Dear Friends,
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
We're doing another PINK Breast Cancer fundraiser this Saturday, October 11th on Zoom or in-person at 9:30am @UUMarin (240 Channing Way in San Rafael)!
Please join Lisa Hudson for the 6th year in a row (and 8th total fundraiser) as we Stop Drop and Dance for B4BC - Boarding for Breast Cancer - a non-profit organization Lisa co-founded in 1996 in honor of her close friend, Monica Steward, who lost her battle with breast cancer at only 28 years old.
B4BC hosts year-round grassroots events, educational outreach, and survivor wellness retreats to further its mission of promoting early detection and a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means of breast cancer prevention.
We are so grateful to all of you for helping to raise over $26,000 in the past 6 years by dancing together! Every little bit counts, so even if you cannot make our dance class this year, please consider contributing to this important cause!
Thank you to B4BC for sending goodies including custom neck gaiters and SunBum to the first 20 dancers who arrive on Saturday!
Support our B4BC Fundraiser here!
Upcoming Schedule Changes
Please mark your calendars for the following special events and changes to our regular schedule:
Saturday, October 18th: NO CLASS
Class is Cancelled
I will be traveling with my best girlfriends from middle school, junior high and college for our annual trip to a different state! We've lost track (and we're collaboratively losing our memories!), but I think this might be State #16?? This year we are going to Chicago! Please take an on-demand recording of one of our previously-live classes (free for members or available to purchase a-la-carte for non-members).
Saturday, October 25th: Stinson Beach Women's Day Retreat 10am-3pm
LAST DAY TO REGISTER: OCTOBER 15th (or when the last 10 spots get filled!)
It's a great problem to run out of spots! Since our programming for this retreat involves vision boards and crafting, unfortunately space is a limitation. We are almost at FULL CAPACITY so be sure to reserve your spot ASAP if you want to join us at Stinson Beach! Only 10 spots left! If you DID NOT receive another email from me today titled, "3 Weeks Until Stinson Beach!" then that means you have not signed up. Please reach out if you are unsure!
Starting in November
Wednesday Strength & Stretch ONLY ON ZOOM
Thank you to all the students who have been consistently joining us in-person on Wednesdays the past few years for our 75 minutes Strength & Stretch class. This is such an important class to add to our weekly routine as we get older because we want to have strong bones and strong mobility. However, due to increasing rent each year, starting in November, we are stopping our in-person Wednesday classes and moving back to offering Strength & Stretch only on Zoom. We hope you will continue to join us from your home!
WhatsUp WhatsApp?
For those of you that want to join our WhatsApp social group, there is a QR code in our in-person classes at the check-in table, and anyone is welcome to be a part of it.
Some of our conservations are about sharing recommendations for everything from contractors to pet sitters to Instagram posts. Some of our conversations are sharing upcoming events like Laura Williams' music performances or these next 2 weeks, Barbara Roberts' performance in "The Love of the Nightingale" at the College of Marin. Some of our other conversations are sharing spontaneous moments when a dancer runs into another dancer, aka the origin of our "Dancers in the Wild" photos at the end of each of these newsletters.
But this past week, the true purpose of our WhatsApp group shined through: community support, prayers and love.
The Power of Community
Last Wednesday, Kim Stuart posted on our WhatsApp about her son, Emmett, who had to be admitted to the ICU for an unexpected neurological brain surgery near his frontal lobe, followed by a second Head and Neck procedure. In Kim's words:
"If you could send your prayers and positive energy his way this morning/today, I will be grateful. The power of the community is amazing and I know he could use it. I could use it too."
Kim's vulnerability and willingness to share her personal struggle with our WhatsApp group led to an outpouring of encouraging thoughts, positive words, healing energy, strong support, and comforting prayers. Reading everyone's posts transformed my day, and I'm sure it transformed Kim's heart as well.
It's been 5 days since Emmett went to the hospital and today he got released and gets to go home to his own bed. The photo above is sent from Kim to all of you and she wrote, "His first fresh air and sunshine in about a week."
"When you come to the edge of all the light you have known and are about to step out into the darkness, faith is knowing one of two things will happen... there will be something to stand on or you will be taught to fly."
Thank you, friends, for giving wings to Kim and Emmett this week through the power of prayer, faith, and community.
Love,
Grace
Dancers in the Wild!
Top Left: Karin Conn and Zoe Fox featured in a photo for SFGATE!
Right: Jennifer Lefferts and Eliza Desch at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival!
Bottom Left: Jennifer Lee, Marianne Jacobson and Tanya Burdick watched Barbara Roberts perform @ College of Marin's, "The Love of the Nightingale"
