I was born in San Diego and raised in Lemon Grove, attended
UCSB (with a year in Germany) and earned my teaching credential at SDSU. I finished my MA in Special Education in
1979. Don and I have been married since 1974; our two sons grew up in North
County and have graduated from UCSD and UCLA respectively. After 28 years in the classroom, I retired
from teaching elementary school in Vista Unified in 2006. I was asked to come to AVBG to help start
their Children’s Garden in 2008, I joined the AVBG Board, and “Farmer Jones” ended
up as Chairman of the Committee. We ran
a contest to name the Children’s Garden and chose “Bugs, Birds, and
Butterflies.” In addition to the existing small Earth Day Festival, we added
the Fall Fun Festival in 2009 and are celebrating our TENTH FFF on October 20 this
year. It’s a great experience – creating
scarecrows, bobbing for apples, decorating punkins, making crafts, and enjoying
the ambience of the Gardens. Vendors,
food, and a plant sale are all part of the Fall Fun Festival experience. Many student and adult volunteers – and our
dedicated Board members – make it a super day!
About how many kids do
you filter through your program each year and what brings you the biggest joy
working with kids and in the gardens?
After our first FFF in 2009, we started monthly Kids in the
Garden classes and still offer them on the second Saturday of the month from 10
am to noon for a low $5 fee; these classes are free for family members. The schedule is listed on the AVBG
website altavistabotanicalgardens.org
. We also offer field trips for students
in local elementary and middle schools, as well as homeschool groups. We have served 4000 kids in ten years of Kids
in the Garden and field trips. My
greatest joy is seeing kids relax, open up, hike to the bottom of the hill and
back up, and make discoveries out in nature.
What are your hopes for the future with your program?
What are your hopes for the future with your program?
I hope that kids and their parents will become more familiar
and comfortable in the outdoors, and appreciate the beauty and tranquility of
nature. There’s a BIG beautiful world
out there and experiencing it first-hand is a million times better than on an
electronic device! We will continue to
offer outdoor experiences and hope to expand programs as more teachers and
families discover the Hidden Gem that is Alta Vista Botanical Gardens!
I see you also work with The Woman's Club of Vista. What does that program do in the community and how can someone become involved if they wish?
I see you also work with The Woman's Club of Vista. What does that program do in the community and how can someone become involved if they wish?
Membership in The Woman’s Club of Vista GFWC is open to all
– women and men! I served as President from 2013-2017 and currently serve as
Treasurer. Our Club is 102 years old and
we’re growing with active members who are ready to volunteer! We work on projects with organizations in the
community (such as AVBG, Operation HOPE-Vista, Women’s Resource Center, Gently
Hugged, Rancho Buena Vista Adobe, Alabaster Jar, and many others), and we
donate supplies and food. We celebrate our Donation Day every May when we
donate to organizations suggested and supported by our members. In June we award scholarships to students
graduating from six Vista schools. Our busy
Club has won awards for our projects from our international Federation. The Club’s website is womansclubofvista.org . Contact
information is in the newsletter which is posted on the website. All are welcome to visit and join!
What city do you reside in, and what do you love about it?
What city do you reside in, and what do you love about it?
We have lived in rural Vista since 1987, and we love the
open spaces and parks for hiking and nature experiences. I love the people I am privileged to work
with – curious kids, caring parents, and devoted volunteers. It’s small-town Vista every day, with many
opportunities to grow and serve – which is how I fill my days.
