September eNews: Virtual Rock in the Redwoods Oct 24 | Share What YES Means to YOU! | Summer Highlights
Dear Friends,
2020 has thrown a breathtaking array of challenges in our path, hasn't it?
YES families (and staff too) have found our resiliency has been stretched to the limit through economic disruption, distance learning, the open wounds of racial injustice, and the health impacts of poor air quality. It's a time when we have needed the solace of nature more than ever before and yet, with heavy hearts, we have needed to cancel in-person programs and rely on remote options.
Even as I hold space for the losses in our community, I want to honor and celebrate the tangible support YES has offered to families and the sense of hope, connection, and purpose we have kept alive. Read below about how our COVID-19 Resilience Fund, our leadership cohort meetings, and now our socially-distanced Nature Day Outings have kept YES's mission strong. YES is committed to bringing an inclusive, intentional, and forward-looking approach to our work as we continue adapting to the needs of this time.
We also remain committed to long-standing traditions that bring YES supporters together. Sharing our stories and celebrating our community makes us stronger! In this vein, we're hosting our Rock in the Redwoods VIRTUAL EDITION on October 24th. General admission is FREE this year, although you can also opt in for dinner packages (paella and s'mores) starting at $50 per person. Tickets are available now.
For Rock in the Redwoods, please also consider sharing with us the reasons you love YES or telling your favorite YES story through a selfie or quick video testimonial. (More on this below or here). We can't wait to compile and show off your creative contributions at the event, whether they're silly or sentimental, sincere or sensational!
Warmly,
Eric Aaholm, Executive Director
Join us for Rock in the Redwoods! VIRTUAL EDITION - OCTOBER 24th
While we can’t gather at Coventry Grove this year, we’re excited to be able to bring Rock in the Redwoods magic to you right in the comfort of your home!
Join us on Saturday, October 24 from 6 to 7pm for a fun-filled virtual campfire, community story sharing, and, of course, music from Little Marvin and the Gardeners.
General Admission is FREE this year
We want to include as many of our community members as possible in this joyful, virtual gathering and so we’ve made general admission free!
For the full Rockin’ Experience, add dinner!
We've partnered with Venga Paella to craft delicious dinner and dessert packages for you starting at $50 per person. Once you've paid, all you'll need to do is swing by Red Oak Realty's parking lot in Berkeley between 3 and 4:30pm on event day to pick up!
Click here to learn about becoming an event sponsor.
Sponsorships start at $500 and include not only promotion of your business but also delivery of dinner, drinks and dessert right to your door! Plus, you and your guests will also receive entry to a pre-event virtual reception featuring a guest speaker renowned for their work advocating for the power of the outdoors to promote healing and growth.
What Does YES Mean To You?
Since Rock in the Redwoods is going to look very different this year, we are asking for all of you to help make it a success by sending us a few kind words with a video or photo message!
How to Contribute | Deadline October 3rd
1. Consider answering one of the following questions:
What is your favorite memory with YES?
How has your life been touched by YES?
2. Speak directly to the camera from the heart.
Humor and joy are encouraged!
Please keep your videos to no more than 30 seconds.
OR - If you’d prefer to write your answer, that’s okay too! Write clearly (no more than 8 words) on a large piece of paper and take a picture of you holding it.
3. Use this link to record or upload your video or photo.
The deadline is midnight on Friday, October 3rd.
More detailed instructions are available here.
YES reserves the right to edit or omit videos as needed.
Questions? Contact info@yesfamilies.org.
Funds for Resilience Nature Day Outings
When shelter in place orders first came to the Bay Area, YES staff engaged in a concerted period of outreach, support and connection in the community. Hearing that changing economic circumstances left many families with immediate needs they were unable to meet, YES made the decision to launch a Resilience Fund. So far, YES has provided $500 cash disbursements to 130 YES families during the pandemic and we expect to continue offering more as the impacts of the pandemic continue to unfold.
YES has hosted several outdoor exploration days this summer where family groups could explore local parks while observing social distance. Folks got their heart rate up by doing fun physical activity as a family and learned about the history of the land. They also learned about the fish and wildlife that thrive in the area and lastly, they created a family art piece with found objects at the cove. It has been a joy to see families together learning and having fun!
Exploring Environmental Linkages to Health
YES's 2020 Adult Leadership Program (ALP) got off to a great start in early September with a retreat hosted on Zoom over the span of two days. Our adult leaders explored the topic of neighborhood environments and health using a strength-based leadership approach to think about individual and collective ways to create change. As self-care there was a dance party break as well as a calm breathing exercise.
Need some calm today? You can try the same one-minute exercise here on YouTube.
In Case You Missed It: YES in the News
In July, KQED interviewed Jose González of Latino Outdoors about the health benefits of getting outdoors and the need for inclusivity in outdoor spaces.
In the article, Jose advocates for the celebration and recognition of trailblazers in the conservation movement like Ynés Mexía (1870-1938), a Latina botanist and plant collector, whose contributions have too often been excluded or ignored.
Thanks to KQED and Jose for giving a shout out to YES as one of the organizations working to make natural spaces welcoming for everyone. Read the full article here.