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Blog archive

December 2025

Christmas at The (Pet) Cemetery?
12/18/2025

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
12/18/2025

From Relief to Recovery: A Journey of Continued Support
12/18/2025

Getting to know Sam Gopinathan
12/18/2025

In Memorium
12/18/2025

Popular Music and Revolution: Latin American Protest Music from the 1950s to Today
12/18/2025

President’s Message
12/18/2025

Seeing Your Way Through Vision Loss
12/18/2025

Small Group Gathering - Conversations & Support
12/18/2025

The not-to-be missed stories Voice of the Village brought you in 2025
12/18/2025

Broad Discussion on Education, Class, and Social Inequities
12/04/2025

The Waiting Room
12/02/2025

A Strange Pairing – Fraud & Flan
12/01/2025

Aging Like a Fine Wine: Pasadena Village’s Vintage Celebration
12/01/2025

Can You Hear Me Now?
12/01/2025

Holocaust Stories Shared at Pasadena Village
12/01/2025

How the Village Works
12/01/2025

Kintsugi: More Than Repairing Pottery
12/01/2025

OnTheGo Expo 2025
12/01/2025

President’s Message
12/01/2025

Rain and The Last Village Connections Event
12/01/2025

November 2025

October 2025

September 2025

August 2025

Lessons From A Fire
08/31/2025

A Warm Welcome to A New Board Member
08/28/2025

About Kieran Highsmith
08/28/2025

Finding Common Ground in a Divided Society
08/27/2025

Art From The Ashes: Second Reception
08/26/2025

Building Community Through Connections: Some Advice for New Members
08/26/2025

Critical Issues: A Call to Action
08/26/2025

Organizer Training Empowers Villagers to Lead the Way
08/26/2025

President's Message
08/26/2025

Reflections From a Backyard Garden -Taking a Moment to Be Still
08/26/2025

Reflections From a Backyard Garden -Taking a Moment to Be Still
08/26/2025

Super Agers
08/26/2025

The Altadena Dining Club
08/26/2025

Use It or Lose It: How to Offset Muscle Loss at Any Age
08/26/2025

Dunbar Number: Understanding the Limits of Human Relationships
08/25/2025

A Turning Point Towards Growth and Purpose
08/23/2025

Unbreak My Heart
08/23/2025

Lora's Return to Writing
08/18/2025

Nice Clean Colored Girls
08/18/2025

Sanctity Denied: A Pasadena Story of Race and Silence
08/18/2025

Some Thoughts at 3:00 AM by Beverly Lafontaine
08/16/2025

Old Again by Sally Asmundson
08/15/2025

Old by Sally Asmundson
08/15/2025

Art From the Ashes
08/07/2025

Claire Gorfinkel Retires from Board of Directors
08/05/2025

2025 Annual Meeting: A Year of Resilience
08/04/2025

A Walk Through 2024-25
08/04/2025

President's Message
08/01/2025

July 2025

June 2025

May 2025

A Day to Celebrate, Connect, and Empower: Older Americans Month at Victory Park
05/30/2025

End of Life: You Do Have Choices!
05/30/2025

Get Moving, Pasadena Village: Walking Toward a Healthier, Happier You
05/30/2025

Music: A Universal Language
05/30/2025

President's Message
05/30/2025

The New Grammar Guardian of Pasadena Village
05/30/2025

Undue Influence: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
05/30/2025

Village Within a Village
05/30/2025

What do we do now?
05/30/2025

A Tribute to Dad
05/05/2025

A Tribute to Mom
05/05/2025

A Board Director Perspective
05/02/2025

A Death Valley Adventure
05/02/2025

Ask an Architect
05/02/2025

Message from the President
05/02/2025

My 15-Minute City
05/02/2025

Neighboring Anew
05/02/2025

Scam Red Flags
05/02/2025

Sir Beckett, A Woman's Best Friend
05/02/2025

Volunteer Appreciation: Giving a New Level of Love and Caring
05/02/2025

April 2025

March 2025

About Senior Solutions
03/28/2025

Building a Bridge With Journey House, A Home Base for Former Foster Youth
03/28/2025

Come for the Knitting, Stay for the Conversation... and the Cookies
03/28/2025

Creating Safe and Smart Spaces with Home Technology
03/28/2025

Finding Joy in My Role on The Pasadena Village Board
03/28/2025

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up!
03/28/2025

Managing Anxiety
03/28/2025

Message from Our President: Keeping Pasadena Village Strong Together
03/28/2025

My Favorite Easter Gift
03/28/2025

The Hidden History of Black Women in WWII
03/28/2025

Urinary Tract Infection – Watch Out!
03/28/2025

Volunteer Coordinator and Blade-Runner
03/28/2025

Continuing Commitment to Combating Racism
03/26/2025

Goodbye and Keep Cold by Robert Frost
03/13/2025

What The Living Do by Marie Howe
03/13/2025

Racism is Not Genetic
03/11/2025

Bill Gould, The First
03/07/2025

THIS IS A CHAPTER, NOT MY WHOLE STORY
03/07/2025

Dramatic Flair: Villagers Share their Digital Art
03/03/2025

Empowering Senior LGBTQ+ Caregivers
03/03/2025

A Life Never Anticipated
03/02/2025

Eaton Fire Changes Life
03/02/2025

February 2025

Commemorating Black History Month 2025
02/28/2025

Transportation at the Pasadena Village
02/28/2025

A Look at Proposition 19
02/27/2025

Behind the Scenes: Understanding the Pasadena Village Board and Its Role
02/27/2025

Beyond and Within the Village: The Power of One
02/27/2025

Celebrating Black Voices
02/27/2025

Creatively Supporting Our Village Community
02/27/2025

Decluttering: More Than The Name Implies
02/27/2025

Hidden Gems of Forest Lawn Museum
02/27/2025

LA River Walk
02/27/2025

Message from the President
02/27/2025

Phoenix Rising
02/27/2025

1619 Conversations with West African Art
02/25/2025

The Party Line
02/24/2025

Bluebird by Charles Bukowski
02/17/2025

Dreams by Langston Hughes
02/17/2025

Haiku - Four by Fritzie
02/17/2025

Haikus - Nine by Virginia
02/17/2025

Wind and Fire
02/17/2025

Partnerships Amplify Relief Efforts
02/07/2025

Another Community Giving Back
02/05/2025

Diary of Disaster Response
02/05/2025

Eaton Fire: A Community United in Loss and Recovery
02/05/2025

Healing Powers of Creative Energy
02/05/2025

Living the Mission
02/05/2025

Message from the President: Honoring Black History Month
02/05/2025

Surviving and Thriving: Elder Health Considerations After the Fires
02/05/2025

Treasure Hunting in The Ashes
02/05/2025

Villager's Stories
02/05/2025

A Beginning of Healing
02/03/2025

Hectic Evacuation From Eaton Canyon Fire
02/02/2025

Hurricanes and Fires are Different Monsters
02/02/2025

January 2025

Small Group Gathering - Conversations & Support

By Buff Gontier
Posted: 12/18/2025
Tags: small group gatherings, buff gontier, newsletter january 2026

The Corner Bakery on Foothill Boulevard was the festively decorated site of the Small Group gathering for December.  While the group of about fifteen gathered to enjoy its goal of conversation and support, some enjoyed a full meal as others only indulged in coffee. They chatted while waiting for promised insight from Wayne April, Vice President of the Board of Directors. 


At the appropriate moment, Julie Sorenson who, along with Michelle Kuczma, is a chairperson of the group, introduced Wayne to give his outline about the Village. He began by announcing that he had not prepared a speech but was happy to speak spontaneously and answer questions. The first subject seemed naturally to be the use of the money that came to the Village for fire relief. He related that it was mainly spent on gift cards for fire victims and also for replacement of the many items that were lost. He said a majority of the money has come from the California Community Foundation and has a March deadline for distribution. It has helped “plug holes” left by lack of insurance. Wayne related the matter of some minor controversy regarding fire relief taking away from general Village goals, but he felt strongly that the fire’s effect on twenty members justified its use and also added that some of the funds had been approved for purchase of the new Village van. 


Wayne then approached the matter of Board of Directors positions, wanting to tempt members to apply. He mentioned that June 2026 will bring some Board changes as some terms will be up. Meetings are on the third Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. and the next one will be January 20 at Villa Gardens followed by a reception. He encouraged attendance, adding that anyone may attend the meetings to observe but not interrupt or contribute. 


Some spontaneous conversation followed Wayne’s remarks, including Jim Hendrick’s expected grandchild in April and also his newest idea for a short story. Norma Shammas was asked about her artistic scarf making, which she described as very time consuming but rewarding. Michelle and Julie, our chairpersons, wanted to explore ideas to facilitate future gatherings, hoping to increase future attendance. One idea was to introduce a topic, follow it initially, and let it develop and expand. Other ideas offered were (1) inviting another Village organizer, (2) possibly meeting in the office or other local spot, and (3) meeting later in the day. All remain to be considered, as all agreed they felt informed and enriched by the gathering.

 

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