterless feel invisible...People need to practice more humility. It seems like we only care about ourselves.”
May all the blessings of the season be yours.
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This beautiful evening features many young harpists performing holiday music from around the world.. Concert and dinner tickets are available at Eventbrite or you can call 707 857-4747 for reservations.
Cafferata, a former addict, wound up homeless for a while. After attending recovery meetings, having long hospital visits, and connecting with himself, he got his life back on track. “[My past experiences] help me to be able to have a conversation by sitting down and telling them that I know how they feel. I wish I got an ornament when I was homeless, but that never happened. Still,
This year, during the
day, we will also have craft booths for last-minute holiday gifts, including some lovely fir cone wreaths and other ornaments crafted from our
When I asked Gail Jonas about how the shelterless felt about getting
gifts from strangers, she told me, “When they come to me to tell me they’re uncomfortable, I hand them a business card that says, ‘Helping Is Easy. Being Helped Takes Strength.’” It shows them that this isn’t pity; it’s an opportunity.
I love being able to look at the faces of the homeless when they get they’re presents. It’s priceless. They literally glow for a second.”
I’m writing this article as a 12-year-old girl who cares. So, starting November 29th through December 18th, show you care by stopping by the Giving Tree, picking up an ornament, and bringing a smile to a shelterless persons face.
Hudson Meyer is in the 7th grade at the Healdsburg School