My first involvement of being involved with a nonprofit was somewhat unconventional. About a year after I moved to Sheridan, my brother was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Scared and wanting to do something proactive, I met another Sheridanite who had fought and was beating the same disease. His family and a few other passionate friends [...]
Did everyone survive Thanksgiving a few pounds heavier but with familial relationships mostly intact? ‘Tis the season for ugly political discussions over the big bird. There’s nothing quite like mixing alcohol, simmering resentments, buttery carbohydrates, and long-term misunderstandings to make for unfortunate dinner conversations featuring raised voices and pounding fists. Here at the CVC, we’ve [...]
I find it mind-blowing that we hosted Thrive vs. Survive Study Circles on Poverty ten years ago. Ten years! My children were ten and seven, my face was unlined, and spare time was a distant dream. Now I have teenagers who drive, I read novels, and our community has Parent Liaisons, a Big Brothers Big [...]
Believe it or not, I can actually focus and finish a project within a specific timeline, all my procrastination and distractions notwithstanding. I’m not saying I complete the project with lots of breathing room to spare but I do adhere to deadlines. Such was the case last week when I was feverishly editing the Study [...]
I’m just going to put it right out there. Partially because many people don’t, won’t, or can’t, and partially because you’ve already learned all sorts of things about me as a regular reader of this column. You already know that I’m an eternal optimist, somewhat scattered, easily distracted, tardy at times, enthusiastic, and in constant [...]
(Author's note: The CVC website has been down for awhile so the blog posts have been delayed. This was originally published August 13, 2020.) Postpone. This is a word I have heard almost more in the last five months than I’ve heard the word ‘uncertainty.’ That’s saying something given our current times. The good news [...]
Dear Readers, today’s Word of the Day is unique. Or as my mom would pronounce it, you-nih-kew. Unique, no matter how you choose to pronounce it, is defined as being the only one of its kind, not like anything else. We all have that relative who can only be described as unique (looking at you, [...]
I’ll tell you right now – writing this particular column petrifies me. Unlike my past columns, which are mostly non-controversial, this one has a little something to offend nearly everyone if they try hard enough. But that’s why the CVC is hosting Community Conversations, constructive dialogue about difficult subjects. We’re tackling hard topics in a [...]
I’m proud and deeply grateful to live in a democracy. It’s a privilege and most times a pleasure. That is, until the political season. Then it’s a hideous slog through vitriol flung from all sides until election day. I don’t listen to talk radio (I don’t count NPR as talk radio), I don’t watch national [...]
Another year, another CampFIRE in the books. The CVC’s youth leadership camp is the official start of summer for us. For those of you who have real fears about the country’s youth and our collective future, I urge you to drop into Camp Roberts some year and meet these graduating eighth graders. You’ll feel much [...]
