Greetings, fellow Avilones. "See You in September" - that's the name of a clearly mournful recording by the "The Happenings" in 1966. It's one of those oldies songs that speak to young love and the pains that often come with it. In it, the school year is coming to a close and the young man is preparing for his girl to leave for the summer. He croons, "l’ll be alone each and every night, while you're away don't forget to write", then asks, "will I see you in September, or lose you to a summer love"? It's songs from the 60s such as this that so many of us senior citizens nostalgically recall and make us long for the good old days.
While we are on the path down memory lane, I was thinking about the 14+ years that I have been penning this monthly column. It came to be back in early 2009 as a way for the "Foundation" to help make the community aware of our existence, even though the agency had been doing its thing since 1998, which consisted of issuing lots of grants totaling more than a million dollars to benefit Avila Beach as it recovered from the "Big Dig". During the first 11 years, not many locals were aware of the "Foundation", in spite of its good work. Upon my hire in January of 2009, I was tasked by the Board of Trustees to find ways to better promote our work in the community. Thus, among other outreach efforts, came the birth of the Avila Community News, which became available in both digital form and print publication. Shortly thereafter, came the birth of the Avilone - a term since fondly used by me to address all Avila Beach residents. I’ll bet you’ve seen at least one of those “I’m a Proud Avilone” license plate frames attached to the vehicle of a friend or neighbor.
You might imagine that I at times strain to write something you readers might care about. This became more acute over the past two plus years when so many non-profit activities came to a screeching halt, and have yet to return full force. For a few years prior to the Pandemic, I was a member of the SLO County Commission on Aging, and shared with you via this newsletter some of what I learned about the issues facing the elderly, as well as the programs and agencies that deal with the aging population. The Commission was shut down for more than two years, beginning early 2020, and just got back together in July for the first time since then. The group is re-organizing and re-visiting its mission and goals moving forward. They meet once a month and are looking for more volunteers to serve as "members at large." If you have any interest in serving on the Commission, in attending any meetings as a guest, or just want to learn more about senior issues, I encourage you to visit: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/coa.htm.
The following information comes from Eric Daniels of PG&E about Public Safety Power Shutoffs Address Alerts: There is now an option for PG&E customers and non-account holders to sign up for notifications for any address they care about to stay informed about Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Address Alerts might be helpful if:
One of the bright spots in 2021 was a new community event the “Foundation” helped support, which was developed by local Avilone Kristen McKiernan and friends. Titled the Children’s Business Fair, the event welcomed more than 30 craft booths manned by entrepreneurial youth in various age categories hoping to sell their goods to the public, and to compete for cash prizes for creativity and presentation. The event was very well attended, so much so that it is taking place again this year. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15th from 10:00a.m. – 1:00p.m. at the Avila Beach Community Center. If you are looking to do some early shopping for end of the year holiday gifts, this event is the place to be! Well, I have used up my allotted space, so let me end with my usual closing.
That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
While we are on the path down memory lane, I was thinking about the 14+ years that I have been penning this monthly column. It came to be back in early 2009 as a way for the "Foundation" to help make the community aware of our existence, even though the agency had been doing its thing since 1998, which consisted of issuing lots of grants totaling more than a million dollars to benefit Avila Beach as it recovered from the "Big Dig". During the first 11 years, not many locals were aware of the "Foundation", in spite of its good work. Upon my hire in January of 2009, I was tasked by the Board of Trustees to find ways to better promote our work in the community. Thus, among other outreach efforts, came the birth of the Avila Community News, which became available in both digital form and print publication. Shortly thereafter, came the birth of the Avilone - a term since fondly used by me to address all Avila Beach residents. I’ll bet you’ve seen at least one of those “I’m a Proud Avilone” license plate frames attached to the vehicle of a friend or neighbor.
You might imagine that I at times strain to write something you readers might care about. This became more acute over the past two plus years when so many non-profit activities came to a screeching halt, and have yet to return full force. For a few years prior to the Pandemic, I was a member of the SLO County Commission on Aging, and shared with you via this newsletter some of what I learned about the issues facing the elderly, as well as the programs and agencies that deal with the aging population. The Commission was shut down for more than two years, beginning early 2020, and just got back together in July for the first time since then. The group is re-organizing and re-visiting its mission and goals moving forward. They meet once a month and are looking for more volunteers to serve as "members at large." If you have any interest in serving on the Commission, in attending any meetings as a guest, or just want to learn more about senior issues, I encourage you to visit: http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/coa.htm.
The following information comes from Eric Daniels of PG&E about Public Safety Power Shutoffs Address Alerts: There is now an option for PG&E customers and non-account holders to sign up for notifications for any address they care about to stay informed about Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Address Alerts might be helpful if:
- You want to know about a PSPS at your home, work, school or other important location
- You are a tenant and do not have a PG&E account
- You need to stay informed about a PSPS affecting a friend or loved one
- Multiple members of your household want to be notified
One of the bright spots in 2021 was a new community event the “Foundation” helped support, which was developed by local Avilone Kristen McKiernan and friends. Titled the Children’s Business Fair, the event welcomed more than 30 craft booths manned by entrepreneurial youth in various age categories hoping to sell their goods to the public, and to compete for cash prizes for creativity and presentation. The event was very well attended, so much so that it is taking place again this year. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 15th from 10:00a.m. – 1:00p.m. at the Avila Beach Community Center. If you are looking to do some early shopping for end of the year holiday gifts, this event is the place to be! Well, I have used up my allotted space, so let me end with my usual closing.
That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!
RSS Feed