Giving Back - A History in Brief

Dawn manning a solar telescope until time came around for evening objects (insert) at a free public sidewalk astronomy event at Giovanni's Pizza on Folsom Blvd in East Sacramento.

Earlier this week the Sacramento Bee sent a reporter to interview us (article to be published in this Tuesday's Bee) and as he interviewed my friend Flo she made a statement about "how much they [Chris and I] have given to the community". A lot of our personal friends know what Flo is talking about but I figured some folks reading this (and perhaps the Bee article) may not so here are some examples:

American River Clean-Up
My own history of volunteering started young when I would participate in river trail clean-up efforts as a child along the American River. I admit that to me it was like going on a fun treasure hunt in the woods but I was fortunate that those early experiences helped solidify in my mind that volunteering could be a fun activity.

Food Deliveries to Struggling Families in Oak Park
As I got older I would participate in community relief efforts by helping to deliver food boxes to families in some of the more impoverished areas of Oak Park. I was one of the few people willing to escort the community worker to these areas. I grew up going to High School in Oak Park so I was familiar with the people there but I can still never forget visiting the homes of families as they all crammed together in tiny loft apartments with cement floors and a single bed. That vision alone helps me to accept that we are downsizing our own family into a modest two bed one bath house.

Natalie Leonard Award and a Service Award

I became involved in the Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society and worked with them for over a decade trying to inspire and awaken an interest in science and astronomy in our next generation. More than that I

was hoping to bring hope to kids who may not see a future for themselves. I wrote a piece about it called, "Why We Do What We Do" maybe you can take a moment to peek at it. Through my efforts I organized many free public outreach events and earned a Service Award in 1998 and (the highest honor the SVAS gives) the Natalie Leonard Award in 2004. I took astronomy to the streets all over the Sacramento Valley and even with John Dobson on the corner of Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco. My outreach efforts even led me to work as the Coordinator for NASA's Night Sky Network.

Healing Hands

Before CFS forced me to retire I was a massage therapist. (I even taught massage therapy at Bryan College, I am proud to say that before illness forced me to retire I was Teacher of the Year in 2007.) In 1991 I began my career as a certified massage therapist and the greatest joy I have received was when I donated my skills to those who could not afford massage therapy who needed it so very much. I have donated my skills to the United Way (they raffled off my gift certificates), I helped a single mother with an amputated leg get free from pain, I worked with a new mother who was in so much pain she was not bonding with her baby, once she was feeling better I taught her to massage her infant and watched the loving bonding process begin. I could not help all the people I wanted to help, giving away free massage was risky when it was my livelihood but it was well worth it for the positive changes I saw it create.

Folsom High School Cycling Team & Sierra Nevada High School Cycling Organization (SNHSCO)My husband and I were on the first board of directors for the (SNHSCO) and participated in incorporation and fundraising efforts to help encourage local youth in getting out there, getting healthy and having some good, clean fun. My husband was a ride leader for the Folsom High Cycling Team.

Sometimes, It's Personal
A couple of years ago my beloved bike was stolen so when I found out that a deaf college student who was struggling to find work had his beloved bicycle stolen it was very personal for me. My husband and I started a campaign at first to find his bicycle and ultimately was able to gather donations to help him buy a replacement. Seeing him find joy with his new mountain bike certainly made all the hard work worth it! Sometimes folks, there are happy endings.

Susan G. Komen Relay for Life
In 2011 I raised $250 for Team Kinney at the Relay for Life in Folsom CA. I continue to try to help my Good friend Christi Hara who is doing the massive 60 mile Susan G. Komen 3 Days for the Cure walk. She is one of my personal heroes so if you can please follow this link and please make even a small donation to the cause!

Volunteering has brought me closer to my community, taken me on a lot of adventures and even got me a job within the arms of NASA. I am blessed to have had so many wonderful experiences in my life and so many of them came to me when I gave of myself.