Page 42 - Sonoma County Gazette - May 2019

It also means, love, compassion, kindness and grace....which is very much needed in today’s society.
Small Business Flood Relief Fund: A grant fund has been established to assist lower Russian River businesses with flood recovery and the Russian River Chamber of Commerce is assisting with fund disbursements. Applications
are available online at russianriver.com. The grant amount is $500-$1500 and chamber membership is not required to apply. If you are a local business that sustained physical damage or lost revenue please fill out an application.
Back in Business: The Village Inn is open for lodging reservations and the Rio Bistro is serving up delicious comfort food with a local flair. While dining you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Boden and/or Gracie the beautiful resident Bengal cats owned by innkeeper Judy Harvey. Rio Villa Beach Resort ( now known as The Inn on Russian River ) is slated to reopen this month as is The Highland Dell. Fern’s Grocery is also open for business.
The Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce’s Golf Tournament is on Friday May 3. All proceeds benefit the Chamber’s July 4th Fireworks Fund. Come on out and enjoy a beautiful spring afternoon at Northwood Golf Club. Support your community and be a T-Sponsor. Tickets and donations at Eventbrite and monterio.org.
Friends of Monte Rio Supper Club is on Monday May 6th. Featured Chef is Saucy Mama’s soul food with Live Music by Two Smooth Band. This has become a very popular event – come early for best seating. FoMR also hosts a free game night on the 2nd Thursday of each month.
Lower Russian River Trail Workshop. Sonoma County Regional Parks announces the Lower Russian River Trail Study targeted at connecting Jenner to Forestville. They are soliciting input and ideas to help shape the future of this trail. Workshops will be at Guerneville Elementary School on Tuesday May 7 from 6-8pm and on Saturday May 11 from 9-11am. I’m a huge fan of community workshops and am delighted that public opinion is being sought on important projects like this one and the new Monte Rio Bridge. More info on the trail study at (707) 565-2041
Monte Rio Beach opens for the season on Friday May 25th with a brand new snack and concession stand to replace the old one damaged in the flood. You can rent kayaks or canoes, play volleyball or horseshoes or just spend
the day enjoying the warm weather. The upstream side of the beach is dog friendly. Did you know we also have pickleball? New nets are going up and there is a small pickleball group that meets on Tuesday and Sunday mornings. Starting in July Friends of Monte Rio and the YMCA will begin offering swimming lessons at the beach. It’s going to be a great summer!
Curtain Call Theater in Monte Rio presents a special adaptation of Macbeth – the Witches Cut. Be prepared to meet the 3 witches in scenes that are often cut from the show Featuring live music with original songs-this production “dramatizes the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake” The show opens on May 31 and runs through June 22. Performances are Friday/Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Thank you to all the actors and volunteers who give their time and energy into putting on these wonderful productions!
Join in on the Luau, celebrating the Spirit of Aloha!
The Russian River Chamber of Commerce Mixer will be held at
Osmosis on Thursday, May 2nd. Be sure to attend as the fun begins at 6 pm; the mixer will be combined with the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce, allowing plenty of opportunity to mingle and network with numerous business owners from West Sonoma County.
On Friday, May 3rd, the First Friday Artwalk will be held
throughout downtown Guerneville. This is your opportunity to visit the newly re-opened Kuhr-Norris Art Gallery in its new, groovy location on the Guerneville Plaza, next door to the Chamber of Commerce office! Suzy Kuhr shows her black & white film photography and Katharine Norris shows her plein air & studio paintings. The gallery is open each month for 1st Friday Artwalk and whenever Katharine is there, painting. I had the honor of making their first sale and enjoy my new artwork purchase on a daily basis; please stop in and admire! Also on Friday, May 3rd is the Monte Rio Chamber of Commerce Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser for Fireworks, which will be held at Northwood Golf Course...even if you don’t golf, you can sponsor a tee, attend the post dinner awards ceremony and join in on the raffle fun!
Thank you to Roger Jensen & Team for all of your hard work and
effort for the towns Flood Relief last month; you are voted most grooviest
in our community! Perfect timing is the theme of this month’s Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’s Bingo...The Little Mermaid...to be held at the Guerneville Vet’s Hall on Saturday, May 11th. Congratulations and thank you to all of the newly sainted Saints; your community recognizes your behind the scenes efforts that you give!
There are three holidays in May, so get ready for lots of visitors to our groovy town: Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day and Memorial Weekend.
The Give Back Tuesday’s this month benefit Friends of Stumptown, Sadie’s Haven, Compassion w/out Borders and MCC Redwood Empire. Thank you to the Rainbow Cattle Company for their generous donation every Tuesday, from all of the organizations throughout our Community!
Don’t forget that next month is the beginning of the Rockin’ on the River Concert Series sponsored by our groovy Russian River Rotary! First concert is on June 13th with Poor Man’s Whiskey; look for the full lineup in next month’s column. Lots of positive changes around town: Russian River Escape’s Vacation Rentals has moved down to the Village Shops and Pop Culture Art Gallery will be moving in to the vacated space.
Right next door, we bid farewell to 3 Alarm Grill, which is now the new and modern German food & beer establishment, BROT, which is brought to us by non other than our very own, groovy, nationally known, Crista Luedtke; the visionary behind her mini Empire on Main Street!
Congratulations to all of our groovy business owners who resurrected from the flood waters; we wish you all much success!
42 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 5/19
I attended the Annual Members Meeting for Community First Credit Union last month and look who was there! The El Molino Marching Band performed several pieces before the meeting began; what a treat! Be sure to look for them
By Marina McTaggart
in the Stumptown Day
have several myself. He has served Monte Rio as a volunteer for so long that he predates the 911 emergency call systems. As a result many residents have his phone number and call him FIRST before calling 911. Monte Rio without Steve Baxman would be like Bedford Falls without George Bailey! A grateful community sends a big THANK YOU to Chief Baxman and all firefighters and first responders.
Parade, Saturday, May 18th beginning at 11 am on Main
Street. This year’s theme is “Aloha”. Did you know Aloha is not just a greeting?
After the flood Monte Rio Rebuilds, Renovates and Renews!
Congratulations to Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman who is the recipient of the April North Bay Spirit Award. The award is given to celebrate and recognize people who make a difference in our community. No one can dispute his dedication and commitment to not just Monte Rio but surrounding communities as well. I’m sure everyone on the river has a “Steve story”- I