Caffe Lena – Week at a Glance – 12/22

Greetings – My sister is teaching herself French. She texted me a translation from this morning’s lesson: “When I sit by the fire, I feel a connection to my ancestors. I imagine their thoughts were similar to mine.” That popped back into my head when I looked at this photo of a 1960 gathering at the Caffe. The stage hadn’t yet moved to its current location, which is why the image may feel a little disorienting. But the sound and feel of that gathering is exactly the same as it will be this week, as we come to the end of our 65th year in that very same room.  Whether you join us for a show or help us over the finish line in our Annual Fund Drive (getting close!), your participation is what keeps this precious tradition alive.

We have a nice gift for our Open Mic community to end the year. Volunteer nurses from Saratoga Community Health Center will run a Pop-Up Clinic in our lobby on Monday evening. They will offer blood pressure screenings, insurance navigation, and info about the many free services offered by the clinic. If you have questions about the future of your health insurance, or want to explore first-time coverage through the state marketplace, this is an opportunity to meet with a professional who can help. This program is part of an ongoing partnership between Caffe Lena and Saratoga Community Health Center to help uninsured/underinsured musicians access affordable or free healthcare services.

See you at the show,
Sarah

P.S. Not sure if you saw the news, but Caffe Lena was selected for full funding in Saratoga’s Participatory Budget vote last week. Unfortunately, the City then decided that it couldn’t afford the four winning projects, so $12,500 allocated to us for Folk Club Kids will not be paid out. 🙁  We appreciate your votes, regardless.