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MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Distributed to Village members and to others who have expressed an interest.
The Ashby Village Member Digest, published between newsletters, is available to members only.
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It Takes a Village
Membership Fund
Donors
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Dr. Joel and Maria Fort
Fund for Ethics Wisdom
and Solving Solution
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| | Judy and John Boe | | June and Earl Cheit | Joan Cole and
Bob Wendlinger | | Alison Colgan and Darryl Katz | | Merle and Bob Davis | | C. Sue Diehl | | Marcia Freedman | | Bob Forthman | | Timothy Gordon | Shirley Haberfeld and
Bob Allegroti | | Charlotte Herzfeld | Sondra Jensen and
Paul Clinton | | Naneen Karraker | | Elizabeth Kelly | | Wendy Lichtman | Andra Lichtenstein and
William Glover | | Steve and Linda Lustig | | Barbara H. Morgan | | Milt Mozen | | Thelma Peck | | Ingrid Pfeiffer | | Roberta Pressman | | Diane Resek | | Eric J. Schroeder | | Jane and Joe Selby | | Sandra and Mal Sharpe | Barbi Jo Stim and
Sam Ciofalo | | Pat and Peter Sussman | | Harriet Simpson | | Patricia Ungern | Marj Wolf
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AND SPECIAL THANKS TO
Archstone
Foundation for their ongoing support in building a sustainable Ashby Village
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It Really Does "Take a Village"
The commitment of our community to make Ashby Village programs and services accessible to a broad range of older adults is clear. To date, we have received more than
$9,500 in donations to the "It Takes a Village Membership Fund." This is a solid commitment to diversifying our membership. Further details of this fund will be shared in upcoming publications. We'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Funds inaugural donors to the left.
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Berkeley Broadway Singers at the Holiday Party
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A Fresh New Year
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Andy Gaines begins the
new year with a freshly shorn beard
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As I wrote my first column of the new year I wanted to make sure that I expressed my gratitude to all the family and friends I have met through Ashby Village. The last year and a half since launch has been a dynamic and fully satisfying adventure. Our Village has clearly grown in numbers from 85 members on July 1, 2010 to 185 today. Service requests continue to increase, and participation in our various community events is also growing. Ashby Village is thriving!
This year will be a year for broadening our community, affirming for people on an ongoing basis the value of being part of Ashby Village. Neighborhood "pods", introduced at the Holiday Party, will become a building block for your own neighborhood potlucks, outings, or other activities. A series of "salons" are planned to provide a forum where villagers cans share ideas, experience, art and wisdom. Several online tools, including our website member-only login, and Facebook page, will serve as new forums for us to connect. And we're examining ways to more directly welcome and engage new members and volunteers.
Thanks to the Archstone Foundation grant 2012 will be a year of reflection and planning. Since October, a diverse group of Ashby Village members has been working hard on the first steps toward developing "The Ashby Village Plan for Sustainability." Sustainability is the main topic of all villages nationwide. The next step is a March Member Forum where Ashby Village members will have an opportunity to hear about these first steps and to provide feedback that will inform our next steps. At the end of January we will be sending out our
second annual Member Survey. It is expected that the results will give us a better sense of who we are, our expectations for services and activities, and how we have changed in the past year.
I am looking forward to having Ashby Village members and volunteers join me for a this coming Saturday for a creative movement workshop to welcome the new year. I look forward to seeing you soon...
Andy Gaines
Executive Director
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Activities sponsored by Ashby Village
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Creative Movement with Executive Director Andy Gaines
Creative movement is a powerful forum for activating the body and connecting with other people. In his earlier life, Andy Gaines received an MA in Dance/Movement Therapy and facilitated  dance classes with youth, adults and the aging. This fun, interactive class will allow participants of all physical levels and abilities to leave the class feeling positive, energized, and cared for.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Ashby Village Community Lunch at Picante Mexican Restaurant Join us for our bi-monthly Village gathering. - 1328 Sixth St., Berkeley.
- Open to members and up to two guests.
- Wheelchair accessible.
- RSVP here or call our office at (510) 204-9200.
- Let us know if you need a ride.
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Slides and Discussion: Current events in Ethiopa
Several program models are being discussed for Ashby Village that will provide ways for smaller groups of members to meet, share common passions and tap each others' expertise. In this pilot evening, Roger and Audre Newman will show and talk about their 2011 trip to Ethiopia and open the group discussion. It will be beneficial if participants prepare by reading something about Ethiopia before the event. Following are several suggested articles: -- History and Current State of Affairs -- Lucy, a world famous hominid - Newmans' home, 2911-A Fulton St., Berkeley.
- Dessert will be served.
- Open to members, volunteers and up to two guests.
- This home is not wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you need a temporary ramp.
- RSVP here or call our office at (510) 204-9200.
- Let us know if you need a ride.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 12:00-2:00 p.m. NATURE WALK: Arrowhead Marsh  | |
Arrowhead Marsh
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This walk is especially good for watching bird migrations. The first hour will be spent as a single group, followed by guided walks for fast and slower-paced travel. Optional lunch at local restaurant will follow. - The park and adjacent trail system can be reached directly from a parking area off I-880. Take the Hegenberger Road exit in Oakland. There is a staging area just past the bridge over channelized San Leandro Creek, shown here.
- Open to all.
- Wheelchair-accessible.
- RSVP here or call our office at (510) 204-9200.
- Let us know if you need a ride.
Sunday, March 4, 2:00-4:00 p.m. MEMBER FORUM: Planning for Sustainability Since October, a diverse group of Ashby Village members has been developing a "Plan for Sustainability," initiated by the Archstone Foundation grant. An essential
part of this exercise is to solicit and incorporate the ideas from the whole membership so that this can truly be an exercise that engages all of Ashby Village's stakeholders. This planning process will be ongoing until this summer. This Forum, facilitated by Laura Peck, will be the first of several contacts with the membership to get their input. Steve Lustig and Bill Webster will give a short presentation on the
progress so far and the community will be asked to add their thoughts and feedback. - Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda in Berkeley. There is a parking lot in the rear of the building, and street parking is available.
- Wheelchair accessible.
- RSVP here or call our office at (510) 204-9200.
- Let us know if you need a ride.
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| WORD ON THE STREET | | CBS-5 TV News
Tuesday, January 3, 2012; 6:00 News
Service Allows Bay Area Seniors To Stay In Their Homes Don Ford reports 
If you have been trying to figure out how Ashby Village works, this video can help. Last week Channel 5 featured Ashby Village in a news report. I really liked the piece because it showed how Ashby Village works from the perspective of a member receiving services in her home, a volunteer helping a member with chores and the office staff responding to a request. Click on the link above to see the video. From the East Bay Smart Senior Blog Love Letter This is a love letter, a note to let you know that both Jan Taradash, who, so cheerfully, drove my shredding to the shred plant and Julianne Morris, who tallied my health-insurance mailings (there were many), co-ordinating them into a cohesive choice for me, are my heroes of the week. Why the heroism? Here is one of several examples: Julieanne arrived at my house, several days after the health-insurance mailings, prepared to make chicken soup with me, only to discover that I had canceled that request, a cancelation of which she was not informed.
Yet, since there at my front door she was, I asked her if she would be able to do a little ironing for me, which she did, cheerfully, even though she said ironing was definitely not her strong suit. I was a happy camper, thereby.
I look forward to more such assistance from your volunteers. May their tribe increase.
Appreciatively, Jackie Bandel |
HELP!
Village Needs and Opportunities | | |
Ashby Village is outgrowing its office
Do you own, work with, or know of a building with extra space? Ashby Village is now outgrowing our current facilities and is actively seeking other space options. We would like three or more rooms, and ideally access to an optional large meeting room. We would like it to be located in an easily accessible site in our service area. As a small nonprofit, cost is a strong consideration. Please contact Andy with any leads.
Second Annual Member Survey
Later this month Ashby Village will conduct its second annual member survey. The first set of questions has been designed by Ashby Village to give us all a better sense of who we are, what our expectations for service are and how we have changed in the last year. The second set of questions has been developed by U.C. Berkeley and the Archstone Foundation and is an evaluation tool being conducted by Villages statewide to gather further information about the Village movement. We think you will find both parts of the survey interesting and responses are strictly anonymous. Once again, we're aiming for a 100% response rate so we can move forward in directions that serve our members best. Thanks so much for your support.
Seeking hosts for Living Room Chats
"Word of mouth" is how people learn about Ashby Village and we're seeking people to host a Living Room Chat. The Ashby Village "speakers bureau" provides a dynamic conversation between members, volunteers and prospective Village participants. Please email Jane Selby to set up your Living Room Chat. Drivers, drivers...calling all drivers! Our biggest service request is for transportation so we need more drivers. The current volunteer drivers tell us that providing rides is one of the best ways to support and connect with members. If you haven't already please consider applying to be part of our volunteer program. If you are already a volunteer please know that giving a ride helps more than you can know.
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| VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS | | |
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Volunteer Orientation & Training
Members are increasingly calling in for support, which is wonderful! In order
to effectively satisfy their requests, we need to continue growing our volunteer
program. Some of the particular areas where volunteers are needed for Ashby Village include transportation, home handywork, support of members at medical appointments, and communications (newsletter, digests, website). To learn more about becoming a volunteer, or to know what volunteer services are available to you as a member, please contact the office.
- The Ashby Village Office, 2330 Durant Ave, Berkeley
- Wheelchair accessible
- If you would like to participate, fill out an application online or contact us at 510-204-9200.
APPRECIATION: Nancy Ceridwyn
Nancy Ceridwyn's vibrant love of the outdoors, of plants and animals, the skies
and the sea, is immediately apparent to anyone who has gone on a nature walk with
her. To talk to her is to want to be outdoors, looking up at the birds in the trees
and distinguishing their colors, shapes and various behaviors, or looking down to examine the way the squirrels are managing their lives. A born teacher, she loves to share her knowledge - especially with elders (lucky us!) - and her gentle manner
 | Nancy at the Cesar Chavez
Nature Walk |
makes listening to her a special pleasure. Inspired by Ted Roszak, she also sees "the healing value of wilderness" reflected in her unceasing quest to enlarge and expand her own life while sharing and contributing to others - particularly elders.
She brings a wide range of education and experience - studies in gerontology and sociology among others. Gaining a master's degree in recreation administration focusing on older adults prepared her for a first job in Seattle advocating and assisting older adults. This was followed by 20 years working in Colorado senior centers as she picked up a second master's degree in adult education specializing in older adult Learning. Moving from Boulder, Colo., to the Bay Area with her husband, Nancy joined the staff at the American Society on Aging working on projects with refugees and their elders, promoting brain health and tackling the problems of older drivers. And when it felt like too many conferences - (and maybe books) - and too few people, further studies in oceanography and ornithology prepared her to take people, particularly elders, on nature walks. This is the natural culmination of all her experience and the realization of what she most loved to do.
Written by Marion Benedict
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| WELCOME NEW MEMBERS | |
- Gerald Berreman
- Sheila Diehl
- John Haracz
- Margaret Jesseph
- Shirley Jowell
- Josephine Rand
- Sharon Caplow Todd
- Keiko Yamanaka and Gerald Berreman
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CONTACTS
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Committee Chairs
MEMBERSHIP: Betty Webster, b.b.webster@att.net
COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND EVENTS: Laura Peck, lpeck@clarosconsulting.com
Barbi Jo Stim, barbini27@aol.com
SERVICES: Joann Sullivan, joann_sullivan@comcast.net
Judy Boe, judyboe@aol.com
Shirley Haberfeld, shaberfeld@comcast.net
SOCIAL SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE: Roberta Pressman, rpress19@comcast.net
FUNDRAISING: Enid Pollack, enidcpollack@gmail.com
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: Patricia Sussman, pat@psussman.com
MARKETING AND OUTREACH: Marcia Freedman, marciafree@earthlink.net
LIVING ROOM CHATS SUBCOMMITTEE: Jane Selby, janeselby@comcast.net
Staff
MEMBER SUPPORT: support@ashbyvillage.org
GENERAL INQUIRIES: info@ashbyvillage.org
MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS: membership@ashbyvillage.org
NEWSLETTER/DIGEST SUBMISSIONS: publications@ashbyvillage.org
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Andy Gaines: andy@ashbyvillage.org
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR: Andrea Mok: mok@ashbyvillage.org
Board
CHAIR: Patricia Sussman
VICE CHAIR: Shirley Haberfeld
SECRETARY/TREASURER: Andra Lichtenstein
Bob Davis
Marcia Freedman
Laura Peck
Roberta Pressman
Jane Selby
Barbi Jo Stim
Betty Webster
Marj Wolf
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