by Noella Noelophile®
“Roses are red/Violets are blue/This Saturday near the beach/You can help, walk and share poetry too!”
OK, I think I’d better stick to my day job. No, I KNOW I’d better.
But that got your attention! And tomorrow, Saturday, February 19th, Long Beach “Chief Inspiration Officer” Justin Rudd’s nonprofit “Community Action Team” has three free events happening. If you’re out and about (may I encourage you to mask and social distance), these are going to be a great time!
Beautifying the beach
First, tomorrow morning, the monthly “30-Minute Beach Clean-Up” is happening. According to Justin’s webpage, you can arrive at 1 Granada, in Long Beach, at either 9:30 am or 10:00 am. Community Action Team will provide trash bags, gloves, free beachfront parking and a cold drink. Here’s the link to register.
Calling all bards
And then? Well, you may want to dust off your literary skills this evening.
After the Beach Clean-Up, at 10:35 tomorrow morning, the “Roses are Red” poetry contest is starting.
To participate, come for the Beach Clean-Up, then plan to hang out.
You can bring a maximum of two ORIGINAL poems, a minute or less in length, according to Justin’s link. You will get to read your work on-mic. All ages are welcome to enter this free competition. No props are permitted. And while you don’t have to memorize your creation, please bring a printed copy if you can.
Oh, and one more thing.
Each poem has to start with, “Roses are red…”
Prizes will be given for the best poems–but most importantly, this is going to be a blast!
“Soleful” Long Beach
Next? A personal favorite, from among C.A.T.’s numerous events: the twelfth annual “Red Shoes and Red Heels Walk” for Heart Health Month!
While this is a fundraiser for local schools, nonprofits, places of worship and community organizations, it’s also a lot of fun.
What to expect, if you haven’t participated before?
A mile-long walk, with the group, to raise heart health awareness.
Participants are encouraged to create and bring a sign to carry, about heart health. And please consider wearing either red shoes or red heels for the walk (your choice). Community Action Team will donate $5 to charity for every participant wearing red shoes!
Check-in is around 11:40 am at Livingston Park (East Livingston Drive at Park in Long Beach). Men, women and youth are invited. In addition, if you have a group of 25 or more, and check in for the walk by 8:00 tonight, your charity, organization, school or team will receive up to $250, based on the number of walkers wearing red shoes and compliance with these rules.
Then, at noon, it’s down the red carpet–and off to Second Street!
In the past, guests have gotten into it in a “doggone” big way!
Perhaps one of my favorite memories of one of these, was of this LBCC student, wearing heels for the first time.
As you can see, those weren’t kitten heels, either.
And off went the group, with him gamely navigating in his unfamiliar footwear.
After our walk down Second Street and back, everyone reconvened at Livingston Park.
Laughing, our hero tumbled onto the grass, shedding those red heels.
The crowd offered applause and a few cookies from our post-snack refreshments, as the first-time heel-wearer applied Band-Aids to his blistered feet!
You don’t have to go that far. But if you have a pair of red shoes in your wardrobe that you won’t mind wearing for about an hour, it’s more than a step in the right direction.
These three free events start tomorrow morning, Saturday, February 19th, with the 30-Minute Beach Clean-Up at 9:30 at 1 Granada Avenue (near East Ocean Boulevard) in Long Beach. Plan to stay for the “Roses are Red” Poetry Contest at 10:35, after the beach cleanup. And then, consider heading over to Livingston Park, for the “Red Shoes and High Heels Walk” for Heart Health Month! Here are the links to register for the Beach Clean-Up and the Red Shoes and High Heels Walk. There is no advance registration for the Poetry Contest.