New way to honor Henry Chenault - Petaluma Argus Courier

PETALUMA BUZZ

New way to honor Henry Chenault

Henry Chenault at his shoeshine stand outside the Arcade Barbershop, 18 Western Ave. in Petaluma in 1955. Sonoma County Library

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By David Templeton

david.templeton@arguscourier.com

Chenault Way CEREMONY planned for Sept. 17

A long-in-the-works effort to honor Petaluma’s Henry Chenault, the town’s beloved “sidewalk philosopher” and iconic shoeshine entrepreneur, will finally conclude with a 1 p.m. ceremony on Sept. 17. That will be when the recently designated “Chenault Way,” its signpost already installed where Western Ave. meets Petaluma Boulevard, is officially marked with a historical plaque, to be installed not far from where Chenault’s shoeshine stand stood from the 1930s through the 1960s.

The Petaluma City Council made the decision back in February to honor Chenault, who was known for engaging a wide spectrum of Petalumans in friendly conversations that ran the gamut of topics from sports to politics.

The renaming of the short motorway evidently makes it the first street in Petaluma to be named after a Black resident of this town. Interest in Chenault began to build when the Argus-Courier ran a story by local historian John Sheehy, describing Chenault’s little-known past, which was historically notable, to say the least.

The ceremonial unveiling of the plaque will take place right there where Chenault Way meets the Boulevard. Members of the City Council and other city officials will be there, along with a number of community members who knew Henry Chenault back when they were growing up in Petaluma.

youth mental health DOC to debut in Petaluma

A special “kick off screening” of the film “SHIFT: Do What Moves You,” from the same team that produced the documentaries “Tell My Story” and “What I Wish My Parents Knew,” will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Keller Street Co-Work in Petaluma.

Hosted by Dana Christian Lee and Heather Baldini, Petaluma High School’s PTSA president, the event is something of a warmup for a big community screening on Oct. 10 at Polly Klass Community Theater. The second event will be co-sponsored by Rotary District 5130.

In the new documentary, once again featuring Tell My Story founder Jason Reid interviewing a number of young people, all of whom have struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. The focus in “SHIFT: Do What Moves You” appears to be the value of fighting depression through self-expression, where that through an artistic pursuit such as writing, dancing, singing or acting, or a sport activity such as racecar driving and tennis playing.

Keller Street Co-Work, the location of the Sept. 17 screening, is at 140 Keller St., Petaluma.Emergency Prep HELP workshop

Are you prepared for an emergency? Petaluma’s Emergency Prep Help has been hosting two-part workshops for seniors all year, and its final two sessions are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 27.

From a lineup of expert speakers, participants will learn how to make an emergency evacuation plan, tips for evacuation safety designed specifically for seniors, how to prepare for an earthquake, a fire, a flood and other disasters. And that’s just in the first session. In the second session, you’ll learn what supplies to keep at home, how to secure important documents, how to prep your car for a quick evacuation when danger threatens, how to protect your pets during emergency situations and what resources are available for seniors to help them prepare.

The workshops take place at the Petaluma Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. The registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 12. To register visit emergencyprephelp.org/events, or write to info@emergencyprephelp.org or call (707) 241-3280.