community living

Wishing Patti Spaniak-Davidson Well on Her Next Adventure

March 30, 2021 by Deborah Finestone

The natural-born connector. The person who makes us smile every time we think of her. The person who takes and prints pictures of everyone like they are her family. A font of creativity and enthusiasm.

These were just some of the glowing tributes to Patti Spaniak-Davidson, our departing head of Community Connectors, before she and her husband, Tyler, moved to North Carolina.

“Do we owe it to your new neighbors to warn them their lives are going to grow and change?” Judy Goddess quipped.

Here’s more of what team members and neighbors had to say about Patti:

“Patti’s middle name should be ‘connector.’ She’s a master at connecting people and the services and programs they need. I am so grateful for her help in expanding the Always Active program to the Community Connector sites. I am also thankful that our connection became a special friendship. Keep on connecting, Patti!” — Valorie Villela

“Patti, you have been such an inspiration to me! You are one of those rare people in the world that just exudes love and care and fun and friendship and all the good qualities of a human being! You encourage everyone to be creative, to be free, to express themselves, and you bring out the best in everyone around you. I shall miss you very, very much!” — Juliet Rothman

“Patti has been the faithful angel who comes to my gate each week to deliver my Open Hand meals. She always brightens up my corner of Cayuga Avenue with her outfits that are as vividly colored as a 48-color crayon box.” — Paulann Sternberg

In addition, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors recognized her as a catalyst to connect neighbors and a determined advocate for older adults and people with disabilities. Lauren Chung, staff for Supervisor Ahsha Safai, presented her with an official proclamation declaring March 19 as Patti Spaniak-Davidson Day.

Her team of Community Connectors across the city and the rest of the staff at Community Living Campaign will miss Patti and wish her well on her journey!

Meet the rest of us by coming to some of our activities! You can find our calendar of events here.

Let’s Make Stuff with d’Arci: In Living Color (Virtual)

February 9, 2021 by Cira Davis

Color is the artistic element used to create a mood and to express or arouse emotion in the viewer. Colors can have a profound effect on your work and are often one of the most exciting components of a painting. Therefore, choosing the right color palette is really important! In this class, join local artist d’Arci Bruno to look at how complementary contrast colors help to add drama and depth, some basic color theory, and how to create a pleasing color palette. So go grab your arty gear together…and let’s take a look at the world through a kaleidoscope of color!!
(Image: Vincent Van Gogh, Cafe Terrace at Night, 1888)

For this class you will need:
Paints, mixing tray, brushes, paper and water, or colored pencils, markers or pastels.

Full Class Outline Here. Share your class project or get the complete outline after the class at: drivebypie@gmail.com.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT:

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll-free) or 669-900-6833 (local). Enter Meeting ID: 865 6747 4200, then press # twice.
To join with video, click this link: https://zoom.us/j/86567474200 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time. The above link will work on your tablet or your computer. You’ll be prompted to download a Zoom app the first time you use Zoom. If you’re using a PC or Mac, you can join from your web browser without using the Zoom software.

Senior Power on “I DEMAND A REFUND!”

December 29, 2020 by Margaret Graf

We particularly enjoyed this Monday morning post from Margaret Graf, reflecting on 2020 as it draws to a close…

Dear Powers That Be (PTB):

I have been a loyal & normally enthusiastic user of your yearly products for a very long time, usually with only minor grumps & complaints. This past year was the final straw. Frankly, 2020 did not measure up to my expectations & in fact, was one of the worst ever. I admit that I may have been a bit overly enthusiastic in the beginning, it being the start of a new decade & all, but really…it began to fall apart almost from the beginning & only got worse as time went on, pell-melling me & all your other users through a whole year with political farces, a world wide pandemic, weather calamities, fire disasters, extreme social injustice & fatal protests fueling a depressive mood that has brought us to our knees, fairly weeping in despair & crying for mercy. When I say “we” I mean the people, here in U,S, around the world, humans everywhere subjected to an onslaught of your whims & the defective product you foisted upon us. In short, 2020 was too complicated to use, impossible to assemble, came with no warnings or directions on use & was just plain defective nearly from the beginning. The pandemic was the really ‘big one’ wiping out a serious number of us, causing businesses to close, jobs lost, long food lines & despair. Not satisfied with that, you sent along wildfires, floods (never in the same place of course) & economic penalties to boot. Really?? What did we do to deserve this shabby & unconscionable treatment at your hands?? THERE WAS NO LETUP ALL YEAR LONG! Only in the last month, have we begun to be able to counteract your product & slow the disintegration of the whole mess. Thanks to the cleverness of our scientists, we now have 2 (with more on the way shortly) counter-measures (we call them vaccines) to this horror you have visited upon us.

SO…in the spirit of negotiation & recognizing our long standing loyalty to the years you have been kind enough to bless us with in the past, I propose a negotiation, without which I sincerely believe we will have lost all faith in your product & will have to look elsewhere for our future. You are not the only planet in the universe, you know.

I sincerely ask…no demand, on the part of all my fellow humans, that in order to show your good faith you grant us a refund. Minimally, it should reflect the period of use from March-December, when we were hardest hit & before we began to suspect the inadequacy & continued dangerous consumption of your product. I propose that you grant a refund, to each & everyone of us, beginning January 1, 2021, in the form of adding 10 months to the end of each of our lifetimes on Planet Earth to compensate for the period noted above. It is a fair & equitable solution, with little cost or effort to you, not nearly adequate to compensate us for the misery you have cost, but as an expression of your good will toward the future. Please take this demand seriously and reply forthwith.

Sincerely yours,

Margaret Graf, Senior Power

Community Tales: Thanksgiving Gratitude, Memories, and Traditions (Virtual)

November 19, 2020 by Maia Veres

Join emcees Sherri Sawyer and Laura Atkins for a feel-good hour of sharing stories about Thanksgivings past and future. This month, we’ll be sharing stories about our remembrances of America’s most popular holiday for traveling and eating and also sharing what we’re most grateful for this Thanksgiving.

What’s the funniest travel story you have from heading home to visit with family? What’s the best Thanksgiving dinner you ever cooked/eaten/missed? And what is your perfect Thanksgiving? How does this holiday invoke the feeling of gratitude in you? Join us for a true talk about turkey.

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 669-900-6833 (local).
Enter Meeting ID: 865 6747 4200, then press # twice.
To join with video, click this link: https://zoom.us/j/86567474200 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time.

The above link will work on your tablet or your computer. You’ll be prompted to download a Zoom app the first time you use Zoom. If you’re using a PC or Mac, you can join from your web browser without using the Zoom software.

Walking Safely with Walk San Francisco (Virtual)

November 12, 2020 by Maia Veres

Join Walk San Francisco’s Brian Haagsman and Community Living Campaign’s Jennifer Walsh to talk about how to walk safely this fall. We’ll discuss how to get out and exercise by walking amidst COVID-19, during wildfire season, and through the various street changes popping up in neighborhoods (e.g. Slow Streets, Shared Spaces).

And we’ll share how you can get feedback to the City when things aren’t working. Participants will be entered to win one of ten Walking Maps of San Francisco as well as five $10 Safeway giftcards. Captioning will be provided.

Photo Credit: Eric Tuvel

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 669-900-6833 (local). Enter Meeting ID: 870 9317 2392 & Passcode 204674.

To join with video, click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87093172392 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time.

All About In-Home Supportive Services (Virtual)

October 8, 2020 by Maia Veres

Come learn all about San Francisco’s In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program, which provides paid assistance to income-eligible aged, blind, and/or disabled individuals so they can remain safely in their own homes. Services include assistance with household chores, meal preparation, laundry, shopping, and grooming. Christine Ng, a social work supervisor with IHSS & the outreach coordinator, will help answer all your questions about who qualifies and how the program works.

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 669-900-6833 (local).
Enter Meeting ID: 865 6747 4200, then press # twice.

To join with video, click this link: https://zoom.us/j/86567474200 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time.

Fire Safety at Home (Virtual)

October 1, 2020 by Maia Veres

Now that we’re all spending more time at home and cooking more, we need to make sure our homes are fire-safe! This talk will cover how to prevent a home fire, steps to take in response to a home fire, and the recovery actions you should take immediately after a home fire. The presenter will go through home safety checklists, family disaster plans, and teach participants how to use a fire extinguisher and install smoke alarms. Learn how to stay safe at home!

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 669-900-6833 (local).
Enter Meeting ID: 865 6747 4200, then press # twice.

To join with video, click this link: https://zoom.us/j/86567474200 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time.

Community Tales: Discoveries of Fun in Shelter-in-Place Summer (Virtual)

August 27, 2020 by Maia Veres

Join emcees Sherri Sawyer and Laura Atkins for a fun hour of storytelling. This month, come share a story about an activity you’ve been doing this summer that is fun, or energizing, or enriching, or surprising! Did you try one of Kyra’s exercise classes or qigong? Did you join your neighbors for a Walk & Wave? Have you created art or gardened with seeds of hope? Have you cooked food inspired by Chef Lorraine? Come share a tale about the great things you’ve been up to in this most unusual of summers.

To join by phone, dial 888-475-4499 (toll free) or 669-900-6833 (local).
Enter Meeting ID: 865 6747 4200, then press # twice.

To join with video, click this link: https://zoom.us/j/86567474200 to register and join. Wait in the “waiting room” until the activity is ready to start.

To create a friendly environment and minimize interruptions, we will close the activity to new participants 15 minutes after the start time.

Breast Cancer Support Pink Luncheon 2018

November 3, 2018 by Judy Goddess

Breast Cancer Groups Celebrate

On Oct. 11, the Breast Cancer Group of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, and the Bayview Imani Breast Cancer Support Group held their annual celebration luncheon.

Though African-American and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at roughly the same rate, African-American women are 42 percent more likely to die from the disease. There seem to be several reasons for this: African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of the disease, and experience delays in treatment. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with a triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype that is linked to poorer survival.

The OMI breast cancer group meets the third Thursday of the month, from 11 a.m.– noon. The group takes on different projects – murals, paintings and placemats – some of which were on display at the church. Their primary task, explained Barbara Tate, program director at the LCOS, is supporting one another and the newly diagnosed. “When we hear of someone who’s been newly diagnosed, we try to visit and talk with them. We go with them to the doctor if they want us to do that. We listen to their story and tell our own. Whatever the person wants, we’re available.”

October 11, however, was a day to greet old friends, enjoy good food, celebrate and listen to inspirational speeches from Pastor Evered Cohen of the Lutheran Church and the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Ransom-Scott

If you are looking for support or want more information, call Barbara Tate, 415-586-7890.

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Celebrating the ‘Good Neighbors’ Who Build Community Across San Francisco

June 4, 2018 by Marie Jobling

Gifts from the Neighborhoods: Baskets created by each program and neighborhood were among the prizes for this year’s Good Neighbors.

Neighbors throughout San Francisco are at the heart of creating community. In every CLC program, there are many people who share their time and talents to improve lives of fellow seniors and people with disabilities. These dedicated neighbors who share their lifetime of experience and talents demonstrate just how much better we can make our communities when we create opportunities for everyone to contribute.

Each year, CLC hosts a citywide “Good Neighbor” party to thank these neighborhood volunteers for their countless contributions and to honor those in their midst who inspire others in CLC’s neighborhoods and programs.

The afternoon included great food from Mission Language and Vocational School, appetizers from our own Lizette Martinez, and homemade strawberry shortcake from our own Kate Kuckro. Folks also enjoyed a CLC Trivia game, a free prize drawing of themed basics from the different neighborhoods and projects, and fun photos. As one neighbor said, “we come from the north and the south, the east and the west and we join together to learn from one another.”

Honoring Outstanding Neighborhood Volunteers

This year’s Good Neighbor honorees – all seniors or people with disabilities themselves – have contributed in a wide range of ways. But across the board, all are quick to offer help in whatever ways they can. The Honorees help with computers, offer rides, share garden cuttings, host gatherings around the piano, organize neighbors, pack groceries, offer hearing screenings, and reach out to local businesses.

This year’s Good Neighbor Awards go to…