February 2011

CLAIMING OUR PLACE IN HISTORY

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead

On January 15th, a lively and committed group of Ashby Village volunteers gathered to claim our history, celebrate our accomplishments and dream into the future.

The Volunteer Forum opened with participants -- including a number of Board and Advisory Board members -- sharing visions of something valuable that Ashby Village has brought to the community. Responses included friendship, community, connection, possibility, a new paradigm for our children, mutual support, caring, and bringing together Berkeley's Northside and Southside.

More than 30 volunteers then spent the rest of the morning creating a history wall, documenting the evolution of the Village movement of which we are a part; the political, economic and demographic trends shaping our reality; and the key events in the startup of our own Village.   

Susan Poor, founder of SF Village who now works for the National Village-to-Village Network, gave  an overview combining national political, economic and aging trends from the '60s through the challenges of Governor Brown's first budget in his current term. Some of the facts and trends she highlighted in her talk were: 

• There are over 50 Villages in operation across the country, with hundreds more in formation.  
• The Village-to-Village Network serves as a forum and cyber-resource and hosts  an annual conference bringing together representatives of the Villages.
• The U.S. population over 65 is expected to double between now and 2050.
• As of January 15, we have nearly 140 members. (Since then, 12 more have joined.)

Facilitator Elizabeth Carty at the "History Wall"

The facilitator, Elizabeth Carty, created an organized and robust structure for the meeting, one that encouraged participants to learn, contribute and enjoy each others' company.  The result was a powerful recognition of  the work we are doing as part of a longer time frame and a broader context.  Participants experienced first-hand the intelligence, vitality and commitment of those who comprise our rapidly growing Village.

-- Laura Peck, Co-Chair,  

Community-Building and Events Committee 

* * * 

ANNOUNCING A NEW SERVICE 

The Social Services Committee is pleased to announce a free consulting service to help Ashby Village members handle questions such as:.

• Are things changing at home?
• Are you or your partner experiencing increased stress or challenges managing tasks of daily living, due to changes in physical or psychological functioning?  
• Would it be helpful to speak with someone to begin to address these emerging issues?

Starting this spring, members of our Social Services Committee -- all of whom have professional counseling experience -- will be available to meet with Ashby Village members. The purpose of these visits will be to assist  members in define better their problem and, if appropriate, suggest a resource or make a referral to an agency or professional that could help.  All meetings will private and confidential. It is important to clarify that these visits would not involve any formal therapy or even continued visits.   

Meetings can be scheduled for the first and third Wednesdays of the month, from 10 a.m. to noon, starting on March 2. 

Please contact the Ashby Village office at (510) 204-9200  to set up an appointment. If you prefer, you may also call Roberta Pressman, Chair of the Social Services Committee, at (617) 319-9801 to schedule an appointment.