Email This Post
Community Briefs
Submitted Material
CASA seeks volunteer mentors for children
Sonoma County CASA is seeking volunteers to become youth advocates and mentors for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes by the child welfare system for protective services.
CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, provides adult mentors to nearly 150 children who need a special friend and advocate. Juvenile court officials have identified an additional 50 youth who need advocates and CASA is appealing to Sonoma County residents to volunteer. The CASA volunteer provides human contact that the kids need and the adult experience and savvy the court needs to make better decisions for them. Volunteers for the youth are asked to spend a minimum of 10 to 12 hours a month on their case.
A three-day training session for those interested begins Jan. 27 and runs consecutively until Jan. 29. Classes are held at CASA’s office at the Los Guilicos complex near Oakmont in Santa Rosa. For more information contact Millie Gilson at 707.565.6375.
Shambala Center study series
The Shambhala Center hosts “Form is Emptiness: Exploring the Heart Sutra” on Sundays, Jan. 11 and 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Heart Sutra is the best-known Buddhist sutra, recited by millions of Buddhists every day. One of the shortest of what are known as “The Perfection of Wisdom” sutras dating from roughly 500 years after the life of the Buddha, the sutra presents profound understanding and practice leading to the alleviation of suffering and the attainment of complete enlightenment.
The first Sunday, “Form” will cover the history and derivation of the sutra and its place within Mahayana Buddhism, the historical and personal references it contains, its organization structure, definitions of terms, words and context. An opportunity for questions and group discussion will be provided.
On the second Sunday, “Emptiness” will explore the deeper inner qualities of the Heart Sutra, the presentation of emptiness and its meaning, the path and practices embodied within the sutra and its recitation and contemplation. This will be followed by group discussion.
Open to all members of the public, a donation of $25 is suggested for the series, though no one will be turned away for lack of funds. The study will be lead by Larry Barnett, director of the Sonoma Shambhala Center, and will be held at the Shambhala Center, 255 W. Napa St.
A copy of the Heart Sutra is available at www.sonomashambhala.org/heart.pdf.
275 views