Online Party Thursday Night, Sept. 17
Our readers and supporters are invited to join OB Ragsters from around the world in an online celebration tonight – Thursday, September 17, from 7 to 8 pm. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of the very first OB Rag on September 17, 1970!
The staff of the OB Rag is “hosting” a live, online party at both the OB Rag facebook and here, on the website.
No zoom or anything like that for us. Nowhere to register – so, just drop by, BYOB / BYOD, and give us some good vibes. Say hello, make comments, post photos, share memories and observations.
And thank you Ray Blavatt for this wonderful cartoon he drew just for the occasion.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
only funky wi-fi since our PG&E “public safety power shutoff” last week could keep me from attending!
Miss you, Dickie!
Great work!
Hiya Bonnie! Tell us how you were involved in OB or the Rag.
How do I connect to the live 50th Anniversary Celebration?
Congrats on 50! which would make us how old?
OMG! Yeah. Greetings sister Diana. When were you first involved with the Rag?
Well, I was 22 when the first Rag came out. I’ll let you do your own math.
A toast to the 50th Anniversary of the OB Rag! I’m wearing my OB Rag t-shirt as I write this.
Dennis – howdy, bro! Please could you outline your involvement on the Rag – you were pretty important way back then, 1971-1973 or there abouts …
1971-1975 I wrote regularly for the OB Rag. Sold ads for the paper, drove to Riverside to get it printed. Worked on production and layout then distributed the Rag in front of Mayfair and Safeway for donations. We got the first vending machines set up and dropped the paper in stores and clinics all along the beach area. We got to keep half of the donations – I actually made enough to (barely) survive off of. Our meetings were such an incredible life lesson in collaboration and were deeply educational for all of us as well. I made lifelong friends through my work with the Rag and deepened my political commitment that grounded my values and life’s work. I’m so honored to have been a part of the Rag in the early days and love the current online Rag as well. Keep on keepin’ on!
… and you probably could write a book. I recall you staying out in front of Mayfair until like 1:30 am hawking Rags. And remember the donation cans on top a pile of Rags at certain stores?
Happy Birthday, OB Rag!
Congratulations on 50 years!!! What a town! What a party! What a rag!!
Thank you Frank for all your work for the last 50 years. And thank you Patty for all your work in helping keep the OB Rag alive. I am so grateful to have you still around in these difficult times. You inspire me to keep going. And thanks Frank for starting the Ocean Beach Grassroots Organization. So many good times in trying to save OB and world. You can always make activism fun.
Colleen
I came in in 1972. I was also involved with Feminist Communications a mini paper we put out upstairs at the Left Bank.
I still have a bunch of old issues of Fem Com.
Maybe we should donate them (or copies) to San Diego Historical Society. And how about the
Pie Shop that Rick was involved in.
Hi Y’all,
I met OB and the Rag in August of 1973. I remember Denny selling the Rag each month (I think that’s when it came out). I was involved in the Free School and I remember the nice spread the Rag did on the school. We were a “Multi-Site” school, which was the term we used to get federal block grants to run the summer program. What it really meant is that we didn’t have a building, so we used the beach, the picnic tables at the foot of Saratoga, the library and Robb field. It was a great time with so many great kids, who are now in the 50’s! Remember when we didn’t trust anyone over 30? Billeddy
Hi Y’all,
I just wrote a whole long paragraph and then it disappeared, so I don’t know if this will ever make it. But I still live in OB and I came here in August of 1973. I met the Rag pretty quickly and it really helped get me up to date on what was happening. OB was really the place to be.
I got involved in the Free School and helped the school get federal revenue sharing grants for the Free School’s Summer Program, based on our being a “Multi-Site” school. What that really meant was that we didn’t have a building, but instead we used the beach, picnic tables at the foot of Saratoga street, the library, the In-Between, Robb field, the cliffs and everything else that made OB wonderful for the kids. Now they’re all in their 50’s! Remember when we didn’t trust anyone over 30?
Hi Diana T, Frank, Denny, and everyone else. Such great memories! And hey, we’re still here in OB!
Love,
Billeddy
Hey Bill Eddy! Do you and Alice make it up to Collier Park ever? What’s the status of the playground equipment?
Hey Frank,
We walk up to and past the park regularly. But haven’t seen any playground equipment for years. But people make lots of use of it for frisbees, playing with their dogs, picnics and even music sometimes. It’s still a people’s place!! Good work!