Once again, the Rosie the Riveter Trust will hold a rally to defend �" and hopefully break �" the Guinness world record for "the largest gathering of people dressed like Rosie the Riveter" Saturday, August 12 at Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South, and Lucretia Edwards Park in Richmond.
The current record stands at 2,229 Rosies.
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of World War II, representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards during the war. Many of the women produced munitions and war supplies. Today, Rosie, and the women she represents, are honored by the National Park Service's Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park, an urban park along the Richmond waterfront. The trust supports the work of the park.
Anyone �" women, men, and children �" can participate in the gathering. To dress like Rosie, people should wear a red bandanna with white polka dots, dark blue collared shirt and pants or dark blue coveralls, red socks, and closed-toe black or brown shoes. A limited supply of bandanna and sock packs will be available for $10 on the day of the event (or $8 in advance at the gift shop).
The gathering of Rosies is just one of several activities planned for the day, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The world record count is at 11. Following that, there will be a parade to the Home Front Festival at the park, where there will be food and entertainment.
There is no cost to participate in the world record count or to attend the festival. Details, including transportation options from San Francisco, are available at www.rosietheriveter.org/rosierally2017.
Seniors find food, activities at Castro center
Seniors and people with disabilities can find lunch and a lot more weekdays at the Castro Senior Center.
Director Patrick Larkin said that seniors age 60 and older who are San Francisco residents, or younger people with a verifiable disability, are welcome to attend. The program is located at Ellard Hall of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church (110 Diamond Street). It is funded by the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services and is part of Golden Gate Senior Services.
"We have a wide range of activities," Larkin, a gay man, said in a phone interview last week.
Weekly activities include exercise programs, tai chi, and yoga, as well as current events discussions, poetry, films, bingo, and more. There's also a flea market Wednesday mornings. A weekly schedule is posted online. There is no cost to participate.
Larkin said that he brings in guest speakers to talk about things like navigating benefits or seeing if seniors qualify for lower cost phone service.
The center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Wednesdays it is open from 8:30 a.m. until just after lunch is served. Project Open Hand provides lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and a $2 donation is requested.
Larkin said that, on average, about 65-70 people attend the center daily. People can stay for the activities, or come for lunch, or do both.
The Castro Senior Center is not exclusively gay, but Larkin said that of the men who attend the center about 80 percent identify as gay.
For more information, visit www.ggsenior.org. Go to "Menu" and click on "Castro."
Horizons accepting grant applications
Horizons Foundation, a philanthropic social justice organization that serves the Bay Area LGBT community, is now accepting applications for its 2017 community issues grants.
The grants, which are for 501(c)3 nonprofits or groups that are fiscally sponsored by an organization that has that status, are made possible through the contributions of individual donors to Horizons, donors' legacies included in the foundation's LGBTQ Community Endowment Fund, and the support of philanthropic partners. The organizations also need to primarily work with the LGBTQ community or be a non-LGBTQ agency that is seeking funding for an LGBTQ-specific project.
The funding request must be for an organization or program within one or more of the nine Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
The maximum grant award is $10,000.
Horizons has a two-part application process �" an electronic submission along with the required paper copies of the application.
For an application, go to https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-CI-Application-Form-Updated-Final_distributed.pdf.
For instructions and guidelines, go to https://www.horizonsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2017-CI-RFP-Proposal-Guidelines-Final-1.pdf.
The deadline to apply is August 16 at 5 p.m.
'American Idol' auditions coming to Oakland
The rebooted "American Idol" TV show is coming to ABC in 2018 and auditions for the upcoming season will be held in Oakland Sunday, August 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Jack London Square, at the foot of Broadway.
The new show will star host Ryan Seacrest. At press time, pop singer Katy Perry had been announced as a judge, with others expected to be named.
The Oakland auditions are the only ones scheduled for California as producers hold tryouts in cities across the country. Hopefuls can also submit audition videos online, or show off their talent via Instagram, Twitter, or Musical.ly using the hashtag #TheNextIdol.
All singers must be at least 15 years old to audition.
Many of the Jack London Square restaurants and retailers plan to offer specials to welcome those auditioning and their supporters. Check out Jack London Square's Facebook page for more details.
For additional information about auditioning, and full eligibility requirements, submission forms, and terms and conditions, visit www.americanidol.com.