Just heard about a fun "non-Castro" Halloween night event (email me more gentle readers! If you're doing something "at home" that night away from the Castro, we wanna' know about it!). Today's event -- The Halloween Skate! This group clearly knows how to celebrate Halloween! They'll be skating in costume all WEEK, then culminating on October 31 with a costumed skate starting at the Ferry Building at 8pm. If I were more coordinated and less busy that night, that's where I would be! Skate on! Check it out at http://www.cora.org/2007HalloweenSkating.htm.
Today was a typically gorgeous fall day in SF. Started out the day at the monthly meeting for NATAS (The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences) on whose Northern California Board of Directors I sit. I came armed with "No Halloween in the Castro" PSAs which promptly got scooped up by my colleagues at Sacramento's Channel 10, and local stations KTVU-Fox 2, CBS-5, and NBC 11. It's all about relationships and making people understand -- one-on-one -- the importance of this public safety campaign.
One of my fellow board members, also a Castro resident, spoke to me after the meeting: "I'm so glad you're doing this. Put me down as a volunteer to help." Like so many of us who live in the Castro, he and his partner are also fed up with this "Party Gone Wild" on Halloween night.
After NATAS, I headed over to Yerba Buena Gardens for Mayor Newsom's Annual Family Day: hundreds of kids, teens and families all enjoying this oasis in the middle of the City. I handed out several hundred fliers (in English and Spanish) to various community groups and tables represented there. My favorite moment came at the table for the Yerba Buena Ice Skating & Bowling Center (http://www.skatebowl.com/) where my friend Bonnie gave a thumbs up to the campaign and promised her suppport. While we were chatting, one of the Center's new, young staff people came up, saw the flyer and said "Oh great! We'll help spread the word. But, everyone at my school is already talking about the Castro being closed and making other plans." Her school? "The Dental College." Wow, I knew this was a campaign about building bridges. I just didn't know some would be toothsome. :-)
Came back feeling encouraged, and then did a podcast interview with "Alex & Dean", a gay couple (congrats on 13 years) interested in helping us promote the No Halloween in the Castro public safety message.
Thanks guys -- every little bit helps.
more anon,
