Page 31 - Sonoma County Gazette MARCH 2020

Penngrove Social Firemen (PSF) – here’s what’s up Each year our town’s non-profit service group honors outstanding individuals. The Silver Spoon went to Courtland Pelton who has spent many hours in the kitchen. Gold Key awarded to Joi Losee for her creative help with decoration for the Luau, parade, and other functions. Presidents’ Award went to Jack Withington for the historical articles he provides in the newsletters.
So here is the thing...if we want real face-to-face help, from people
who are knowledgeable in their field, we need to put our money where our mouth is and shop local. Two great examples of what shopping local means to our community are Athletic Soles and Tomasini’s Rex Ace Hardware in downtown Petaluma. Both offer knowledgeable staff and great products. And it might come as quite a surprise to some, but often their prices are cheaper than the big box stores, making shopping with them a double bonus.
At the February meeting, we heard
from Nathan Brindmore, a 9-year-
old student at Penngrove School.
His teacher chose him to attend
the National Youth Leadership
Forum: Pathway to STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Math). This
is a one-week intense program that
focuses on skills such as leadership,
self-management, time management,
communication, collaboration, and goal
setting. It will be held in San Francisco
at the SF University of California
Berkeley, Clark Kerr Campus. He is
fundraising to help offset the expense
of $2,494 and the PSF responded with
$500. In addition, a hat was passed,
with members adding $600, for a total
of $1,100 for his program. This is but one example of how PSF supports its community! A big thanks to those who volunteered and attended the recent Italian Night benefit. It raised $4,893 for maintenance and improvements of the Penngrove Community Clubhouse and Penngrove Park.
When we shop on Amazon or at Target, we not only drive small businesses out, but we lose the decades of knowle And it is a great community because of...you guessed it - COMMUNITY, which is something the likes of Athletic Soles and Rex Hardware help to create. The big box and online stores cannot compete with that.
Here’s Your Saturday, March 14 - It will be quite a day! Start with a Qigong workshop, attend an author talk, and finish with a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner! All are on Saturday, March 14.
10 am -12 pm, March 14. Practice Qigong, a 6,500-year-old martial inner art, and learn practical ways to incorporate mindfulness in daily life. For anyone intending to age gracefully with zest, vigor, and peacefulness. Free. Petaluma Health Center Motivation Room 1179 N. McDowell, Petaluma. Instructor Elad Levinson is a 20 year veteran of training and certification in Radiant Heart Qigong and Mindfulness practitioner since 1978. Class limited to 30. To register, send your email, name and phone number to Elad Levinson LCSW, 707-779-9190, elad.levinson@gmail.com
Gail Newman and Barbara Baer: Jewish Women in Hertory, 2
pm – 4 pm, March 14. In Barbara Baer’s The Ice Palace Waltz, two Jewish immigrant families come together in a family saga amid the financial and political turmoil of early 20th century America. Award-winning poet Gail Newman will read from her forthcoming book about the Holocaust, Blood Memory. The Sitting Room, 2025 Curtis Drive, Penngrove, just off Petaluma Hill Rd. See more literary events at http://www.sittingroom.org/events.html
Corned Beef & Cabbage, 4-7 pm, March 14. Penngrove Social Firemen present that favorite St. Patrick’s meal of corned beef from Bud’s Meat, cabbage, and beverages. Dessert will be sold by the Penngrove 4-H. A Pot-O-Gold drawing offers prizes of Visa gift cards of $200, $100, and $50. Penngrove Community Clubhouse, 385 Woodward Ave. Meals can be taken to go. Tickets are sold at the door, Adults $15; Children under 12, $8. All proceeds help maintain Community Clubhouse & Penngrove Park, for the benefit of the community.
Always bringing poignant speakers to Petaluma, the Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma is hosting “A Historic Evening with Anne Frank’s Stepsister Eva Schloss” at the Petaluma Vets Building on Thur, March 19 at
6 p.m. “Hear a firsthand account of young Anne Frank and of Eva’s survival against all odds, and how she rebuilt her life out of the shadows of darkness and ashes of destruction. Be inspired to never give up hope and always see the light at the end of the tunnel.” www.jewishpetaluma.com
Spring Equinox Relaxation and Energizing workshop,
Nathan Brindmore, a 9-year-old student at Penngrove School.
Daily Acts always offers interesting agricultural and sustainability classes throughout Sonoma County, a list of which can be found at www.dailyacts. org. One such class is a two-day “Sustainable Equine Management” class
on March 7-8, led by Alayne Blickle, “a life-long equestrian, is the founder and director of Horses for Clean Water, an award-winning, internationally acclaimed environmental education program for horse owners since 1990.”
Speaking of a company that supports our community, I need to give
special mention to Golden State Lumber, which is based in Petaluma. CEO and Petaluman Jessica Scerri was kind enough to make a generous donation recently to the Petaluma Woman’s Club in order for them to buy a much needed A/C unit so that they could schedule more rentals during the summer. And Jessica did this even though she is not a members of Petaluma Woman’s Club and even though PWC is not a 501(c)(3) non-profit. If that isn’t a good enough reason to shop Golden State Lumber for your next remodel project, I don’t know what is.
For the kids, and in conjunction with the 75 year anniversary since the liberation of Auschwitz and Anne’s death, the Jewish Book Council will host an introduction to Anne Frank at Copperfield’s Books with a reading of “The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank” by authors David Lee Miller & Steven Jay Rubin, free of charge on Wed, March 18 at 4 p.m. www.AnneFrankPetaluma. com/for-kids
A Night of Shakespeare Shorts at the Phoenix Theater is not until April 6, but the deadline for submissions is March 20, with applicants notified
of acceptance on March 23. This unique event gives local artists, “a chance
to win cash prizes and a little bit of fame for performances of their favorite Shakespeare short. petalumashakespeare.org
Butter & Egg Days is fast approaching (April 25, 2020) and is looking for volunteers. I have volunteered for years, in addition to announcing the parade, and can attest that it is a great way to experience the parade while also being a part of what makes it all happen for everyone else’s enjoyment. For more info, visit www.PetalumaDowntown.com B&E is also holding their button launch party at Lagunitas Tap Room on Tue, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. There will be food, drink and live music, all going to help fund the parade.
The Petaluma Art Center is currently looking for summer arts camp teachers. info@petalumaartscenter.org.
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