The Sharma Center closes its doors

For any of you that know me you understand I am not a fan of some endings.  I feel lately there have been so many traditional things that I have enjoyed knowing are there that have run their course.  From the announcements of long running television shows ceasing (yes, I will miss Oprah but dig her new network a bunch), closed restaurants, businesses that no longer exist I feel a twinge of sadness as I realize things do run their course and of course, some joy that room is being made for new experiences.  I also know that I am aging, have a long history in Seattle and remember it!

Part of my reason for this reflection is the recent closing of the Sharma Center.  I know the people that started the Sharma Center have been dedicated to making community better and must be feeling this loss as many of you are.  I enclose their letter to the community in full and look forward to their celebration of all they did on Saturday, May 7th.  Ms T. 

Dear Community,

It was little over two and half years ago that the four of us sat around a table at the coffee shop and talked about what a club would be like that we would open ourselves. Since then we have had thousands of people walk through our doors, hosted over 500 events and had an adventure we could never have imagined. What touched us most was the amazing people we met, the authenticity and love that was expressed, and the passion and intimacy that every one of you brought to the Sharma Center.

As some of you may know, we were informed last week that the holder of our rental agreement had to suddenly end the lease of our space with the owner of the building. The reason for this had nothing to do with us, but we were impacted nonetheless. After attempts to create a lease directly with the building owner ended, we had to empty our lovely space of it belongings and bid farewell to this place which has been our home and our place of connection to all of you.

The heart of the Sharma Center has always been, and still is, you; you, who have come through our doors and become a part of us and what we are up too. Our website and this mailing list will continue and we will be posting events throughout the area that embody our commitment in the areas of love, relationship, intimacy and sexuality. The next space that will physically occupy the spirit of the Sharma Center is not certain and is in a phase of exploration at the moment. If you have ideas in this area, feel free to share them with us.

 Allena, the Director of the Center for Sex Positive Culture, has told us that she is happy to continue to honor our memberships to their events throughout the durations of current memberships and she invites you to attend an orientation to find out about all that they do.

The Invitation:
We invite you to come celebrate the completion of the Sharma Center as we have known it, on the evening of Saturday May 7th. Set that date aside, an announcement with details will be coming soon and we hope to celebrate with you the completion of this grand adventure.

Lovingly yours,
Deanna and John
Co-Directors of the Sharma Center
directors@sharmacenter.org
(206) 898-5876

Thanks to Deanna and John for this post.

Dining Out for Life, Thursday, April 28th

I love many of the events that occur yearly and Dining Out for Life is one of my favorites!  We have an opportunity to enjoy a lovely dinner out AND benefit Lifelong AIDS Alliance that is continuing to take care of those in our community.  It is amazing to me that this is their 18th year hosting this event.  You can eat in MANY restaurants in the Seattle/Tacoma area (and you can check out your area if you live elsewhere).

Thursday, April 28, 2011
Dine Out. Save a LIFE!

When you dine at a participating restaurant, grocery store, cafe, or bakery on this day, a percentage of your purchase is donated to Lifelong AIDS Alliance, and the fight against illness and hunger in our community.

Check out the Participating Restaurants Page to see which of your favorites are supporting Dining Out For Life this year! Remember, you can support Dining Out For Life during breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late night hours!

Thanks to Dining Out for Life at http://www.diningoutforlife.com/Seattle. 

Let your voice be heard on LBGT aging concerns

There is a wave of awareness on aging LBGT issues and as part of this our own Aging and Disability Services (ADS) organization has started outlining a plan to meet our needs in King County.  The plan covers 2012-2015 with the intent to create an 'elder friendly' community.  There is a survey you can take so your voice and concerns can be heard.  I am simplifying the details as I would encourage you to read Shaun Knittel, SGN Associate Editor's article as it will be worth your time.  Ms T. 

Thanks to an in-depth online questionnaire, ADS hopes to address basic needs, improve health and well-being, promote civic and social engagement, and increase independence for frail older persons and adults with disabilities.

To take part in the survey visit www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22BXX4UU7DX. The survey will be available through April 29 and should take 10 minutes to complete.  If you have any questions, please email karen.winston@seattle.gov.

Thanks to the Seattle Gay News for this information!

Cal Anderson Park expected Summer Closure

The Seattle Gay News' Shaun Knittel has reported that Cal Anderson Park will be closed for most of this summer.  The closure of the park is due installing a new lighting system at the Bobby Morris Playfield,which is on the South end of the field.  The tennis courts, restrooms and shelter house will remain open although the tennis courts may suffer from a lack of lighting on occasion.

Bobby Morris Playfield will be closed from June 20 until the end of August, and construction and fences will replace sunbathers and sports teams.

There are many events that will be looking for a new home this year and one I am particularly fond of is the beloved Bat n' Rouge fundraiser (the Drag Queens vs the Dykes) for the Capitol Hill Alano Club.  It is considered the kickoff of Pride celebrations for many and is just plain a good time.  Ms T.

If you are interested in the nitty gritty of the renovations and why, read Shaun's full article.

NEW - Coming Out After 30 Meetup Group, FREE

There is a fairly new and well attended monthly meeting for those that came out a bit later in life.  Join the 'Coming Out After 30' Meetup group on the last Saturday of the each month,

April 30th

DeLuxe Bar and Grill 

625 Broadway Ave. East 

Seattle, WA 98102 (206) 324-9697. 

This is a FREE event with the added bonus of french fries provided by the lovely hostesses.

NW Network Relationship Skills Class Spring 2011 available for registration

NW Network Relationship Skills Class Spring 2011!
The Northwest Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of Abuse’s

*** Spring 2011 Relationship Skills Class ***

Please join us for the Spring Relationship Skills Class. This is a 7 week series exploring the skills we need to build the relationships we want!

Wednesdays, May 11th - June 22nd     6 - 8:30pm

Registration requested by Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

*Interpreters are available. If you would need an interpreter we would be happy to provide one, please register by Wednesday, April 27th, 2011.

Topics include:

Identifying cultural norms & personal values
Accountability
Naming & setting boundaries
Strengthening support networks and more!

This class is open to... 

Bisexual people & their friends & loved ones
Trans people & their friends & loved ones
LGBTQ people and is open to all regardless of relationship status or history!

Suggested donation: $90.00
No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Scholarships & Trades available

For more information, accessibility questions or to register, contact yecelica at:
206.568.7777 or yecelica@nwnetwork.org

Camp Ten Trees Auction is April 23rd

This is a great event to support! Camp Ten Trees offers 'a week for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied (LGBTQA) youth, and a week for children and youth of LGBTQ and/or non-traditional families.' Check them out http://www.camptentrees.org/.

It's the annual Camp Ten Trees dinner and auction fund raising event!

Location: Herban Feast's SODO Park, Seattle

Time: ‎6:00PM Saturday, April 23rd

Joshua Friedes speaker at April 22nd LGBT Senior Care Providers Network meeting

LGBT Senior Care Providers Network meeting is pleased to have Guest Speaker Joshua Friedes
Executive Director for Equal Rights Washington at our Friday April 22nd, 2011 meeting at the

West Seattle Senior Center
4217 SW Oregon St., Seattle, WA 98116
9:00- 10:30 A.M.
206-932-4044

If you have already been attending the meetings, we encourage you to bring a guest or pass the information on to others!  This meeting is open to any and all that are interested!

The aging process is difficult for everyone, but for our Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual & Transgender (LGBT) seniors the perception of availability for resource and understanding amongst Senior Care providers can be very frustrating. In many cases resulting in forcing our LGBT Seniors to conceal who they are, often leading to a decrease in quality of life.  It has become clear that there is a need for Healthcare providers who wish to outreach and care for LGBT Seniors to tighten their communication bridge, and work together to provide a better quality of care for the LGBT Seniors of Washington State.

We would like to thank The West Seattle Senior Center for hosting the April Meeting. We would also like to remind you that if you are interested in hosting a future meeting or have any questions about the April meeting, please let David Haack  know at (206)-849-3511 or on email at davidh@mercuryrx.com.