A FULL RANGE OF CASUAL + SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES
Many tenants stop by the Lobby, Living Room or Dining/Meeting Commons a little while each day on one side or another of their outside errands - to pick up mail and to "hang out" with whoever stops by - staff/tenant, human/pet, mail-persons/visitors. - or even just to enjoy sitting in a comfortable chair quietly by themselves to read a book or enjoy the garden view. Art, music, politics, dog grooming.....news and problems - all are discussed; help frequently offered.
Wall calendars and sign-up sheets facilitate tenants' ready knowledge of scheduled classes, meetings, entertainment and field trips. Rotating tenants working as Desk Assistants are present 12 hours a day to provide individualized welcomes, help, or action in an emergency.
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There are Common Rooms in which to watch often first-run movies and big-screen TV or play board games; tenants have organized and manage a well-stocked library. The Art Room, Exercise Room, and Music Room on ground level - all open to interested tenants - are maintained by tenant volunteers. Nothing slick, but spacious and well-stocked with shareable supplies.
And then, there are the SCL Grounds. Street-side opulent rose, and mixed-flower beds planted and tended by residents (who love what they do) are lush. Garden-Committee head, David Erdreich provides information and oversight to residents who want to plant, harvest and weed, - as well as work on the rose garden. Raised beds in the side gardens overflow with seasonal vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The creek and birds provide a great soundtrack.
Two people who deserve special acknowledgement: Stephen Josephson has weeded the WHOLE SCL property in just a couple of months, including the especially difficult ivy between the creek and our property. BRAVO!! Dion has weeded around the Fig Tree and helped clear the backyard walk of two large downed, uprooted bushes which were over ten feet tall.
Food , Classes, Fitness Sessions, Support Groups and Lots of Entertainment
Because our mission at SCL is to foster in-house groups and activities that ensure our community members’ physical, social, cultural, and spiritual viability, we start with Food. We are mindful that many of our residents struggle financially. Tenants share food informally with neighbors, as well as help SCL neighbors to access Meals on Wheels and Food Stamp programs.
SAHA, the Board, and the TA collaborate to distribute a large bag of organic raw foods from the Berkeley Food Network twice monthly.. As well, our tenant-led Food Committee members deliver a complete, cooked meal twice weekly to the apartments of those who want it. We work through the Foundation Board to make sure that necessary funding continues.
Both SAHA and the Tenants Association provide ongoing weekly classes in ESL, meditation, yoga and tai chi as well as computer tutoring, special presentations on local and national politics. A new program unveiled in-house in April 2022 is the “Renter’s Advantage” financial-support and credit-building training.
Tenants Association members have formed 14 active sub-committees that meet regularly and express the interests and enthusiasms of the residents. These groups range from painting, pottery and writing to gardening, conservation, entertainment, support groups, Restorative Justice communications training, and senior advocacy. Our lobby and hallways are lively with paintings and photography by residents, old and new. First-run films and old favorites are shown weekly in the dedicated Theatre Room. During April 2022, we have enjoyed several tenant-planned parties, a comic juggling presentation, and two professional music concerts .
"Currents,” a resident created newspaper featuring news, poetry, artwork, and reporting, has been regularly published for decades. And in monthly Tenants Association meetings (as well as Foundation Board meetings which they are invited to observe), all residents are welcome to receive information, to propose activities, to share concerns and problem-solve together.
COME VISIT THE Tenant-Led Garden Program SHOWPIECE.
Strawberry Creek Lodge
1320 Addison Street, Berkeley, California 94702, United States
Copyright © 2023 Strawberry Creek Lodge - All Rights Reserved.
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