Here's a letter from Tom Noddy,
detailing the 90th birthday (that's right, she was born in 1915!) of our very own Official Crone, Faith Petric:

Hello Chautuaquans,

 Oh ... you just KNOW that she was all sweet and smiling and near tears at a few sentimental moments and, of course, flipping out tough-gal zingers whenever you least expected it from the sweet looking granny. Even if you know her well and expect it, she still finds a way to lull you into not expecting it just before she delivers it.

It was Faith's 90th birthday and the celebration event took place at Berkeley's Freight and Salvage, the Bay Area's rock-solid funky folk gathering house. Of course, Faith insisted that her birthday concert be run as a benefit for the club and so it was. Of course, it was sold out.

Utah Phillips was flippant and funny and deeply serious as the MC. He reminded us that ours was a Faith-based event. He read personal notes sent in by Pete Seeger and Sy Kahn and Jean Ritchie and other famous, infamous, sane and other sorts of folks. He also offered his own asides throughout and you could see the history that Faith and Utah share ... he was real.

Ronnie Gilbert was there and a whole slew of Faith's friends -- most of them singing songs that they had written for Faith's birthday (although some were written for previous birthdays of hers -- someone pointed out "she's had lots of them").

People told about her round-the-world trip (begun in the 40's, interrupted by the world's plans and resumed in the 70's), her college days, her work for causes, her hosting of the folk singers through the years, her trips on Chautauqua, her sense of humor, her sense of song, her prodigious age and her practiced memory.

Certainly Faith was the focus of the evening, the songs were all either sung by her (solo or with friends) or sung about her. It was her birthday but, as is the case with these sorts of things, the real gifts were for all of us who were present. We sat with other people who have shared her in their lives (some only know her onstage but ... that's not a small thing either).

Aileen Vance wrote a round that included the words:
A shining star, a thousand songs:
Our Faith is great, Our Faith is strong

Ed Bronstein's song complained:
Faith's 90th birthday demands a great song, But to write one I had a hard time ,For how can a guy write a song about Faith , When to her name, there ain't any rhyme

Nancy Shimmel sang:
To the Faith that keeps us going, we hope for a long long time, And the love she gives with cups of tea and hugs and rhythm and rhyme

Von Rozay (from San Jose) sang:
As she sings out the wisdom of her four score and ten, Leading the chorus when folks march again, Regales us with Utah, invokes Alice Paul, And flies 'round the planet to sing for us all

Laurie Story Vela (who arranged for the recording of all of these songs on CD ... you can contact her about whether she'll make more ... they all sold out that night ... she's available via telephone at 800 222 4974) wrote and sang:
Faith sows gardens of songs, Like seedlings we all sing along

Bob Reid was there and he sang this:
Well I knew it was love at first sight, The first time I saw her onstage, About to go hitching to circle the world/And showing us all that her age, Was a springboard instead of a cage

The words to all of the songs seemed appropriate, I especially like the one by Bob Reid ... but these are the words that the evening reminded me of as I walked out (maybe you've heard Faith sing it):

A Pleasure to Know You ... Karl Williams

They say life's a journey a highway from birth to death
Mapped in despair and traveled in hopelessness
Well they may believe it but just between you and me
The trick to the traveling is all in the company

-Tom Noddy

From Joannie Murayama--

The New Old Time Chautauqua's Mission is about building community. One of the ways we do this by interacting with diverse communities, particularly in underserved areas. We are proud to be a part of the grassroots efforts that are helping those who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina Bus Transportation Project

On Wednesday, September 7, two buses fueled by biodiesel and veggie oil, left Port Townsend, Washington, headed for Houston to shuttle evacuees to safe havens. The Chautauqua Bus and Sunflower Bus are working with Katrina Caravan Rescue, an organization operating a nationwide, volunteer-led transit network. They are transporting people to already committed housing--homes and shelters that are ready to welcome and receive them.

The buses arrived in Texas, loaded with non-perishable food and supplies donated by the Port Townsend Community. The generosity of the PT citizens, Chatauquans and other friends has kept this project on the road. A group of us at home continue to raise funds and help with any challenges that the buses encounter.

Our volunteers have worked with Veterans for Peace in Covington, Louisiana transporting people and delivering supplies to evacuees. In hard-hit Waveland, Mississippi they helped prepare meals for over a thousand people a day with Food Not Bombs and the Rainbow Family Kitchen. Through the Bay City Senior Center, they helped seniors with home repair and the removal of fallen trees. The needs in the Gulf area are constant and seem to change by the day. One thing that is true is that the devastation is huge and the process of rebuilding and normalizing lives has just begun.

Because the buses are fueled by biodiesel and veggie oil, gas shortage is not an issue. There is biodiesel available in many states, and veggie oil is strained and prepared for fuel throughout the journey.

This project is co-sponsored by the New Old Time Chautauqua and the Port Townsend Peace Movement. This is an all volunteer effort.

For more information: 360-385-2212

To read stories and view photos from this relief effort, visit our Katrina Bus page and follow links to stories in the Port Townsend Leader. Also see www.sistercitysupport.net

Love and Comfort to the Babies in Bay St Louis

Victoria House and the New Old Time Chautauqua are committed to sending Baby Quilts to all the infants in Bay St Louis, Port Townsend's Sister City in Mississippi. Twenty-five quilts will be sent this month. More quilts will be sent as the population increases. The quilts will be distributed by the Hancock County Child Development Agency.