Gangs be gone

Due to the 2004 voter-approved Measure O, the city of Santa Rosa has alotted sizable funds toward raising awareness around gang prevention. The week of Aug. 9 marks Santa Rosa mayor Susan Gorin's Gang Prevention Task Force "Gang Prevention Awareness Week."

According to a press statement, Gorin says that "we cannot arrest our way out of gang problems—it takes the entire community to reclaim our youth and our neighborhoods from rising gang violence," and so has implemented youth activities, parent-family support groups, job-readiness training, job placement for gang-involved youth, outpatient services, gang mediation, intervention services and other services to help gang-involved youth get out of the life.

This coming week will showcase these programs through a series of events. There will be gang-awareness activities all week long at the Santa Rosa Plaza. The Wednesday Night Market will also hold an event to raise awareness and, lastly, Martin Luther King Park will see some awareness activities at its "Summer Day and Night Festival."

For details, contact Ellen Bailey, Interim Gang Prevention Intervention Services manager at 707.543.4321.

Please make that more

Everyone's favorite orphan (aside from little Annie) Oliver comes to the Sixth Street Playhouse on Aug. 11, bringing Oliver! with him.

The one-night-only event will benefit the Redwood Empire Foster Parent Association. The REFPA is a nonprofit that assists foster families by providing clothing, hosting social events, providing financial assistance and granting scholarships to foster children. Along with enjoying a spectacular production, a $30 donation includes complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres.

Cocktail hour begins at 7:15pm; the show, at 8pm. For tickets and more information, contact Rita Jacobs at 707.565.4274, Marie Regan-Szatlocky at 707.565.8581 or Kay Delaney at 707.565.4342.

Roots, roofs and power

Underserved and underrepresented communities of Marin speak out courtesy of Grassroots Leadership Network on Aug. 7. A variety of speakers, including Linda Jackson, the principal planner for the city of San Rafael, will gather at the Marin Heath and Wellness Center to empower the people of Marin to take action. With the goal of improving civic participation through education, coalition-building and policy advocacy to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in underrepresented communities, the meeting will start at 11am in the Connection Center of Marin's Health and Wellness Center. For more information, contact Ericka Erickson at 415.451.4350, ext. 303.

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