Give the Gift of Your Support
to Your Community This Holiday
Season
We’ve experienced challenging budget decisions, cut back
services, and continue to face uncertain, perhaps declining, revenues. We need
your support – Sebastopolians, Sebastapudlians, Sebtowners, and all community
members by whatever favorite name that identifies you as a local.
You can help the City and our Community by keeping your
holiday purchases local. This doesn’t
mean simply gift purchases. It includes
much more – food, gasoline, dining out, contributions to non-profits,
charities, and service organizations.
Whenever you are about to make a transaction, “think Sebastopol first,”
the holiday message from our businesses.
Their message is really a good message for all year long.
The Holiday Season is almost here. Well, for some, it’s
already underway, starting as early as Halloween. We invite you to enjoy your holidays at home,
in Sebastopol. Our town is gearing up
for a festive season with a new look. Hopefully, those white lights, that were
problematic last year, will go up on Main Street this year, thanks to the
generosity of Sebastopol Hardware and the many donors who contributed to the
expense.
Adding to this warm and
inviting ambiance will be the decorated and colorful store fronts. The annual tree lighting on The Plaza is
scheduled for December 1, Thursday.
There will be music, performances, candle-light singing, a visit from
Santa, and likely some surprises. That
same date hosts “Dine Out for Life,” a local program where participating
restaurants contribute part of their meal and/or drink revenues to Food for
Thought, a local food bank.
To make shopping and carrying your armloads of bags easier,
the City, Chamber of Commerce, and Sonoma County Transit will repeat a
first-time activity from last year – free rides on the new Sebastopol Shuttle,
on Saturdays only. This year the program
is extended several weeks. It will go
from November 19 to December 24. The
Shuttle, our new local bus for the in-town-only Route 24, has one floor level
[no difficult steps] and can kneel to make entry and exit easier. It drives to or near many of the key
locations in town, both cross town and up town.
Ride the Sebastopol Shuttle and be car-free and care-free. Our friendly drivers deal with the traffic
for us and parking is never a problem. “Super Saturday” riders on December 3
will receive special offers from stores participating in this now-city-wide
event.
Parking is more available than ever in our downtown area and
at no charge. The lots on South High
Street and behind the Chamber of Commerce building on South Main have no time
restrictions now. So if you have more to
do than can be accomplished in one, two, or three hours, seek out one of these
parking spaces.
Enjoy a more relaxed experience away from the hectic
crowds. Our downtown is a unique
experience with a variety of specialty items to choose from our stores. Meander from shop to shop, grab a cup of
coffee, sit down for a meal, and likely chat with someone you know whom you run
into. Remember our other shopping areas, north and south of town, and our
restaurants, all over. Sebastopol
businesses are our friends and neighbors, so what can be better than spending
your holiday at home.
The community gathers twice during the Holiday Season for a
traditional meal with all the trimmings and more. The first free event is on Thanksgiving Day,
the other one on Christmas Day, both at the Community Church. Volunteer ahead
of time or at the event. Come for some
companionship and fun.
Let’s remember those in need, too, and our many non-profit,
service and charitable organizations that serve them. The City has not been able to give as many
community grants as in previous years, so your help here is crucial. Your generosity can provide food, clothing,
shelter, toys and other small gifts for our more vulnerable members. It can extend services as well, such as
driving to medical appointments.
Remember that you can give your time, too, to help.
Celebrate the Holiday Season with great appreciation for the
local flavor and global vision of our community. Slow down and take it in. Think Sebastopol First.
Acknowledgement to Executive Director Teresa Ramondo,
Chamber of Commerce, and to Council Member Kathleen Shaffer for this material.
Sarah Glade Gurney
sarahcouncil@yahoo.com
Labels: COMMUNITIES
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