Cycling for a Cause

Palo Alto High School Students Pass Beads to Lap Walkers

Paly Student Volunteers + Mom Linda Serve Breakfast 

 Volunteer Benefit: A Cool Shirt!

Can You See Him? That's Greg LeMond! Rider/Fundraisers got to ride with the 3-time Tour de France winner

I'm a little naive when it comes to historical events such as the Tour de France. In the late summer of 1971 my dad, Carl Steffens, returned from a Fairchild business trip to Europe all fired up about some big bike race called the "tour-de-something," I recall. He couldn't stop talking about it, showing us photos and other memorabilia--a canvas cycling hat among his precious souvenirs. 

All I cared about was that my dad was not around to share the end of summer, and I tried to understand his reasoning about work and such. Knowing how he loved to play, I'm sure he scheduled lots of meetings around the stages of the race. The only consolation for an almost ten-year-old girl missing her father was the fact that he had special-ordered for me and my brother two Peugeot mini-ten-speed bikes. Mine was white and Bud's was yellow.


I found freedom on my new bike as a young girl in Los Altos Hills, and of course it was a different time. A little kid could ride for miles without supervision and nobody would ask questions. My brother and I rode ourselves to parent-mandated tennis lessons after school, I rode myself to the orthodontist nearly three miles away, across the busy Foothill Expressway. My best friend Roni and I rode--she on her Schwinn banana seat--to what was then Don's Ice Cream Parlor at Loyola Corners. Since my dad was gone a lot and my mom had been raised by very liberal parents, there was no concern about where we went on our bikes as long as we were home by dinnertime or dark, whichever came first. Sometimes, for special outings Dad would load up his Ford LTD--somehow--with his bike and our smaller versions for a trip to Golden Gate park, where we could ride for hours on a Sunday with no interruptions from traffic. It was pure and simple pleasure, with little expense!


Since those idyllic days as a mini-cyclist in the foothills of Los Altos, and later in high school riding back and forth from home to Stanford University "just for fun," my motivation for cycling has changed. My friend Sally recently challenged me to keep up with her on a century ride (100 miles) in San Luis Obispo. She had the luxury of training with friends in San Diego, and I merely prayed to keep up with them on the coastal ride. My husband also encourages me to find a niche by cycling near my new neighborhood, just around the ridge from that familiar Los Altos hillside. If my dad were still alive, I'm sure he would love to tease me into joining a women's group to race with a peloton. But I am happiest spinning at my own pace through the hills, without an agenda and thinking of that little Peugeot. 



Cycling doesn't have to be a competitive sport, and thanks to a group ride coming to Palo Alto this weekend anyone can feel the joy of speed, banking curves, and grueling climbs. A "Gran Fondo," I learned from one of the Echelon organizers, means a "big ride" in Italian. To celebrate the sport and to raise awareness and funds for seventeen local charities, more than 500 cyclists will ride the hills from the city to Skyline, the ridge overlooking the ocean and back. Community members are invited to both volunteer with the event and to ride in the fundraiser. Different levels of giving are designated by jersey colors. Palo Alto High School student volunteers are happily working with the race organizers to provide a seamless event, of course the incentive of food and a free t-shirt does help! As I work with our students behind the scenes at the downtown Challenge this weekend, wishing I were in shape to at least ride the 60-mile route, I will think of my dad who passed away long before my high school years. I'll thank his passionate spirit for sharing the pleasure of cycling just for fun!

Make a Difference with Sports and Cycling
Check out the Echelon Gran Fondo Charity Ride

http://www.echelongranfondo.org/palo_alto/

Serving the Community: Literacy

My granddaughter is turning one year old, and we had to make sure she had a copy of Goodnight Moon to help her fall asleep at night. As we browsed for the Margaret Wise Brown staple with the engaging mouse in Dolly's Bookstore in Park City, Utah I was warmly reminded of visiting that shop as a teenager on vacation, and even more of my mother reading picture books to me as a young child. My father was on a career fast-track in those days with Fairchild National Semiconductor so he was transferred almost yearly, sometimes leaving us with no immediately available housing. As we awaited permanent homes in places like Portland, Maine or Manhattan Beach, California, the company would often put us up in a very nice hotel.

As cooped up young children we drove my mom crazy, but she patiently read to us from our favorites--over, and over, and over. Curious George, Madeline, Ferdinand, The Little House, Mike Mulligan, and others became our constant friends as we anticipated a new neighborhood and the ensuing changes and uncertainty. We eventually progressed to Wind in the Willows and then reading on our own. The voracious reader that my mom is, I'm sure she was relieved when she was finally able to resume making her own literary choices. Young children can read the same book many times and still find magic in the story. Even though she's progressed to chapter books, my stepdaughter Taryn can be heard reciting King Bidgood to her pretend class as she "teaches" them after school. We discovered even young adults and older children still enjoy revisiting those classics, as we presented Braelyn with her copy of Goodnight Moon to the delight of her parents.

One passionate student at Paly, was caught doing good while enjoying her old favorite at the end of the school year, while other teens were talking about summer plans or signing yearbooks in the library. Virginia caught my eye as she casually read aloud a Dr. Suess book near the librarians' desk. I knew she must have some affiliation with my friend Cathy's group who make videos of books for her literacy initiative in China. She told me she was a part of that, and she didn't mind posing for this photo to help more young people see how easy it is to get involved. Apple Tree Library Foundation's mission statement reads: "To promote reading and build English language capacity in China, through public or private US/China collaborations to establish public children's libraries."

When we moved this summer, I had a hard time parting with some of my childrens' classics and boxed up a few for Braelyn. Others will remain on the bookshelf for me to read to visiting young children and future grandchildren. That still leaves a few boxes of sweet stories to share with others, from the richly illustrated classics of Audrey and Don Wood, to the first-grade favorite The Boxcar Children. It will be easy to spread them around because of some highly efficient book donation programs in the Bay Area such as The Children's Book Project, sponsored by KOIT Radio (donate in August and September at Metro PCS) and Books for Charity, with countless donation bins in grocery store parking lots.

My mom inspired a love of reading during those weeks of my childhood in high-end hotels, waiting for our new home to be ready. My little granddaughter reminds me of the joy I later found in reading to my own children, including her mom who is now a passionate lover of literature. Grass roots initiatives and relatively new nonprofit organizations promote literacy by gathering donations and distributing to those who crave more stories. By sharing our abundance of children's books, we can promote literacy in our own community and the communities of our friends. Thanks to Cathy's charity which teaches English to children through books by networking American libraries and initiatives abroad, we can now even do good works in China!

• http://www.appletreelibrary.org/getinvolved_new.html
• http://www.childrensbookproject.org/organize-a-book-drive
• http://www.koit.com/pages/5057288.php
• http://www.booksforcharity.org/
  

Chocolate Chip Service

Today was about the most disappointing day I can remember, as I went back to work and found my entire office boxed and piled in the hallway of the school. We have run out of room, and with new hires and reorganization of space I am being moved into an already too noisy office with three other people. School starts in a few days, so custodians were scrambling to put us back together. "Time to go slowly," I thought, as nerves began to rattle. I did what I could to get the project moving along, knowing it's simply not enough space for all of our duties, then I forced myself to leave and enjoy one last summer weekend with my family. Thank goodness we already planned to go to the beach tomorrow--the soothing sound of waves will help me sort through challenges for the year ahead.

Sometimes I have resorted to retail therapy, but more often when things have been stressful and I'm on overload I choose one of three remedies: exercising in fresh air, blogging about community service, or baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. On the drive home today, watching the traffic back up on Highway 85 I knew this would be a night for all of the above. I arrived home with a sixteen-ounce bag of See's semi-sweet extra-large chips on stand-by, and relaxed reading the newspaper until falling asleep for a few minutes. Then I woke up ready to burn the last hours of daylight on my feel-good quest. I'll run off the calories this evening after chomping on some dough and a few of the silky chocolate chips. Now, the cookies are ready to go, made with fresh butter, whole-wheat pastry flour and lots of t.l.c. My step-daughter Taryn was entertained by making mounds with an ice cream scoop for our Mrs. Field's sized treats, and now we are ready for the service part. Tomorrow half our batch will be delivered to Lisa, the hardest-working single mom we know. We get the joy of baking, and the pleasure of sharing our craft. Nothing does "good work" as well as a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies for someone else on a Saturday morning, and come Monday maybe my woes at work will seem less significant. I'll be sure to take some cookies along, just in case!

Interested in Service by Cookies and Baking? Try these fun ways to share your passion

• Host a bake sale for your favorite charity, donate the proceeds. Better yet, host a yard sale combined with a bake sale for charity. You're bound to get lots of traffic for a cause, and you get to donate the cash at the end.
• Bake cookies or other treats for a family shelter in your community. Our church youth group discovered at the San Jose "Loaves and Fishes" kitchen back in December, "nothing beats homemade!"
• Bake cookies and/or bread, and take a pot of soup to your local Ronald McDonald House. Call to schedule day and time when your service is most needed.
  

Bina's Favorite Recipe for Chocolate Chip Service
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 c. fresh butter (salted)
1 t. vanilla
2 large eggs
1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. regular rolled oats
1 pkg. See's chocolate chips

1. Mix sugar and butter until just creamy, then mix in vanilla and eggs.
2. Stir together flour, salt, and soda, then mix into above ingredients.
3. Stir in oats and chips.
   
4. Drop by scooper or tablespoon onto cookie sheet prepared with cooking spray.
5. Bake cookies for approximately 10 minutes at 350 degrees, until bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Remove immediately from sheet onto paper towels or racks to cool.
   
6. Keep in airtight container and share liberally, they are addicting!
   

Service by Composure

I've been under the weather since last Wednesday, and now my granddaughter--800 miles away--is sick too. A roller coaster of memories flooded my mind when her mom, my daughter Sheridan, texted me from the ER saying that our baby girl had a febrile seizure on Tuesday evening. I guess this runs in families, as my son had the same type of seizure when he was a toddler and my youngest daughter Grace had many of them before her fourth birthday. Paramedics always send the young victim to the ER by ambulance as a precaution, which seems to add even more stress to an already traumatic situation. After coming out of the febrile (induced by fever) seizure, the little patient most often returns to normal within a few hours.

I wish I could have been there, but Braelyn's parents are blessed with loving neighbors who were available and rushed to the scene. Their upstairs neighbor, Mindy, had come down just before the seizure to help get an accurate temperature reading. When the seizure began, she happened to recognize it, as she confided to Sheridan that she had her own medical condition. She ran to get another neighbor, a nurse, and they called 911 to get help for little Braelyn. Sheridan was so impressed with Mindy's always-giving nature and her ability to come to the rescue for anyone in the complex, never worrying about her own needs. She asked Mindy how she was able to maintain her composure. "Well, I've been diabetic all my life and I'm waiting for a kidney transplant. So I've had my share of medical emergencies," she said.

My family has been inspired by this young woman and her constant upbeat, unselfish nature; she is a light for the newly-married couples living in this little apartment complex. Her small act of service to my daughter and Braelyn made them feel cared for. Mindy continues to make a difference for other residents of her community by always being a cheerful presence, and by lovingly considering the needs of others regardless of her own dire health condition. Thanks to all of the Mindy's of the world for touching lives for good each day. We can make a difference for young moms like her by promoting organ and tissue donation, and by registering as donors ourselves. May this very special young mom live a long, happy, and healthy life to watch her daughter grow.

• Register as an organ donor here, it will only take you 5 minutes to save someone's life. http://organdonor.gov/

• Promote awareness of organ donation. Make posters, distribute organ donation cards. http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/organ-donation.htm

Volunteers Make a Difference for Weekend Warrrior Athletes

They did refer to us as "athletes" yesterday at the Tri for Fun series in Pleasanton. I like to think of myself as an athlete, even if a late bloomer. Bob and I signed up for a sprint distance triathlon at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, but as the event approached we both developed a respiratory bug and nearly backed out. I decided since it's supposed to be "for fun," nobody would fault me for skipping the 1/4 mile swim and I planned to jump into the 11 mile bike ride and 3 mile run, even if I wheezed and coughed the whole way--that's a weekend warrior, right? After 4 days of feeling lousy I was sure we were no longer contagious--just experiencing the after effects--so as long as my body could do this it would be fine.

When I saw the competitors riding old Schwinns and hard-tails, the endorphines started to pump and sick or not I wanted to at least beat my last-year's time. Bob had filled my tires to maximum capacity, so I whizzed past most of the ladies in my 29-49 age group, even some from the younger group who started five minutes earlier. To play fair, I hadn't started until the middle of my age-group pack transitioned to bikes. This event is made possible by dozens and dozens of volunteers all along the course. As I rode past the Palm Event Center and adjacent vineyard, a red light and stopped cars told my brain to wait. I reluctantly slowed a bit, but a yellow-vested race volunteer held the traffic, motioned me forward and sweetly called out, "We're doing this for you!" At the next intersection, an older gentleman pointed the way and told me and another rider, "Good job, ladies!"

The volunteers were generous in their comments, as most of us were really pushing ourselves at various forms of fitness and could barely respond. They kept encouraging anyway. Smiles came from the volunteer course monitors as I transitioned to the 3-mile run along trail at the park. I didn't know how I was going to be able to do this, with post illness and now tight calves from biking. I tried to eek out a "thank you" to some of the volunteer cheerleaders, remembering the last time I stood on the sidelines to inspire weekend athletes at the end of a half-marathon. Some volunteers just do the bare minimum and man their post; others go out of their way to call out a cheer or two, even when we don't respond. It's not that we don't want to thank them, we're just spent and trying to finish the race! Every On Your Mark race-day volunteer who encouraged me yesterday deserves a big hug. They told me "Great pace, you're almost there," or "You look strong," and even at the end, "It looks like you could do this race twice!" They had no idea of the bug I had battled just to show up, and to finish, but without their positive words I would have wondered why I even tried. Instead, it was a thrilling experience, and I will be back for another Tri for Fun next summer. Perhaps some of you looking for a fun way to get involved will give it a try and sign up as a race day volunteer to make a difference for us weekend warrior athletes!

Want to try community service helping with a triathlon or other sporting event?

• Tri for Fun Series, by On Your Mark EventsPurpose: To further the sport of Triathlon.
• Emailto:info@onyourmarkevents.com, Mark and Kandee Aiton
• List of 2011 Events, http://onyourmarkevents.com/events-new.asp
• Tri For Fun #1: 3rd Saturday in June, Tri For Fun #2: 3rd Saturday in July, Tri For Fun #3: 3rd Saturday in August
• What: 400 yard swim, bike distance 11 miles, 3.1 mile run.
• Shadow Cliffs Regional Park, Pleasanton.
  

3,150 Hours of Service and Counting

Each summer in Palo Alto and throughout the school year, hundreds and hundreds of high school students from every grade descend upon the community to offer their volunteer assistance as part of the Living Skills course. The class is a graduation requirement and somewhere along the way, community service entered the curriculum as a means for our students to make connections and to pursue their interests by giving of their time in areas such as:

• Humanitarianism
  
• Health and Safety
• Animals and Environment
• Education
• Seniors and Disabled
• Food and Shelter
• Civic Engagement
• Sports
• General Community-Building

During the past three weeks I've worked with my twenty-nine Living Skills students to help facilitate meaningful projects that go beyond simply checking off the boxes and filling the time sheet. It was quite an adventure for some to realize the deadline to complete their service is now the last day of the three-week class. In the Summer School sign-ups, they are told they can start volunteering before the class begins but who reads the fine print these days? Some of my students were a little panicky during the first week of class but thanks to Linda Yeung, a dedicated Paly College and Career Center volunteer, we offer a comprehensive calendar of vetted local events with nonprofit organizations and community agencies at http://paly.net/service/calendarOfOpportunities.php.

It was incredibly rewarding to watch my students first focus on their sense of purpose in life, through some of the studies of Dr. William Damon of Stanford University (The Path to Purpose, 2008). Next, they considered their interests and talents. With that in mind, they pursued the most appealing "matched" opportunities they could find within the time restraint. One student who is interested in the environment emailed me on the eve of the Fourth of July, earnestly hoping to fill his hours on the holiday with the deadline looming. Luckily, a few days before, the organizers of the Palo Alto Chili Cook-Off at Mitchell Park had sent out a volunteer request to help keep the grounds clean and free of debris. It was a stretch, but with one email introduction the student was able to make a difference by keeping the park clean during the event.

My class, I'm proud to say, were all able to fulfill the 15-hour community service requirement in their areas of interest. The reflections they wrote show the positive impact of this unique course requirement in Palo Alto Unified School District, helping our students find meaning and purpose in their lives. Since the "Get Involved" publication recently won a grant from the Palo Alto Community Fund, we will be able to include many of the PAUSD Summer School students' reflections in the Fall publication. Watch for it online at Paly.net/service.

By contributing a small amount of time to the surrounding community, our first session of summer school students have given over 3,150 hours of service in the past month or two. If they were each to be paid minimum wage for their time, this would be a $25,200 grant to the community on their behalf. That's the power of students who give back. I'm proud to work in a place where youth are seen as a valued community resource, and where they are willing to share their diverse talents and interests to make the world a better place!

Community agencies that benefited from my 29 students serving in the first session of PAUSD Summer School:

• Acterra
• Save the Bay
• Lytton Gardens
• Kwong Wah Church Kitchen
• YMCA
• Shady Shakespeare at Sanborn Park
• Red White and Blue Parade
• Lion's Club Car Show
• Circle of Friends Preschool
• Lucile Packard Foundation Summer Scamper
• Resource Area for Teachers/RAFT
• Second Harvest Food Bank
• Me to We Humanitarian Mission
• Mid-Peninsula Open Space
• Humane Society/SPCA
• Channing House
• Stanford Soccer Club
• AYSO
• St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room

Service in the Check-out Line

We are moving, just half a mile away but it entails every bit as much work as if we were relocating to Alaska. Gather boxes from every place I can think of between work and home, agree to disagree with my husband about furniture placement with what stays and what goes, try to get the kids to understand this move is for real and if they don't pack it doesn't go. In the middle of it all, I'm starting a new summer school job, Bob's son Cameron graduated from high school and looking for something to do, three teenagers are either in camp or leaving for camp this week. Oh, and it's Father's Day tomorrow.

I made a quick escape this afternoon to first get some gifts at Nordstrom Rack, and then some groceries for Father's Day breakfast-in-bed, and evening barbecue. The stereo speakers were blaring at The Rack and I tried to stay focused. The check-out line was deep and to be expected for a pre-holiday when all the women seemed to be picking out even more from the ladie's department than the men's. One teenager called her mom from her cell phone, "Mom, I just don't care enough about these things to wait in this line--it's pretty frustrating." I think she decided to come back another day. Another woman kept inching into my space in the queue. I tried to give her a friendly look as a patient reminder of personal space; it worked I think but I don't know how friendly it really was.

As my turn approached at the front of the line, a delicate Asian woman dressed in a plum silk suit walked right past me and stood next to a cashier. I was sure she wanted to put something on hold, but at The Rack you have to wait in line for that, too--at least I always do. With the loud music pounding and the impending stress of this week's move on my mind, I nearly snapped something like, "Excuse me, but we all have to wait in line." But lately I've given way to pushy people, since we are all fighting a hard battle and sometimes we should let the other guy (or girl) get ahead. As the next cashier flagged me over to her booth I quietly walked past the impatient woman to see that it was my soon-to-be ex next-door neighbor! Boy, was I relieved that had kept my cool...

The next stop was Trader Joe's, and again the pre-Father's Day lines were discouraging. I often seem to choose the slowest line, but this store and Costco are really good about opening up extra check stands. When an additional checker came along and invited the next customer, it was finally my turn. But a woman in the next lane complained that it should be her turn. Ugh, I didn't really feel like being sweet about this one. The checker must have read my mood, and she changed the tone by making pleasant conversation with about my weekend, the move, the kids, and dinner tonight. A bagger about my age joined and made jokes about their "masters degrees" in bagging and checking efficiency. We all laughed and I was thankful for people who can turn my frustration with checkout lines into a light moment. Their act of service required so little effort, I'm sure they won't remember how they affected this pre-Father's Day shopping experience. As soon as I wheeled away, I heard the same friendly conversation with the next customer. Service is just part of their demeanor. This time, I picked the perfect line to brighten my day, and it was worth the wait.