Bodega Bay Beat by Joan Poulos - September 2017

When you are trying to write about your community, it is great to have friends that are doing good things for the community as sources.

Swim Team: This week JoAnn Bray called to tell me about the great benefit the children of Bodega Bay have realized by being in the swimming program at the Bodega Harbour Homeowners’ Pool. She had just hung up when Carolyn Conners called to tell me about the same program. It is a total benefit to the community. Kudos to all those who drove to pick up the kids that had no transportation; and kudos to the Harbour members who for many years have improved the summertime life of Bodega Bay School kids (and this year open to kids who go to school elsewhere but who live in Bodega Bay. )

This is not just a fly-by-night program. Apparently Sandy Horn has returned every summer to teach swimming. Kudoes to those who sacrifice to help our young people (whether it is driving them to the event or supporting a program like this.) If my information is accurate this has been going on eighteen years. Thanks to Sandy Horn. This has become one of the great events in Bodega Bay (like Fish Fest or the Grange Ciopopino Feed..)These are the kinds of events that make this such a special place to live (now if the pool could be open to adult members of the community (who would be happy to pay a fee)it would be near perfect.

Love where we LIVE: Speaking of reinforcement of our pleasure with where we live, just get a “Congratulations. You are a Winner” phone call. The callers are so exuberant about their awards it is hard to dissuade them. When they have offered you a prepaid flight to the Bahamas, or San Diego, they are offended when you tell them that Bodega Bay is the best place in the world to live. They usually “stomp away” with some disbelieving last comment. I have nothing against traveling—I have enjoyed all the offered sites. But my experience has led me to suspect that there is some catch in the offer: something “innocuous” like buying a time share (did you ever try to sell your timeshare?)

Bay Dredging: Apparently the dredging will happen in September. My information is that the dredgings will be taken out to sea and dumped in a deep place in the ocean. This decision was made partly in recognition of the intense truck traffic the community would be subjected to if the dredging were dumped in the pond below the Bird Walk. Travel by sea is cheaper than driving the huge dump trucks which would be called for. We lament using the ocean as a dumping ground, but this appears to be the best choice and we are grateful that those in charge (including Caryl Hart—friend of parks who resigned)weighed all the aspects of the issue and considered the best interests of those who would be confronted with high traffic counts of big trucks. (can you imagine trying to get to the post office if all the trucks were going to the Bird Walk.?)

Town Meeting: We are about to have another “Town Meeting”. We have already had two and the community support is incredible. We have had no fights and as far as I know, no angry TWEETS afterward. Supervisor Lynda Hopkins has gone a long way to try to make data available. Effective town meetings are partially dependent upon having a place to meet. We are lucky to be able to have our meetings in the Grange Hall.

Please join us for Let's Talk Tourism - a VERY HOT TOPIC here in Bodega Bay where just getting through town is a challenge - especially for emergency vehicles! You must REGISTER to attend since space is limited - please register at this LINK: Let's Talk Tourism

The “ Grangers” make this possible for community meetings at no cost. When you realize that it costs around $16,800 a year just to keep the hall open ($1,400 per month), the efforts of the members is to be appreciated. The rest of the community acknowledges this by sharing funds with the Grange. Both the Cabaret and Fish Fest share their receipts with the Hall. It is greatly appreciated. Members work hard—having Flea Markets, putting on the Cioppino Feed, and even selling raffle tickets for some specific causes (like the Six scholarships which are granted each year—at $1,000 apiece.) The local merchants support the raffle. When someone offers to sell you a ticket, remember all the good the eventual proceeds do for the community.

Waves of Compassion: As Carolyn Conners mentioned before, there is another new group forming to help those who can use a hand up. The new Bodega Bay group, the Waves of Compassion Foundation, has formed a non-profit organization to start a food pantry which will serve residents and workers in the Bodega Bay area, focusing on low income and fixed income families.

The initial fundraiser will be September 6 from 3 to 7 p.m at Ginochio’s Kitchen. There will be live music and the usual excellent cuisine. There will be a raffle. Ten percent of the sales will benefit the foundation and help advance the project of serving Bodega Bay residents. The new group will work with the Redwood Empire Food Bank to purchase the food for local low income and fixed income families, including fishermen. Since they have to purchase the food from the Redwood Empire Food Bank they will have a need for funds. More fundraising events are probably in their future. We wish them well.

Fall is a lovely time here. School is beginning and it is wonderful to see the children coming home (walking, biking or by bus). They all seem so happy—a tribute to parents who reinforce the importance of school and of teachers who make it such a pleasant place.

Hope you saw the solar eclipse (glad we aren’t in Oregon which was overrun.) The Seasons turn; be grateful for all the beautiful days. And remember what the Ethiopians taught us, BE KIND.