With an Abundance of … Gratitude

Several things have come across my desk this week that have me gushing with gratitude.

First off, I want to thank everyone who responded with care regarding my lost coat. No, I haven’t found the darn thing yet but I’m not giving up hope.

My lost coat didn’t slow down my trek to my beloved Cambria. I left on Thursday with my best friend Amy. Though the weather was pretty much calm (though an unexpected bank of fog surprised us) we braved some pretty icy winds to meet with some Fresno friends who came down to share a glass (or two). We had such a wonderful time and I am already planning our next trip north.

On Monday night, I attended the virtual Zoom Founders Day celebration for Crescenta Valley High School. In addition to the PTSA business that was on the agenda, presentations of service awards were given to select honorees. These included the school senate, CVHS assistant principal Jordan Lessem, CVHS typist clerk II Mary Torossian, CVHS teacher Rob Evans, several cafeteria workers, the leadership team of CVHS teachers Amy Besoli, Tiffany Hirdler and Kristin Milano and teacher specialist Anne Reinhard, and PTA President and Monte Vista Elementary School teacher Rebecca Harvey. I was among those honored for their contributions to the community for my involvement in Prom Plus and the CV Weekly. It was a humbling night and I appreciate and thank the committee for recognizing me.

The cover story this week highlights the contributions of some local women that have inspired others. I was inspired when reading their stories, some I was familiar with and others that were new to me. The history of Agnes Richards always touches my soul because she succeeded in a time when women weren’t given a lot of chances outside the home. Her vision and tenacity have been an inspiration to me, especially in the early days of the CV Weekly when I didn’t know if we’d last another week. As our office is located so  close to the Rockhaven property I regularly walk by and offer a mental note of thanks.

Another inspirational story that Mary O’Keefe shared was that of Lyn Repath-Martos, a woman at JPL who mentors the students of the robotics team at CV High School. Mary details Lyn’s story and how she came to be a mentor who ended up inspiring others.

I also read with fascination the stories of students pondering their futures and how the women in their lives have affected them. Reading the reflections of these relationships I am confident that they, too, will inspire others.

Finally, I hope you take a moment to read the story on page 3 of the Mars landing of the rover Perseverance. Whether or not you know it, some local people had a hand in that historic (some might even say inspiring) event.