Dear Friends, There is a grace to living in a community where we can see that our interactions with each other have positive results. The tie that binds us in community is simply caring for and about each other. In matters large and small. We see this in times of […]
Celebrate Community Resilience
Dear Friends, What a difference a month can make! In recent weeks—as many doors opened again, masks came off, and long-anticipated reunions took place—we were powerfully reminded of just how much meaning and comfort we derive from social contact with one another. A Delta variant–fueled rise in cases now has […]
Celebrate New Beginnings
Dear Friends, This month, I join you in collectively celebrating in-person gatherings with friends, family, neighbors—and even strangers. It’s novel and marvelous to be shaking hands and hugging once more. We cannot wait to gather together at our 20th Anniversary gala, CELEBRATE OUR FUTURE, where the Josh Jones Latin Jazz […]
Celebrate Community Voices
Dear Friends, Today we cautiously celebrate California opening up! As of today, 71% of Sonoma County residents ages 12 and older have received at least one shot, and 63% are fully vaccinated. The good news from the County is that if you are fully vaccinated, “you are golden.” Hospitals report […]
Celebrate Compassion in Action
Dear Friends, May is Mental Health Awareness month, which means it’s the perfect time to spotlight the Healthcare Foundation’s work in the area of mental health, and two of our Board members who are dedicated mental health practitioners. Six years ago, we identified increasing access to mental health services as […]
Celebrate Paths Forward
Dear Friends, I was vaccinated on Saturday, and find it impossible to separate feelings of hope associated with our abundant spring blossoms and those generated by the promise of the vaccine. Sonoma County is moving to the Orange Tier. California may lift all restrictions as soon as June 15, providing […]
Celebrate Our Community Heroes
Dear Friends, This week my parents, ages 84 and 86, were vaccinated at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds in San Luis Obispo County. It’s liberating to know that soon I’ll be able to hug them after an entire year of only seeing them on Zoom. To add to the excitement, President […]
Celebrate Our Future
Dear Friends, I hope February finds you enjoying the rays of sunshine and blue sky shining through the welcome rain. Though 2021 had a challenging start, each new day brings new causes for gratitude and, yes, celebration. In 2020, Believe In Our Future was a theme that kept us going […]
Believe in the Gift of Giving
Dear Friends, As we barrell toward the end of 2020 in search of creative, pandemic-friendly ways to bring holiday cheer to our family and friends, I hope you will consider tribute gifts, aka gifts of the heart in honor of others. Katie Wetzel Murphy, founder of the Wetzel Community Leadership […]
Believe in the Power of Gratitude
Dear Friends, Gratitude has proven to be one of the most powerful forces for maintaining our resilience, both on the personal and community levels. The benefits of gratitude as an important mental health principle, according to Lisa Firestone, Ph.D., extend far beyond what we may imagine. Scientific studies have found […]