23 Volunteers and Counting

October was another jam-packed month at Palo Alto High School. Finally I came to terms with the truth that the older I get, the less I am able to juggle and the sooner I run out of energy; it was time to sincerely ask for help. The volunteer coordinators at our College and Career Center graciously agreed to issue a plea at the Fall training meeting to see if a few parents would be willing to help with our "Get Involved" student community service program and our "Excellence" Career Month Speaker Series. I made a simple breakdown of tasks and took names and numbers at the back of the room. Thirteen asked to help with community service, and another five with Career Month. Combined with last year's returning volunteers, that brought my team to twenty-three active and engaged parents who were willing to take on the school year's activities.

After working at such a manic pace last year, I hesitated to even get started with these willing souls, but just over a month later I could attest that volunteers are some of the most productive and capable people around. It doesn't hurt that we are in the heart of Silicon Valley and across the street from Stanford University--there is an aspect talent and education here. But I have seen the same mentality in Salt Lake City, Utah where I was one of 23,000 registered Winter Olympics volunteers in 2002. No matter what the occasion, give a volunteer his or her choice of jobs and they will astound you. We divided up the workload into categories: events, marketing, bookkeeping, database management. When volunteers sign up for jobs they enjoy, their contributions are high-quality and far beyond minimum expectations. I've learned over the years not to ask a meticulous person to manage the big picture or an entire event, and vice versa. We are all happiest when doing what we enjoy, where we have an aptitude and some level of interest.

This is the concept we are trying to instill in our students in the service-learning program at Paly. When you take on a project, volunteer in a specific area where you are actually interested; don't just show up to get credit for time served. Interest-specific volunteering produces meaningful, high-quality results for both the volunteer and the organization served. This can lead to increased self-esteem, finding a sense of purpose in one's work, and discovering or exploring talents and passions. The Do Something survey (http://www.dosomething.org/college-survey) substantiates the fact that high school students are better off developing creative projects on their own, or dedicating their service to just one meaningful cause, than various disjointed projects with no personal relevance to the volunteer.

With parents devoting their energy in their personal areas of strength to benefit students, I hope our young people will be similarly inspired to give of their time in a way that adds purpose and meaning to their lives. We are all better assets to the community when we get involved in projects that inspire personal growth. I am thankful for twenty-three volunteers and counting!

Back to School Service

If you think spending a summer week on the beach in California guarantees a sunburn, try La Selva Beach. Lots of happy memories were made during my childhood when we visited a family friend's beach house, but we often had to be creative with our time as the fog was stubborn and tried to ruin our vacation. The beach houses didn't have great television reception in those days, so we spent our time playing board games inside and building forts in the sand just outside the house. When the sun did come out, we screamed upon entering the chilly Pacific water but seeing blue sky encouraged us to stay in the surf until our lips began to change color. For a long-overdue family gathering a few summers ago, we rented some of those same beach houses where we had our favorite vacations in the 1970s.

Since my first thought of La Selva was "brrrr," I packed a few wetsuits and board games, with supplies for beach-side campfires and roasting marshmallows. It would be just like the good old days! Except it couldn't; the houses are all now equipped with multiple televisions and stacks of DVDs, and kids no longer resort to board games for entertainment. We did have a mostly foggy week after the first day at La Selva, so it was challenging to keep everyone busy. With my idealistic views of what a beach vacation should be, I tried to rally my children and some of their cousins but finally gave in and let them stay up late a couple of nights watching videos. I figured they could get it out of their system, then they would be more willing to play board games with me and build camp fires. Except they weren't. The kids spent just enough time in the water to be tired and cold, then all they wanted was to cuddle up in front of the friendly t.v. set.

Finally, on our third day at La Selva I had to drive to Palo Alto and back, which caused me to realize that it was twenty degrees warmer and perfectly sunny just a few miles away on the other side of the mountains from the beach. I couldn't change the weather at our location, but I could bring back a little project for the kids to work on to make the week memorable and not accompanied by quite so many videos. I had seen a display at a favorite breakfast hangout, Hobee's, advertising a charity drive to gather backpacks with school supplies for needy kids of all ages: The Family Giving Tree. I knew my own children and their cousins could relate to this project, as our family had students in various levels of grade school, middle school, and high school.

When I brought back the request cards for a backpack from each family, the kids were pleased with the diversion at least. I assumed they would head to Walgreen's with parents or Grammie in tow to purchase the specified supplies, but they took it a step further and scoured the neighborhood at La Selva on a door-to-door donation request! With cash in hand and a little help from us parents, the cousins were able to assemble the backpacks within a day or two. They brought the bulging packs to me with labels affixed, "5th grade girl," or "10th grade boy." No longer did my children and their cousins look like fogged-in zombies with square eyes from too much television viewing; they had an unmistakable glimmer, the kind that comes from doing good works. Hopefully, La Selva will be a part of their conscious childhood memories, punctuated by the time they gave something back while on their summer vacation.

Check out these cool good works school supplies organizations and ideas!

• San Jose/Silicon Valley Area: Sunday Friends Back to School Program, Yearly in August. www.sundayfriends.org
  

• San Francisco Bay Area: http://www.familygivingtree.org/

• DoSomething.org and Staples Back to School Drive: http://www.dosomething.org/dosomething101/home
  

• National: AARP/Create the Good "Equipped to Learn" campaign: http://createthegood.org/equipped-to-learn#

• Some individual backpack donation projects: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials /1-25-2006-87290.asp

• Another backpack donation drive, this one in Florida: http://www.giveakidabackpack.org/
  

Staycation Summer: Good Works Provide Family Fun!

What more could I do after moving, getting married, and absorbing another six members into my family? We are working on blending this summer, looking for fun things to do around town on a budget. In line with my passion for service, my favorite activities have been provided by volunteer-driven community benefit organizations: The "Tri for Fun" series triathlon in Pleasanton, "Jazz on the Plazz" in Los Gatos, "Shady Shakespeare" at Sanborn Park in Saratoga. As I continue to work on solutions to the problem of not enough service opportunities for the students at Paly, I'm amazed at how many "Staycation" activities are provided by the volunteer efforts of those around us.

Tri for Fun started twenty-six years ago with a handful of volunteers helping to mark the course and pass out water cups, the organizers hoping to inspire exercise for good health. This year, the summer sampler for would-be triathletes is accomplished by a small staff at On Your Mark Events...and 114 volunteers! I'm a veteran road racer, but this was only my second triathlon. I didn't get a chance to interview those pleasant helpers who gave me water and orange slices, but the ones who cheered for us as we swam, biked, and ran seemed to enjoy their service more than those who just did the job. As I completed the last mile of dirt trail in my swimsuit, I thought how miserable I would have been without the support of strangers in my new sport of choice.

Jazz on the Plazz is managed by the Los Gatos Music and Arts nonprofit organization, to promote appreciation for jazz and to make it accessible to the community. Since my mom was out of town, we got her VIP tickets and enjoyed reserved seating with appetizers. This fun summertime festival is manned by dozens of community members who want to provide a fun event free of charge; the legwork is done by a slew of high school students who will earn 900 service hours this summer setting up and taking down chairs and awnings for the concerts. Thanks to the dedicated effort of these civic-minded adults and teens, I discovered my new favorite jazz artist Spencer Day.

One of the Bay Area's best kept summer secrets is Shady Shakespeare Theater Company. After Bob and I made plans to escape for the weekend, we thought the kids might enjoy a free (yes, free!) production of the Merchant of Venice just up the road from our house, at Sanborn Park. Not only is this worth the drive to visit a beautiful park in the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills, but the quality of this production ranks even higher than my last visit to a famous Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City, Utah. The adminstrative staff all works for free, the actors are students of the Bard Academy in the Bay Area, and the organization is supported by major businesses, arts councils, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, and the National Foundation for the Arts. This collaboration of talent is produced by a small group of paid workers and organizers, with a larger volunteer group who are passionate about the Arts. Because of their effort to share their passion, my family immensely enjoyed a cultural feast with elaborate costumes in the shade of the Santa Cruz mountains.

Between our weekend activities and our little weekly Wednesday family field trips, I've come across more volunteer labor than I could have imagined--just by focusing on the idea throughout the summer. We've ventured to the Tech Museum in San Jose, where all the hosts and hostesses are volunteers; they taught us how to grow green jellyfish cells and how a robot works to detonate explosives. At the Rosicrucian Museum, also in San Jose, we were guided through a replica Egyptian tomb by a student volunteer who translated the intricate heiroglyphics to tell a story of the Egyptians beliefs in the afterlife. In Santa Cruz, we viewed hundreds of antique Woodies, antique cars all brought together for the weekend by a group of passionate volunteers.

Who cares that we didn't make it to Europe or the Orient this summer, we'll get there eventually. We have benefited from the dedication of volunteers who are interested in everything from sports, to music and the arts, technology, history, and automobiles. Without their willingness to get involved and even work for free, these organizations and events would not survive. This has been my favorite "staycation" summer, because I've watched for these little community treasures and I've had so many opportunities to enjoy them!

Good Works Inspiration for You! Spencer Day - Movie of Your Life

Time for the Arts

The wedding and our subsequent move into the home with Bob and his children took every bit of my energy last month. I saw several "good works" stories to write about, but could not seem to concentrate in these new surroundings. Ninety percent of our belongings are still in boxes in the garage, as we moved into a house that was already bursting at the seams with fifty years of family memories and love. As I try to sift through closets and drawers to make room, I realize how fast our lives go by and my priorities continue to shift. Though my first instinct normally would be to redecorate and nest, this time I want to gain understanding about Bob's parents who lived here all these years. Of course, I do need lots of breaks between unpacking and taking care of the family who has adopted me as their step-mom. If I didn't have a passion for fitness, I suppose it would be really tough to find myself again.

In a quest to find biking and running trails in this new community, I headed for the hills. Luckily the move brought me closer to my mother’s home, and to the heart of a beautiful lush neighborhood in the Saratoga foothills. Summertime is a little cooler at higher ground so I’ve made a habit of circling the tree-lined loop at Montalvo Arts Center at least once a week on my bike or when I’m doing a long run. I always thought of Montalvo as a jazz concert venue for artist's like Diana Krall, or a wedding venue for the wealthy. I've been there many times to enjoy the stunning Italian marble architecture, even to listen to a concert or two. The only reason for my visits this summer is to get back in shape! Montalvo Road is a steep grade to increase anyone's heart rate, and there is a little path next to the road so I can really push it with hill repeats--the most I've ever done is three in a row, enough to hopefully trim a pound. What I like about Montalvo's new image is the friendly "welcome" sign and air of accessibility. There are cars pulling in with families, coming up for a hike on the trails or checking kids into summer camps. The activities offered are affordable and high quality, the most appealing fare to me this summer is the "Starry, Starry Night" family stargazing slumber party on August 13--maybe we'll sign up for that.

Every ride or run up Montalvo Road I see artists working around the Don and Sally Lucas Artists Resident facility, so the other day I spoke to a gal in her mid-twenties as she climbed down from a tree. I could not imagine why an artist was climbing a ladder leaned against a giant Redwood, so I asked if she was a volunteer? "I'm a former artist fellow of the Lucas program, just installing the project proposal from my work here." She was embedding 1-inch round mirror tiles into the regularly-spaced knots on a very old tree, the light catching to create a sense of shimmer. She invited me to the Montalvo gala event next weekend, a free-to-the-public lawn party on July 23rd. Her work, and that of other Montalvo artists, will be on display outdoors in front of the center and indoors at the Carriage House. I asked the artist to send me some photos and video of her work to share, so stay tuned. Now she's moving on to find the next project--the artists continual search for stability. (After recently completing the book, "Girl in Hyacinth Blue," surmising Vermeer's struggle to provide for a family of thirteen, my passion for the Arts is renewed.)

Montalvo has become a nonprofit art mecca of the South Bay thanks to the generosity of Don and Sally Lucas, longtime Saratoga residents, philanthropists, and patrons of the arts, and others who have donated their time and money to keep this art center thriving. When James D. Phelan, San Francisco mayor and U.S. Senator, died in 1912 he generously gave 137 acres at Montalvo to Santa Clara County to be maintained as a public park. Regardless of the recent funding crises throughout towns, cities, and counties in this state, Montalvo continues to grow due to the well-managed and dedicated nonprofit staff and a steady volunteer workforce. What a gift Mr. Phelan gave to this community; the new Executive Director, Angela McConnell is determined to share it. She has a vision for Montalvo to make the Arts more accessible to all, and with her past success in fundraising and nonprofit management, my new favorite running and riding spot is bound to provide hours of workouts to escape among the Arts.

Do you have a passion for the Arts?

Try these cool good works ideas:

• Offer to become a docent at a local art center or museum. This requires training and commitment, but perks usually include new friendships with like-minded people and possibly tickets to events.
• Become an entry-level donor! You don't have to be a gazillionaire to be a philanthropist. Arts organizations are in dire need of our support in this economy, as overall donations have dropped. Small amounts by many donors work. My mom gives at basic levels to her favorite 5 or 6 institutions, and her entire family benefits. For instance, Bob and I attended a free outdoor jazz concert last night with yummy appetizers, thanks to Mom's gift to Los Gatos Arts and Music organization.
  
• Become a dedicated patron, promote the Arts to your friends, skip the movies and attend a concert instead! For the same price of a substandard flick, you can see a chamber concert at Montalvo's Carriage House, or at Stanford Lively Arts venues. Remember Vermeer, Van Gogh, and other starving artists from history: It is the patrons who keep the artists in business.
  

Painting the Town Purple

My stepson Logan is a typical twelve-year-old boy with a good heart and sometimes with a tendency to get bored during the summer. Scout camp and hockey camp occupied his interests at the start of the break, but last week was more laid back with just one activity on his schedule. A dedicated sixth grade homeroom teacher has stayed in contact with her class via email to let them know about volunteer opportunities with the charity of their choice: the American Cancer Society. Early in the school year, each homeroom class at Redwood Middle School voted on a cause to support, with inspiration garnered from a school wide list of area charities. Logan's class narrowed their collective interests to three causes: Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, the local Humane Society chapter, and American Cancer Society. When the class took a vote, the Cancer Society won and Ms. Cornejo contacted their offices to find out what her class could do to help.

First, the students held a bake sale and made nearly $100 for the organization. Next, a cancer survivor from the community, Ms. Tomlin, visited the class with her real-life testimonial to promote understanding of the disease and to increase the students' desire to raise money and donate their good works. According to Logan, this deeply affected him and his classmates and they became determined to do more, even if it took some time during the summer. Many children, like Logan, have a relative who has had cancer, so this is a cause close to their hearts.

When Ms. Cornejo sent out her group email a couple of weeks ago to come help "Paint the Town Purple," for Relay for Life, her students were engaged. Thirteen of them showed up with some parent chaperons to help tie ribbons on the trees along Big Basin Way for the upcoming Saratoga Relay for Life fundraising event at nearby Saint Andrews Episcopal Church July 24-25. The boys even did some "cold calling," walking into businesses to request a poster or brochure display and offering chocolates to express appreciation. Logan said it was a little scary going with his friends to approach business managers and owners, but a few of them were amenable and he felt a sense of accomplishment.

After dozens of purple ribbons were neatly tied, with Relay for Life posters and brochures distributed, the student teams with parents and dogs in tow headed to Yolatea for a frozen yogurt treat and some time to catch up and share vacation stories. Judging by these boys' smiles, the two-hour activity not only gave them an excuse to get together with friends over the summer; it gave them a sense of purpose and the knowledge that they too can make a difference!

Consider helping with publicity, attending the event, or sponsoring a walker.

• Saratoga RFL is July 24-25 at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Saratoga, CA.

• Palo Alto RFL is August 14-15 at Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, CA.

• Check the website for details: http://main.acsevents.org

Leaving the Baylands

When I was a little girl, in third grade and before California's Proposition 13 tax initiative all but eradicated school field trips, Mrs. Bears (yes, her real name) sent home permission slips with reminders to bring a sack lunch and to wear our galoshes to "The Marsh." We would be bird watching and learning about plant life by the Bay, about five miles east of our little school in the foothills. The day arrived and indeed it turned out to be rainy; all I can remember is trying to stay dry, and there is a faint mind's-eye picture of birds I had not seen before. I have been fascinated with the many varieties ever since, and attempted to learn some of their names by perusing my miniature Audubon guide. I have a terrible memory for obscure facts and cannot seem to remember half of the names, but I do recall "snowy egret." That was the bird one woman was describing to her male companion the other day as I took my regular jogging path through the same marsh which is now referred to as part of The Baylands. The City of Palo Alto website verifies my childhood memory that this was in fact referred to as "The Marsh" in the early sixties.

The Harriet Mundy Marsh, dedicated on October 23, 1982, extends from Lucy Evans Nature Interpretive Center to Sand Point. Harriet Mundy "discovered" the Baylands when she was advised to walk after a fall in 1959. She became a close friend of Lucy Evans and joined her in the resolve to help preserve the Palo Alto marshland. A $30 million private proposal to develop the Palo Alto Baylands for commercial and industrial use spurred Mundy to action. In 1960 she helped to circulate a petition which resulted in the City Council stopping development until a Baylands Master Plan was prepared. The naming of the marsh recognizes her continued perseverance and devotion to the marshlands.

When my girls and I moved to Palo Alto from Salt Lake City, I was coming home to the place where my father first started his career, the area where I was born. A time and a place to heal from life's injustices and tragedies. My brother, who lives in those same hills where we went to elementary school, tried to comfort me about my trunkiness for good Wasatch running trails. "Don't worry, Chris," he said, "you'll enjoy running on miles of open trails just across the freeway at the Baylands. Just cross under the freeway and you're there. You can run for twelve miles or more, with no cars to worry about." On a sunny summer morning, I set out on the prescribed running path and got a little depressed that all I could see was shallow, mucky water and brown hills in the distance. I knew I wanted to be here on the Peninsula, but missed those towering Utah mountains after all.

Over the next four years, the Baylands became a part of me. Memories of the third grade field trip gave way to new experiences running and biking the trail. More faint childhood recollections of my dad with his open cockpit airplane at the tiny Palo Alto municipal airport had their healing effect as I jogged the dirt path with small airplanes taking off, circling, and landing overhead. I learned to watch for snowy egrets and other unexpected wildlife just below the private planes. Though the Wasatch Mountain range had been a playground for my family, I have come to realize that flat places can also provide a connection with nature, and a sense of peace. For me, anytime there is water flowing--from the Bay, a river or stream--I am renewed. Thankfully, environmentalists and community activists in the 1960s saw the value in the Baylands and dedicated their passion to preserving this place as a haven for birds and for souls like mine.

As I prepare this week to move to a new community thirteen miles away, I jog the Baylands trail with more reverence and appreciation. "This trail didn't exist until passionate volunteers in the sixties worked to make it so," I whisper to myself with a smile. Today, activists from every corner of the community help to maintain the Baylands: formally organized nonprofits such as Acterra, Save the Bay, and Environmental Volunteers, and weekend good works volunteers gathered by school and church groups. Lynn Hori, a biology teacher at Palo Alto High School, has worked for years with her classes to gain an understanding of this preserve by requiring community service as part of her class curriculum. Her passion and energy dedicated to the Baylands have touched the lives of high school students for decades.

Last weekend, a statewide outdoor volunteer effort organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought families from the local congregations together to clean up the Baylands. Fathers, mothers, small children, and teenagers all worked together to make a difference for this special spot on the Bay and for all of us who find solace there. While I still miss the mountains where my family lived for eighteen years, I've been reminded often at the Baylands that the world is still whole. When I see a snowy egret walking along the jogging path or a family of geese hissing from the wildflowers to protect their newly-hatched goslings, I am thankful that we all peacefully coexist in this haven on a water's edge of Silicon Valley.