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Evan Wiig, director of the state-wide Farmers Guild and Sebastopol Grange Lecturer, and farmer Caiti Hachmyer will be interviewed on KOWS-FM on Jan. 4, Mon., 5-6 p.m. on KOWS newest program, “A Better World IS Possible,” hosted by Sebastopol Granger Shepherd Bliss.

Petaluma Grange Vice-President was recently interviewed on this program. Other Grange members will be interviewed on coming “Better World” programs, which airs the 1st, 3rd, & 5th Mondays of each month. Ricard Heinberg of the Post-Carbon Institute will be interviewed on Jan. 18. He will be speaking about issues such as the Paris climate change meeting, peak oil, and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

You can listen on http://kows107-3.org/. All shows can be streamed live on KOWS.FM, in the Occidental area.

http://kows107-3.org/kows-shows/show/a-better-world-is-possible/

Applications for 2015-16 Grange #306 Scholarships are now being accepted. Find out more about the Youth Grangers Scholarship, the School Program Scholarship, and the Member Education Scholarship.

Thursday, November 12, 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Calling all Sebastopol villagers to come and celebrate our community and this special place we call home. Come join us for a community potluck and night of celebration as we kick off our planning for the next Sebastopol Village Building Convergence.

We will be celebrating the Placemaking Ordinance passed by the City of Sebastopol this year and also the fact that we are now an official committee of the Sebastopol Grange! Join us as we honor our wonderfully supportive city and outstanding Grange in the creative style of the VBC.

We are also delighted to announce the dates and theme for the 2016 Sebastopol Village Building Convergence.

Please come with a potluck dish and your kids and grandparents and be prepared to have some casual down home fun. Potluck from 6-7

We welcome your interest in placemaking projects and plugging in to help organize the 2016 VBC.

You will also have the opportunity to participate in an all ages hands on art project called Redwood Revolution that will be part of Global Climate March happening on November 28.

The Sebastopol Village Building Convergence is a 10-day festival to build resilient communities through placemaking projects, celebrations, and networking. The event combines creative community development, hands-on education, and community celebration.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1639219503014502/

Wednesday, December 2, 2015, 5 – 8 pm

Please join us for the Holiday Networking Party Dec. 2, 5-8 pm, hosted by the Sonoma County Conservation Council and the Sebastopol Grange!

This event includes members of many local environmental groups and offers music with our beloved Thistledown Ramblers, (Jerry Allen & Lisa Waltenspiel), food, wine, hot cider and comradery.
$25 includes dinner and one drink. Pay at the door.

The party benefits the Environmental Center of Sonoma County.
http://envirocentersoco.org/.

Volunteers needed to help at the event. For more information, contact
Wendy Krupnick, 544-4582, wlk@sonic.net

Click for printable flyer.

Until now, many property managers and HOAs have banned the use of outdoor clotheslines, despite the benefits to the environment and the energy savings it provides. Renegades have had to hide their fresh air laundry drying habits.

But Gov. Jerry Brown recently passed Assembly Bill 1448 into law, which requires property managers to let renters and homeowner association members string clotheslines in private areas.

Laura Shafer, a Sebastopol Granger, artist and activist, has long advocated for increased use of solar laundry drying. Her portfolio of artistic photography celebrates laundry drying in the sun and she and her husband design and build custom redwood trellis laundry lines. She has a lifelong appreciation of line-drying and is passionate about our increasing need to save energy and cut carbon emissions.

In 2014, Shafer put a resolution forward to the California State Grange to oppose any prohibitions against clothesline use. Sebastopol Granger Lawrence Jaffe championed it at the State Grange Convention and the resolution was passed. The action was noticed by Assemblywoman Patty Lopez, D-San Fernando, who introduced Assembly Bill 1448 in February 27, 2015. Shafer went to Sacramento to testify in support of the bill. After passing through every stage of committee approval, the bill was approved by Governor Brown on October 8.

Shafer says, “I’m happy I did my part and that my Grange did too, to help make this happen.”

Photography by Laura Shafer.

11-4pm, at the Sebastopol Grange.

Celebrating local, hand-made arts and crafts. 35 + Vendors with jewelry, clothing, quilts, body care products, ART, sweets and savories, and much more. This event is FREE and FUN. There will be music, food, laughter, and an exciting raffle to benefit the “ECO2 School” program.

Come join us in discovering the local, crafty creations our County has to offer. Stock up on your holiday gifts and treats while supporting your local community.

Help spread the word! Click image for printable flyer

Craft Faire Printable Flyer

Don’t miss these films about environmental issues that impact us all!

LITE Initiatives  –  Wednesdays, 7pm  –  $5-10.

• Oct. 28, 2015 • 7 pm  –  Pump: An alternative to Gasoline.
• Nov. 4, 2015 • 7 p m  –  Bringing it Home: Products from renewables.
• Nov. 11, 2015 • 7 pm   –  Symphony of the Soil: Growing our soil.
• Help spread the word! Click image for printable flyer

Dear Fellow Grangers,

Although I have been planning the event for two years, I have failed to
secure enough volunteer helpers to do a Halloween Party on October 30th.

So I am giving up the dream and canceling my plans for the party.

Thanks to the wonderful people who did volunteer.

Regards,

John

The event held at the Grange on Wednesday, 9/23, was based on the “Healing Village” type of environment, with a beautiful alter in the center and many works of art all around. We created the altar to have a place for those who lost their homes and livelihood to pour their grief out.

We also had many healers come and go throughout the day and give sessions. We had many types of bodywork, acupuncture, counseling and sound healing represented. Fire victims received free healing services; local supporters paid $20 for a 20 min session to raise funds. We also had a silent auction, beautiful sound healing and live music by Eostar and Mathias. Some brought beautiful art to share. A dance topped off the evening into the late night. We had Harbin’s own DJ Omer there, in addition to DJ Feral for the wonderful dance part of the event. The room was full.

The day was truly profound. I will not soon forget how it felt to see so many of the Harbin folks that were scattered to the winds after the fire, reuniting there in that room with tearful hugs and many stories to tell. I believe this was the first time they were all in the same room since their loss. This event was primarily for giving a space to begin the healing process after such a loss. In their case, it is not just a loss of home and work, it is also a loss of a very tight-knit community.

There were many who generously came to help. Some of the healers were there all day, giving, giving, giving! This community rocks.

There were many, many tears, sobs, healing, hugs and the room was palpable with love and care. We said prayers for everyone’s recovery and for Harbin’s next life.

Even though the priority of the event was for giving the fire victims healing and support, we raised over $1000! This money is going into a special fund created just for Harbin residents.

There are pics and names of the healers/helpers from the event if anyone wants that info. You can go to the facebook page to see them

A big thank you to Gary and Jerry and the Grange for making it so smooth and easy to have this event at the Grange.
Thank you to the Grange!
I love you!

Many of us want to have another one at some point, so stay tuned!

be well, all
Julia Bystrova

On the evening of Sept. 17, while thousands fled the devastation of Lake County’s Valley Fire that has so far consumed hundreds of homes and over 70,000 acres, our humble Grange Hall in Sebastopol, just sixty miles south of the inferno, overflowed with farmers, chefs, local food advocates, Grangers and caring citizens who together raised over eighteen thousand dollars to aid victims of the wildfire.

Four hundred of us.

Read the story here.