.Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Aug. 26-Sept. 1

Because many in-person events across Santa Cruz County have been canceled or postponed during the pandemic, Good Times is compiling a weekly list of virtual events hosted by local nonprofits, artists, fitness instructors and businesses. To submit your virtual event, send an email to ca******@go*******.sc. 

CLASSES

65-HOUR TRAINING Community members may participate in a Monarch Services virtual training to become California state-certified peer counselors for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. The training will be held Aug. 24-Oct. 14 during these times: Mondays 1pm-3:30pm, Wednesdays 1pm-3:30pm, Thursdays 1pm-3:30pm. Register by emailing al********@mo********.org. 

NAMI FAMILY-TO-FAMILY CLASS NAMI’s Family-to-Family class is an eight-week educational program for family and friends of adults with mental health challenges. Learn about how to support your loved one, gain valuable communication and coping skills, and become educated on the latest mental health research. Class is led by two trained volunteers with lived experience caring for someone with mental health conditions. Sign up online and learn more at namiscc.org/family-to-family.html. Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm. 

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PROJECT: FAMILIES AND DISTANCE LEARNING Please join us for the third program in the Community Resiliency Project for a discussion about school and family resiliency with Dr. Faris Sabbah, superintendent of schools at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, psychologist Suzanne Nicholas, and Lauren Fein, LMFT with Santa Cruz County Behavioral Health, focusing on Children. Register online at santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6912518. Friday, Aug. 28, 1pm. 

CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION WEEKEND EXPRESS CLASS This Saturday and Sunday virtual class is intended for expectant mothers and their labor support team. Focus will be on the birth process, including the stages of labor and when to go to the hospital. Non-pharmaceutical coping techniques for pain, including breath work, mindfulness practices, supportive touch and positions for labor and birth, along with standard hospital procedures, pain medication options, medical interventions, cesarean birth, postpartum recovery, newborn procedures and breastfeeding basics. In this class, we will actively practice positions and coping techniques for pain, so please be dressed for movement. Please register for the PEP class session. Only after you have completed this process, the Zoom meeting information will be provided to you via email prior to your class. Classes run 1-5:30pm on these days: Sept. 26-27, Oct, 24-25, Nov. 14-15, Dec. 19-20. 

SALSA SUELTA IN PLACE: Free weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. Contact to get a Zoom link. Thursdays at 7pm. salsagente.com.

COMMUNITY

THE BORGEN PROJECT INFO AND RECRUITMENT WEBINAR The Borgen Project is a nonprofit organization that focuses on ending global poverty. We accomplish this goal through lobbying and pressuring Congress to cosponsor and vote for poverty reduction legislation. From 2017 to 2019, The Borgen Project played a key role in getting 10 anti-poverty bills such as the Global Fragility Act and the End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act passed! We are currently recruiting people for fully remote volunteer positions and internship roles (unpaid) in fields such as PR/marketing, writing, political affairs, journalism, HR, and nonprofit leadership! If interested, this event is meant to help you get a sense of what The Borgen Project is, what we do, and what your specific duties would be for each of these positions. Feel free to bring any questions you have as well! Zoom ID 724 736 4377, password: 92748. Saturday, Aug. 29, 1-1:30pm. borgenproject.org.

VIRTUAL WALK-A-MILE Our annual Walk-a-Mile fundraiser is going virtual this year! The walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3, to coincide with the first weekend of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Between now and event day, participants can sign up online individually or as a team, create a personalized web page and outreach to their networks to fund their walk. Through our event site, social media networks and teams, we will raise awareness and build support for the movement to end violence in our community. All funds raised through this year’s Walk-a-Mile event will go towards meeting the immediate needs of survivors (housing support, food, transportation, etc.), violence prevention programming for youth and teens, as well as outreach to those most at-risk of violence during this time. Learn more at monarchwam.funraise.org. 

LUMA BOOK CLUB This is a time of seismic shift, and yet also one of opportunity. Luma Yoga is a community center operating on principles of inclusion, compassion, and, yes, reflection, but make no mistake—also of action. The first step in effective action is gaining knowledge. To this end, Luma is hosting a book club on the topic of racism and social justice issues. The reading groups will be held remotely (for now) over Zoom Thursday nights 7-8:15pm. The purpose of the groups is to learn the endless shapes oppression can take in the world, to recognize our own biases within ourselves, and to move from discomfort to action in support of Black and non-white POC. The groups will be facilitated by Steven Macramalla, a professor of psychology at SJSU. The Club will work on a 3- to 4-week cycle, reading one book per cycle, with several chapters covered each week. For more info visit lumayoga.com. Thursdays at 7pm. 

TALES TO TAILS GOES VIRTUAL Beginning Aug. 10, SCPL’s early childhood literacy program, Virtual Tales to Tails, is moving to a new time slot: Mondays, 3:30-4:30pm. At the end of your school day, hop online and have fun reading at your own pace to an audience of therapy dogs, cats and other guest animals. Have math homework? Good news! Your furry audience would also love to learn how to count, add and subtract. Register online. Registrants receive reminders, links to the live program, and fun (educational) activities to complete and have showcased on future sessions Learn more at santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6764938.

GROUPS 

VIRTUAL YOUNG ADULT (18-30) TRANSGENDER SUPPORT GROUP A weekly peer support group for young adults aged 18-25 who identify as transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, agender, or any other non-cisgender identity. This is a social group where we meet and chat among ourselves, sharing our experiences and thoughts in a warm, welcoming setting. Our meetings will be held on Discord during the shelter-in-place order. For more info, contact Ezra Bowen at tr***@di*************.org.

LGBTQNBI+ SUPPORT GROUP FOR CORONAVIRUS STRESS This weekly LGBTQNBI+ support group is being offered to help us all deal with stress during the shelter-in-place situation that we are experiencing from the coronavirus. Feel free to bring your lunch and chat together to get support. This group is offered at no cost and will be facilitated by licensed therapists Shane Hill, Ph.D., and Melissa Bernstein, LMFT #52524. Learn how to join the Zoom support group at diversitycenter.org/community-calendar. 

OUTDOOR

THE ROCK SHOW Castle Rock meets Classic Rock! Learn a little about the park’s geology the fun way—with plenty of rock puns and musical tributes to some of the legends of rock and roll! Like our Facebook page to receive a notification when this pre-recorded program premiers Friday, Aug. 28, at 7pm: facebook.com/castlerockstatepark. Viewers will be able to post questions and comments during the premiere for a state park interpreter to answer. The program will also be available for later viewing. Free event. Local California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual campfire programs during the Covid-19 pandemic. These free, family-friendly programs are scheduled on Friday or Saturday at 7pm every other week in August.

SKULLS TELL IT ALL Predator or prey? Herbivore or carnivore? Skulls give us clues to how an animal survives. This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. Friday, Aug. 28, 10am. Local California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes!

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND From the tallest trees on Earth to the most distant planets, join us for a walk through the solar system to compare size on a cosmic scale. Like our Facebook page to receive a notification when this pre-recorded program premiers Saturday, Aug. 29, at 7pm: facebook.com/BigBasinRedwoodsSP. Viewers will be able to post questions and comments during the premiere for a state park interpreter to answer. The program will also be available for later viewing. Free event. Local California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual campfire programs during the Covid-19 pandemic. These free, family-friendly programs are scheduled on Friday or Saturday at 7pm every other week in August.

BEARY RARE Grizzly bears dominated life in the Santa Cruz Mountains less than 200 years ago. Now the grizzlies are gone and black bear sightings are rarer than Bigfoot. Why are bears so elusive these days, and what can we learn about their disappearance? This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. Saturday, Aug. 29, 10am. Local California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes!

STORIES OF PORTOLA Travel back in time with us as we learn the unique history of Portola and all the communities which have shaped this weird and wonderful place. This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. Sunday, Aug. 30, 10am.