10
th
Anniversary Community Forum
Charts Our Path to Improved Communication and Transparency
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As part of our 10-year celebration, more than 100 Ashby Village members and volunteers devoted an afternoon Oct. 5 to sharing what’s valuable about their experience and how our extraordinary community can improve as it matures.
Planned by the Program Leadership Team (PLT) with staff support and contribution from the Communications Interest Group (CIG), the day’s goals were clear: to share what works, and why; to air what doesn’t and to explore how to improve; and to share ideas on how we can care for newer members and volunteers. Board member and volunteer Laura Peck facilitated the program, which was held at Ashby Village’s Julia Morgan Room.
To read the full article and learn more about the Forum, what is already happening, and what is planned, click
here.
If you were unable to attend or just want to review what was said at the Forum, please
CLICK HERE
to view the recorded Forum.
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In honor of this Tenth Anniversary, we cordially invite you
to join us for our special “10 for 10” programming series:
ten events that celebrate who we are as an organization, a community, and a Village.
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Members...
No Plans for Thanksgiving?
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Ashby Village has discovered that some of our Members may not have family that live nearby. This year Ashby Village is organizing a Thanksgiving Day potluck “get-together” for those who may want
to be with other members to celebrate & give thanks.
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November 1, 3:00-4:00 pm
Ashby Village, 1821 Catalina Avenue, Berkeley
Come peruse a contemporary version of artist Judy Chicago’s renowned
Dinner Party exhibition
from the 1970’s that honored famous women with individually designed place settings. Created by members of Albany’s
Impromptu No Tutu
ensemble, this project was inspired by a visit to the original work now housed at the Brooklyn Museum.
In addition,
Impromptu No Tutu
will invite guests to enjoy some easy social movement with music in celebration of “Phenomenal Women” in our lives. Guests will experience the warmth and relaxed pleasure of moving in community that are hallmarks of the
No Tutus.
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End-of-Life Resource Fair
Sunday, November 3, 10 AM - 4 PM
JCC -
Berkeley Branch
, 1414 Walnut Street, Berkeley
Cost
: FREE!
Organizations from around the East Bay will present their programs and resources— all focused on end- of-life care and preparation, health, wellness, and spiritual well-being— at this comprehensive fair. Drop in to engage with professionals and practitioners to help provide insight, guidance, and support.
Ashby Village will be tabling along with the
Gateway Program, a program of our partner project the Berkeley Age Friendly Continuum - come say hi!
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Living Room Chat
Invite a friend to join our Living Room Chat. They'll have the opportunity to hear what Ashby Village offers to our members and volunteers, how it enhances their quality of life, and why it helps them develop peace of mind about the future.
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Sunday, November 10, 2:00-4:00 pm
BERKELEY - RSVP for location
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10 Mile Urban Hike
to Sausalito!
Ashby Village’s first 10-Mile Urban Hike was enthusiastically attended in celebration of Ashby Village's 10
th
anniversary.
Seventeen Village volunteers, members and guests arrived at the San Francisco Ferry Building on Saturday morning, October 12, 2019 and made their way to Sausalito...
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Volunteer B'Cause...
we've been busy!
Ashby Village volunteers spent three weekends supporting
build tiny houses for homeless youth!
We installed windows, doors, locks...we nailed, we hammered and so much more...
Thank you to all the volunteers
who pitched in!
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Hearts N' Hands
Thank you!
"I don’t know how to thank Diane and Peggy enough for the help and clean up of my small
garage
— I surely tried, but there are really no words. They were amazing. Again, my very deep gratitude to all." ~AV Member Marcia Freedman
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Our Embracing Change Series is back for Autumn
Fostering a Healthy Life Style:
Current Research on Nutrition & Aging
- Are you confused by conflicting dietary recommendations?
- Are you experiencing minor or major symptoms of disease and want to slow this process?
- To what extent can we control our health and independence as we age through nutrition and lifestyle?
When: November 6, 2-3PM
Where: Ashby Village Office
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For more info and to register email Roberta Pressman, Healthier Aging Coordinator,
rpress19@gmail.com
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City of Berkeley receives 2019 Innovation Award!
Story by Steve Lustig, Board Member
Ashby Village is proud to share that, with the help of Ashby Village, the City of Berkeley won the 2019 Innovation Award – from the SCAN Foundation, in partnership with the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging – for
The Berkeley Age-Friendly Continuum
.
Read more about the:
- Age-Friendly Initiatives in Berkeley
- 2019 Innovation Award
- Ashby Village's Continued Dedication & Involvement
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*NEW* Support Group
90 Plus Club
Our first meeting will be Friday, November 8th, 1:30PM to 3:00PM
Members over 90 get together to discuss uncertainty and other issues in their lives. Nothing is off the table so let’s get together to talk about it. It is a support group, which meets on the 2
nd
Friday of every month.
When
: Every 2nd Friday, 1:30-3:00 pm
Where
: Ashby Village, accessible entrance on San Pedro Ave - please let us know before if you need help (call 510-204-9200)
Open to
: Members
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*Reminder* Note About Member Solicitation of Drivers
As we form friendships with others in the Ashby Village community (after all, that's why we're here!), many situations arise -- especially at Ashby Village activities -- where people naturally are comfortable directly asking each other for a ride to/from the event. It is important to note that in this situation, the insurance that Ashby Village carries would not apply. While Ashby Village always encourages community and sharing and certainly giving each other rides is part of that, the driver needs to know that her/his car insurance is in force on that occasion.
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Plan Ahead to Submit Articles to This Newsletter
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Would you like your event or notice to appear in the Village Voices Newsletter? Use
this simple form
to submit your material.
It takes us time to prepare each issue! Remember that the DEADLINE for each newsletter is the 15th of the previous month. Late submissions are not guaranteed placement in the next newsletter.
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Would you like personal assistance from Technology & Electronics Volunteers?
Volunteers can help you with a
wide range
of devices!
- Want to learn more about your smart phone or tablet?
- Not sure how to get your TV hooked up?
- Interested in finally getting your printer to work?
- Ready to learn how to use Skype or FaceTime to have video calls with friends and family?
- Have you had enough of that weird thing that keeps happening with your computer?
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Upgrade Woes? Maybe You Need to Buy a New Computer
by Lincoln Spector, Hilary Naylor and Maryl Gearhart
Is your computer too slow? Is your iMac unable to upgrade to the latest Operating System (OS)? Are you running a PC with Windows-7 -- an OS that will no longer be secure on Jan 15, 2020?
An old computer, like a carton of milk past its expiration date, can actually be dangerous, because older computers are less secure. And in a world where cybercriminals want to take over your computer, you need as much security as you can get! Here are some signs that you may need a new computer:
- Is your computer just too slow?
- Can you run the latest version of your operating system (OS)?
- Do you hear grinding or clicking noises?
CONSIDER PURCHASING A NEW DEVICE! ... Read full article
here
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Neighborhood Groups &
Ongoing Activities
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Check out our
online calendar for the
full view of our upcoming meetings, activities and other
events.
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Reflections on Past Events
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Ashby Village Picnic
Story by Mary Jo Powell, Photos by Nancy Rubin
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A beautiful sunny day, shady spot with picnic tables in a lovely green park, and over seventy people eating good food and enjoying conversation – this was the Ashby Village Picnic in the Park on September 21
st
. The picnic was held at Arlington Park in El Cerrito.
Planned and executed by what had previously been known as the Ashby Village Events Team, this event was an unqualified success. A big thank you to the folks on that team – it felt good to work together again. Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped with set up and clean up, especially Don Hubbard and Sigrid Duesberg, and thank you to all who attended, brought such delicious food, and contributed to a wonderful afternoon together!
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Pre-Social Hour Event: Docent Talk on "The Great Wave"
Story and photo by Erik Whitaker
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On October 4th, about 20 members and volunteers attended our pre-social hour event where we learned about “The Great Wave”, by Francis Turnly. This will be Berkeley Repertory Theatre's first production of the 2019/2020 season. Our speaker was Docent Rebecca Woolis, who gave a fantastic presentation and even stayed for the Social Hour.
The presentation focused on "The Great Wave", a riveting geopolitical thriller and a powerful story of the unshakeable bonds between a mother, a daughter, and a sister who refused to give up hope.
We also learned from the docent that if we keep having good turnouts at the Berkeley Rep talks, they will continue to come to Ashby Village for more talks.
We look forward to seeing you at future pre-social hour presentations!
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Elder Action in Action
On October 23rd, Elder Action spearheaded a Voter Registration Postcard Campaign. Twenty "Writers" addressed 350 cards urging residents of Arizona to register and vote. Thanks to all who participated!
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Interest Group of the Month
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Communications Interest Group (CIG)
Encouraging and Supporting Communication Within Ashby Village
The Communications Interest Group (CIG)
appreciates the beginnings of Ashby Village as a (smaller) member-driven community of of like-minded people working together to support one another in the challenges of aging. We want to continue this "bottom up" creativity in the growing, more complex organization our village has become.
CIG got its start last spring as a squeaky wheel. We were concerned about what we experienced as insufficient transparency in the communication and decision making within Ashby Village.
First we wrote a letter to Andy focused on hiring new staff and detailing our concerns; his response was positive and immediate. The initial meeting CIG members had with Andy and Laura Peck (from the Board) led to other opportunities and a collaborative process evolved into working with the Program Leadership Team (PLT) to help design the community-wide Forum. We were delighted to discover that the PLT shared our interest in communication from members. We were thrilled by the positive energy and all the ideas that were generated by so many people in the second half of the Forum.
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This energy from the Forum is a first step in opening within our village new ways to elicit concerns and needs. Going forward, we anticipate regular opportunities to share our community-wide thoughts, proposals, skills etc. as we continue to meet and connect with one another. One of the joys in working together among ourselves and within the larger village has been the greater trust generated by this creative, open-ended process as we continue to feel our way into what's possible and what's next.
Come Join Us!
One of our goals all along has been to include more people in this process. To tell us who you are and to find out more about us, please contact
Charlotte Shoemaker
or call 510 540 7185. You will hear back from us—we want to get to know you.
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"Beware the Old Woman in the Back Seat", written by one of Ashby Village's new members, Kendra Smith, aged 96; this piece reflects Kendra's musings on old age.
Kendra is a retired psychologist who worked in mental health clinics. Her dissertation was on Buddhist psychology and some Western psychotherapies.
"For the makers of Tylenol, hallelujah! It takes 15-20 minutes to seep into my veins and turn the pain in my hip joints into a warm glow. Topical marijuana works well on more surface pain. Pioneers in the West used to grow opium poppies and apply the seeds to tooth-ache sufferers. They are beautiful flowers, and if I knew where to get the seeds I would grow them in my garden. People age differently, but the one thing we all may share is chronic pain. Severe pain is like red hot anger. It is one dimensional; everything else is obliterated. Fortunately, chronic pain is not that; it’s more like the drone in Indian music..."
Read the full piece
here!
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Berkeley Broadway Singers Upcoming Concerts
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Berkeley Broadway Singers Fall
2019 concerts will take place on Saturday, November 23 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 24th at 4:00pm.
Both concerts are free and will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley at 1 Lawson Road in Kensington.
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Member Collects Bulbs and Seeds from His Garden and Offering a Fine Selection to Ashby Village Members
Here’s what is presently available
- Bulbs: sparaxis tricolor and babiana stricta
- Seeds: orlaya grandiflora, echium plantagineum, linaria purpurea, scabiosa ocroleuca, asclepias curavassica, kalanchoe delagoensis and petroselinum crispum.
All flourish in our climate zone. Contact Roger by
email
.
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Movement (R)evolution Africa
65 min. Subtitles are only for languages other than English.
Sunday, November 17th 2-4 PM
"The film is a knockout."—Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice, Jan. 2007
"...Movement (R)evolution Africa...summates all the riches and frustrations of Africa. Revering the body as a form of fluid sculpture, these fierce artists from across the continent adapt conventional dance to their unique sense of self...in order to challenge the West's stereotypical ideas of Africa. Movement is their voice and it screams in the film, 'Africa must speak!'"—Ed Gonzalez, Village Voice, April 2007
This dynamic documentary is an opportunity to see the work of eight contemporary African choreographers and dance companies. Their creations grow out of both traditional African dance movement and contemporary European dance-theater. In addition to the wealth of film clips from live performances, we see and learn from the interactions of the dancers as they create dances together, lead classes and participate in a symposium at the Center for World Arts at the University of Florida.
In addition to its' wealth of energy this film connects with Sam Duncan's presentation on the Congo in September, 2019. One of the featured choreographers in Movement (R)evolution Africa is Faustin Linyekula from the Congo.
Please
email Mary Goldstein, our hostess,
for the address and to reserve your seat (and also to cancel your reservation if your plans have changed.)
Please do not register on the AV website
.
When you come please avoid fragrances in personal care products as well as in laundry products.
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Local Technology Startup Looking for Beta Testers
SeniorFusion, a nonprofit initiative of the American Medical Women's Association, has engaged with Totemic, a technology startup based in Palo Alto to recruit 10 motivated beta testers over the age of 65 who live alone and who are at high-risk of falling to partner in a 30-day trial of
a stand-alone, unintrusive fall-detection sensor for seniors. To learn more, please contact SeniorFusion CEO Carla Din,
carla@seniorfusion.org
or SeniorFusion CTO Doug Mosher,
doug@seniorfusion.org
; (510) 531-6104.
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Ashby Village takes no responsibility for the representations or actions of any other persons or organizations, and inclusion of them in this newsletter does not indicate that Ashby Village recommends their services or products.
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Jane Falk
May, 1943 - June, 2019
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Ashby Village is sad to share that we were recently informed of Jane Falk's passing.
Jane was a linguist who was proud of her direct New Yorker style of discussion (and argumentation). Always interesting and interested in big questions. Remembered for the intensity of her spirit and love of life, and for her perseverance through the challenges of health – she succeeded in softening her heart before it finally failed her.
Read her full obituary
here
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Karl Zimmer
September, 1927 - September, 2019
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Karl Zimmer, UC Berkeley Emeritus professor, passed away on September 2, 2019. Karl joined the Department of Linguistics in 1965. His research focused on Turkish and morphology; see especially his important early paper on
“Psychological correlates of some Turkish morpheme structure conditions”
Language 45(2), 309-321. He retired from teaching in 1991 and was honored with a festschrift called Puzzles of Language: Essays in Honour of Karl Zimmer in 2011.
He was cherished by his colleagues for his good humor, friendship, wit, and poetry, and will be missed.
The Linguistics Department is planning a memorial event in his honor on Sunday, December 8, 2019, from 12-3pm at the Alumni House.
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Thank you to the Ashby Village volunteers who contributed to this issue of the Village Voices newsletter.
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