Jewish Free Clinic
We are happy to support one of Sonoma County's special gems.
The Jewish Free Clinic provides free health care to thousands of people each year.
In 2017, we supported their 'Works of Heart' event. Buy tickets here
American Overseas Medical Aid Association
This warm and caring group is helping so many folks in Nepal through their current disaster. Please visit their website and support their truly important mission.
Letter from Executive Director - A Circle of Love for Nepal
5/4/2015
by Lucia Cargill
Dear brothers and sisters:
I am writing to share an urgent call to action, about AOMAA initiatives in support of recovery in Nepal.
The American Overseas Medical Aid Association is a 501c3 non-profit started by Muhammad Laksar Laurence Rattay in about 1962 (and incorporated in 1972) to send medical goods and equipment overseas to physicians who request help. Shipments were sent over almost 30 years until he became unable to work any longer.
Under Laksar's guidance, the organization of all volunteers, that doesn't keep money, does not build an ediface or institution, had awards for service pour through the door year after year due to small scale, constant, steady projects in collaboration with local people. He was nominated for Presidential Commendations twice, and the organization has won numerous awards and honors.
The current Board of Directors and I have decided to launch the AOMAA-Nepal project. We have been requested to help by our brothers and sisters including Hamilton Pevec and Devika Gurung who live in Nepal, who are doing small scale urgent response work through what we call the "One-to-One" project. This "small-scale" model has had incredible results in past crisis situations that we have responded to. Volunteers are coming out of the woodwork. We are also working on building medical professional linkages to rebuild the Kathmandu medical school that was destroyed by the quake.
As you can imagine, recovery from any devastating disaster is long, hard, expensive, and exhausting. Long after the international aid community leaves, there will be much to do. So, we also intend to find a group of young local professionals who are interested in forming a local non-profit. We did this capacity building after the tsunami in Indonesia with great success over the following 5 years. The IBU Foundation (IBU for Aceh - Mother for Aceh) team worked hard running doctors out to shipping container clinics in IDP camps; covering remote village clinics; conducting individual and group therapy, plus intervention programs at the village level; doing mother and child wellness meetings (posyandu); building schools, teaching in preschools; engineering water and sanitation projects, providing psychological services, doing livelihood programs, co-creating new self-governance in refugee communities; initiating self-help programs, village health fairs, teen programs, etc. We had a medication pipeline from WHO; Subud members from all over the world came to volunteer or help from their location according to their talents and means. The young doctors went on to obtain graduate public health degress and many were hired by UNICEF and other country or international agencies.
AOMAA raised the first million dollar grant of $5 million total the IBU team was awarded from a German philanthropic organization. They earned the rest. This was due to the receiving of a German Subud brother to approach Action Medeor near Dusseldorf. IBU team succeeded wildly, receiving national and international awards. So many people kept their limbs, survived, found their loved ones, rebuilt their villages and lives. . . it was unbelievable what they did, what we did together. They helped children who couldn't even speak after having lost everything recognizable, including family, except for the sea and palm trees.
Now two of IBU team from Bandung are negotiating going over to Nepal. We hope to collaboratively recreate this type of organization, Nepalese style, with the perceived needs and culturally sensitive componants unique to Nepal. Building on our existing contacts, and are ramping up to build a program starting with an ever enlarging circle of love and service extending to thousands. Starting now, I hope you will choose to be included.
As I am the President and Acting Executive Director, I must set up the office here. We can all contribute to the project's success over time. Please think of how you would like to participate. I am working full time and could sure use some help! The door is open for direct aid to be sent straight to Nepal to provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care for earthquake survivors tomorrow. No overhead, no deductions. AOMAA serves as pass through organization unless required to manage a grant. We do ask for individuals so moved to voluntarily cover bank transfer charges or admin costs as a choice by earmarking their checks. When we link up and begin to build a local organization, we will facilitate that with grant money. No worries. . .this is not a constantly being dinged situation.
Today there is some urgency, as it is still the emergency phase, the One-to One project to help Hamilton and Devika to help others directly, to be followed by recovery and provision of medical care, inshall'ah, according to God's will.
Please donate or volunteer today. I have a list of things to do, roles to play large and small. Tax deductible donations will be passed straight through.
Sending love to the people of Nepal,
Lucia Cargill, PhD, PHN, MSN, FNP-C
President/Acting Executive Director
American Overseas Medical Aid Association
Sonoma County Grower's Alliance
This non-profit has formed to help local cultivators in the current changes underway. Sonoma Wine Shop's owner, Bryan Cooper, believes prohibition on marijuana must end, while monopolistic policies should not then rule the legalized marijuana industry. This local group is one step in the right direction.
Come visit some great folks June 16 at Sebastopol Grange and learn what all of our community should stand for - the end of criminalization of cannabis.
Community Involvement
Our wine club believes in participation within our community. As such we support all different types of activities to encourage contact, dialog, and action.
Palm Drive Hospital
Political participation is one important way to be involved with the community. We encourage ALL political signs at the club - so members can host events, post any campaign signs, and generally promote their candidates or cause. We are not necessarily endorsing one or the other - rather we endorse and actively encourage the act of participation.
Fundraisers are regularly held at La Bodega, and we contribute to local causes.
In 2014, we again sponsored the Hemophilia chapter and helped raise $25,000.
Lunch with us twice a month
Smaller events are held as well - the Sebastopol business group is a local networking group that meets twice a month at the club.
We sponsor the Jewish Film Festival and are hosting a special dinner in November.
Family gatherings, birthdays, holidays, and more are welcome at La Bodega.
We support ALL community particpation - PLEASE use the club to promote your cause!
Bastille Day was a great impromptu holiday dinner
Much Ado About Sebastopol Renaissance Faire
The upcoming Ren Faire supports local schools and is created by the Sebastopol Education Foundation. Come on out for a fun day on the shire in Sebastopol's Ives Park. Our wine club is donating free desserts to all attendees.
Hemophilia Foundation
Since 2007, Sonoma WIne Shop has supported our Northern California Hemophila foundation. Each year, we help arrange a very nice wine tasting at Sonoma Mission Inn in Sonoma, CA.
Our recent (August 2014) tasting was a huge hit - over 150 folks donated over $150 each for tasting. This year we had 2 brewerys join us for a wonderful addtion. The event at Sonoma Mission Inn was very classy with Jim Adams on guitar.
This tasting allows 12 local wineries a chance to contribute to this worthy cause. We help arrange some of those fantastic donations from our local winemakers, winery owners and vineyard owners.
We all appreciate how these funds helpi the youth who have Hemophilia a chance to meet others with the same affliction. Check out more info about this small but important charity
The yearly camp helps youngsters learn how to cope with their affliction.
Cittaslow Sebastopol 2013 Open House & Workshop
Over 150 people recently attended this Cittaslow workshop at the Vets Building. This new group is focused on helping Sebastopol participate in the 'slow city' movement, which started in Italy. The club supports their efforts for slow food, local farms, and generally, a gentler, mellower world. Our 2 club locations are in 2 of only 3 cities in the US that are currently part of Cittaslow - Sonoma Valley, Sebastopol and now Fairfax.
More on Cittaslow from our Website
At this open house and "workshop", the Cittaslow folks categorized and prioritized a number of recent suggestions already received from its members. During the event, attendees could 'vote' by sticking little green labels on the ideas they liked the best. Categories included 'Home Stay', 'New Business', 'Policy and Culture' and more. It was a fun event as there were lots of great folks to chat with, and great ideas to choose from!
Thanks to sponsors including Patisserie Angelica's, Village Bakery, Joe Mato's Cheese, Fiscalini Cheese, Achadehna Cheese, Redwood Hill Farm.
Mitcho the Great attended the event, donating the flower arrangements from his The Shamanastary in Sebastopol. His herb garden is a wonderful resource for local chefs. He served a fantastic apple/rose/lime water refresher. Very simple, very nice! Apparently someone also voted for him!
Thanks again so much for the support from Redwood Hill, Achandina and Fiscalini for donating to this event. Meekk served TONS of these local cheeses along with Rick's soon to be famous Sebastopol sourdough. To make sourdough, one takes local grapes which already have some wild yeast on the skins. Those grapes are used to make the sourdough 'mother', which can be reused over and over to make more bread. Like making 'wild yeast wine', these local yeasts strongly influence the flavor of the bread so this is truly "Sebastopol" sourdough.
Our wine club operates on the principles of Cittaslow. We buy wine direct from local producers. We buy cheese direct from local dairies. We buy produce direct from local farms or farmer's market. We often pick up wines, foods and more in our own Subaru. We bake our own breads. From scratch applies to pretty much everything that gets served - We make hand-made ravioli, pasta, soups, salad dressings, cookies, tiramisu and desserts and much much more in our 2 kitchens. We use locally made ice cream from Sebastopol's Screamin Mimi's and gluten-free desserts and Patisserie Angelica's Mostly, our wine and dine club is laid back, relaxed and meant to encourage slow enjoyment of a night's repast. Cittaslow's principles and ours are well in sync to share the things that take a bit of time, and are worthy of slowing down a bit to enjoy them.
As we often joke, "We are NOT a Restaurant". Instead, we are a club made up of diverse people who share our passion for great local wine, food, and sharing with friends.