Carolyn's Community

It’s that time again, for the Annual El Tour de Tucson, the famous 109 mile bike ride, as well as the 80, 67, and 35 rides, including the ever popular Kids’ Fun rides of .4 and 4 miles, plus a new 8 mile Fun ride for families. It’s in its 27th Year, to be held on Saturday November 21st. Once again proceeds from the ride benefit Tu Nidito Children and Family Services.

“Tu Nidito, which is Spanish for “your little nest”, is a very special not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to provide individual, family and group support through emotional, educational, social and spiritual services to children and their families as they deal with serious illnesses and death.”

One of the fun parts of El Tour is the Bike, Fitness and Health Expo on the days preceding the bike rides at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church, downstairs in the exhibition hall. This fair includes registration and packet pick up, and is scheduled for:

Wednesday, November 18, 4 to 9 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 10 to 6 p.m.
Friday, November 20, 10 to 9 p.m.

The Expo also offers something for cyclists and non-cyclists alike with over 100 booths offering:

* Sports and fitness products
* Athletic apparel
* Cycling gear
* Exercise equipment
* Recreational activity displays
* Nutritional products
* Free samples

I’ve been helping with registration and distribution of children’s t-shirts for several years at the Kids’ Fun Ride booth. I’ve met some amazing cyclists and bike patrol volunteers, as well as very enthusiastic families and children who want to cycle the 109 mile El Tour ride someday. Many people think I am an El Tour bike participant, but the longest I’ve ever ridden is 30 miles, back in Virginia years ago.

Come on down to the El Tour Expo for information and current tips on bicycling in Tucson. For more info, call Perimeter Bicycling (2609 E. Broadway) at 520-745-2033, or write info@perimeterbicycling.com. There’s lots of information about El Tour and other community events on their website: www.pbaa.com.

NEW this year: start/finish line for El Tour will be moved to Church Ave. near W. Pennington at Jacome Plaza where the Main Pima County downtown Library is located.

Also, online registration for El Tour ends TODAY, so don’t delay!

Happy bicycling!

27th El Tour banner

Please remember to attend the 6th Annual Memory Screening Day at the Tucson Jewish Community Center (TJCC), on Tuesday, November 17, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

Seems that lots of people are more and more concerned about losing memory, doing things to exercise their brains to retain memory, etc. I confess I even attended a workshop this summer called “Exercising the Brain”, where I learned some memory training tips and the usefulness of “neurobics.” *

This event features memory screening, healthy lifestyle sessions, and education about Alzheimer’s disease, with diagnosis and prevention as well—all free. The sponsors are primarily the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, www.alzheimersprevention.org, and lots other co-sponsors listed on the website.

For those of you without a computer, call 520-749-8374, x 2 for information. RSVP is recommended.

The Tucson Jewish Community Center has an informative, colorful website at www.tucsonjcc.org about their center’s multiple programs. TJCC is located at 3800 E. River Road, at Dodge and the Alvernon Overpass.

They just recently celebrated 60 years of their center in Tucson, and 20 years at their beautiful Dodge location, with a new, unique sculpture garden. (Incidentally the grand opening of that garden is today from 2 to 4 p.m. with complimentary refreshments and a cash bar. RSVP to 520-299-3000).

* “The term neurobics was coined by late neurobiologist Lawrence Katz and Manning Rubin to describe mental exercises designed to keep the brain alert.”

Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona are teaming up to “Fish for a Wish” all day Saturday, November 7. Make-A-Wish’s mission: “We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”

Rubio's logo

ALL 29 Arizona Rubio’s will donate ALL proceeds from its World Famous Fish Taco sales to sponsor one wish, up to $10,000. “Please come out and eat some tacos to support the Make-A-Wish foundation and make the wish of a special little girl with a life-threatening medical condition come true.”

I knew such a little girl, Sydney Theresa Clanagan who died at age 11, back on April 3, 2003 here in Tucson. Her final wish was to swim with the dolphins in Hawaii. She got her wish compliments of this foundation, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii. I was there with her family, to experience her joy. Sydney was diagnosed at Tucson Medical Center with a terminal illness, metachromatic leukodystrophy at age 9. I knew her when she was an athletic, bouncy, normal child, and then I went to her funeral 2 plus years later.

This Tucson Citizen newspaper (print edition) had several articles about Sydney’s rare, genetic illness and her courage in facing death.

I also happen to be a fan of Rubio’s fish tacos. So “go fish” on Saturday to help make a dying child’s wish come true.

“Sustainable” seems to be the buzz word everyone is using in this 21st century. And if you’re curious about a group called Sustainable Tucson, here’s their mission statement:

“a non-profit, grass-roots organization that builds regional resilience and sustainability through awareness raising, community engagement and public/private partnerships. Our members focus their action, advocacy and research through working groups addressing the unprecedented challenges of our time, economic meltdown, population pressures, climate change, and resource depletion.” Whew, that sounds like quite an ambitious mission.

Coming up:
La Vida Verde Picnic and Open Space Event
Saturday Nov. 7
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (potluck picnic, with music till sunset)
Reid Park (between Country Club and Randolph Way, north of 22nd Street)
ramadas 14 and 15

Theme: “How do we unite our Tucson community during this Great Turning towards a peaceful and sustainable future?”

I didn’t know we were in a “Great Turning”– but I think I better find out what that means. Otherwise I may get left behind.

Sustainable Tucson holds monthly meetings at the Joel D. Valdez Main library, 101 N. Stone Ave. downtown, on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:45 p.m. The next meeting is coming up on November 10.

Check out their informative website www.sustainabletucson.org for updates, and for lots of information on sustainability.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 24, and be at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W. River Road for the first Tucson International Day of Climate Action starting at 10 a.m. The TCCC is located east of La Canada, on the north side of River Road. People from all over the world are participating in this global event.

kids snorkeling at Great Barrier Reef, for 350.org

Check it all out at 350.org and here’s info copied from their Tucson flyer.

“Connect with others in our community and thousands of communities across the planet who are building a movement to lift public awareness about Global Warming. Let’s show the world what Tucson is doing to make policymakers aware of the scientific evidence that says the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide must be lowered to 350 ppm if we
are going to avoid a catastrophic ecological tipping point.” 350 ppm (parts per million) signifies the safe upper limit of CO2 in the Earth’s atmosphere.

At this event, you will have an opportunity to:
-be part of a “human sculpture” in the form of a giant “350”— photo will be sent to 350.org and become part of a collection of similar images from around the world that will be delivered to the media and world leaders;
-participate in a “Green TEA Party”, gathering 350 or more petitions to influence local officials to endorse a viable foundation for sustainable development (TEA = Tucson Ecological Action);
- hear short comments by local dignitaries;
- talk to representatives of various local non-profit organizations about products and services that reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The schedule of events on the morning of October 24:
-10:00 Attendees arrive; begin to sign Green TEA Party petitions; attendees are assigned to be part of the three, five or zero of the human sculpture, talk to non-profits.
-10:45 to 11:15: Human sculpture formed; pictures taken.
-11:15 to 11:45: Presentations.
-11:45 to 12:59: Mingle, disburse and depart.

RSVP to Russell McGee in Tucson, via the www.350.org website. Participants for the photo are asked to wear light-colored (yellow or white) head gear, so leave your black Cowboy hats at home.

Another 350 action that same day is “350 for 350 Tucson Bike Race”, an 8 mile ride from 9 to 10 a.m. starting at Hi Corbett Field parking lot at Randolph Park. Visit the 350.org website to sign up.

“I walk because”… one of my best friends, Leo Brown of NYC, died of this horrible disease AIDS way back in 1991, when he was only 49 years old. Another brilliant high school friend died at the age of 39, also from Aids. He was a gifted medical doctor and the only person I know from my rural sugar plantation village to graduate from Harvard Medical School. AIDS has taken a lot of talented young people all over the world.

Aidswalk 2009 bookmark

Sunday October 11, 2009 is the date for the upcoming 21st Tucson Aidswalk event, once more to be held at the U of A. The official website is: www.aidswalktucson.com sponsored by the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation. Blogger Mark Kerr “Tucson Observer” has already blogged on this event, but I wanted to repeat it for the readers out there.

I am usually able to raise about $200 to $300 each time I participate in Aidswalk. A few years ago I was interviewed by a reporter from this newspaper, as to why I walked.

My niece Tiffany raised an astonishing $3,000 for the Honolulu Aidswalk this past April. I’m so proud of her for caring so much to help this cause.

“This year’s message, I walk because…it allows people to share their story. I walk because…every 9½ minutes someone is infected with HIV. I walk because…approximately 2 young Americans under the age of 24 become infected with HIV every hour of every day. I walk because…everyone has an HIV status. I walk because… ”

Thousands and thousands of people show up on the U of A mall– to run the 10K, walk the 5K, check out the educational booths, snack on free food and listen to the entertainment, lend support, socialize, etc.

“I walk because”…this event is all about community in Southern Arizona.

It’s that time of year again, for the huge, annual community event downtown of Tucson Meet Yourself, October 9, 10 and 11, 2009. Check it all out at www.tucsonmeetyourself.org, sponsored by the Cultural Exchange Council. Or if you prefer the print media, locate a copy of the October issue of Downtown Tucsonan, which has five pages devoted to this event downtown.

October issue of Downtown Tucsonan

This multi-cultural, mega-event runs Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at El Presidio Park and Jacome Library Plaza. This celebration of the “richness and diversity of the living traditional arts of southern Arizona’s folk and ethnic communities” is in its _________year.*

There’s even a Get Moving Tucson 10 miler/5K race and walk on Sunday October 11, at 8 a.m.– so it’s now a fitness event as well.

New this year – a Festival Marketplace (in front of the Main Library) will feature handmade folk art demonstrations and the artists will offer their crafts for sale. What fun.

I have gone in the past and sampled Japanese, Chinese, Thai, German, Austrian, Swedish, Hawaiian, Jamaican food and watched dances/performances from those ethnic communities as well. And there’s so much more to experience every year.

*Trivia question: does anyone know which annual year is this 2009 Tucson Meet Yourself? Reply below. I know the answer, but I just wanted to challenge you readers.

Can we truly unlearn racism if we were taught that as young people? It seems common knowledge that we human beings are taught the differences between ourselves and another culture, tribe, group, community, nationality, etc. This is our identity. And sometimes instead of appreciating and embracing that other person or group, we could be taught even as very young children, to hate “the Other” based on appearances, without any rational reason.

The YWCA of Tucson has an excellent Racial Justice project, including ongoing Time to Talk forums, Understanding Racism Community Education, Racial Justice Youth programs, and an Anti-racism and Diversity Resource Directory. They have been conducting these workshops in Tucson for decades, in their attempt to carry on their mission: “to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership and power, and the elimination of racism wherever it exists.”

The Unversity of Arizona has Social Justice Programs which “supports, advocates, and educates the University of Arizona and greater community in the areas of inequality and social injustices found in our society. We look at what we can learn from the distribution of power, privilege, and oppression. Our mission is to create a socially conscious campus.” They are sponsoring several upcoming films and workshops on rights for LGBT, women, disabled, racial minorities, etc. A workshop on Power & Privilege is being held today from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in room 404 of the Student Union.

Growing up in multi-cultural Hawaii, I was not immune from racism/hatred directed against some white people (the Hawaiian term is “haoles”), or even the single bi-racial black/white family in our rural sugar plantation community. I heard the heckling and animosity directed against these individuals, and I knew in my heart that it was wrong.

My own mother (second generation Japanese American, a U.S. Citizen born in the Trust Territory of Hawaii) instructed me as a teenager not to ever date Black men. And I heard her still say that same statement to my son when he attained his dating age as well. She unfortunately must have learned this prejudice from her parents who had immigrated from Japan.

I skeptically listened to my mother out of filial respect for her, but when I went to college I met more people of all races at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It was there that I realized that my mother was wrong to make such a blanket statement against blacks.

I unlearned the racism that was taught to me as I realized when I grew into adulthood that there were no reasons to hate someone based on their skin color, or any other criteria for that matter (i. e. gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation). I think that people can be taught to realize the prejudices they have learned as they grew up, and then consciously undo this teaching and embrace diversity.

These two programs at the YWCA and the U of A are there to enable social change to occur in our community, even after decades of racism.

And thanks to “Blogbits”- Steven Smith for his 9/1/09 blog “No One is Born Prejudiced“

This 2009 movie “Enlighten Up!” is a true, fascinating documentary of a young man’s quest to study and practice different forms of yoga. Besides the physical training and flexibility that yoga provides, Nick Rosen was trying to find if there was any spiritual “secret” in doing yoga. A complete novice to yoga and a skeptical journalist, Nick travels from New York City to California to Hawaii, and then ultimately to India on this quest.

After 6 months he finds that he has learned a lot, practiced yoga a lot, talked to many, many practitioners and gurus, but is left with no clear answer about the ultimate meaning of yoga (if any).

(continue reading…)

Northwest Medical Center is in the forefront of helping women stay healthy as we age.

And we are indeed all aging. Coordinator Kellee Lemons has set up a monthly lecture series for their Healthy Woman program—a “community resource designed to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to make informed healthcare and well-being decisions for themselves and their loved ones.”

This program was designed by women for women and it shows. And these community lectures are all free, with light refreshments served.

The monthly lectures are usually on the 4th Mondays of each month, and the next one is:

Healthy Woman – Joint Replacement
Date: 08/24/2009 – Doors open at 6 p.m.
Location: The Event Center, 6060 N. Fountain Plaza Dr., Suite 130, adjacent to The Women’s Center

The lectures are presented by mostly physicians, healthcare professionals and/or local experts on topics from a broad spectrum of issues affecting women.

Most of us register online at their website http://www.northwestmedicalcenter.com/healthy-woman.php

Or you can call in to register at: 866-NW4WELL (866-694-9355.) For general questions about the Healthy Woman lecture series call Kellee at (520) 469-8916.

Supportive male partners/spouses are also welcome!