I have been involved with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference since 2018. I had heard of Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference but initially thought it was just an afterschool program for youth in El Dorado County. Boy was I surprised to learn how extraordinary this organization is!
Steve Backers, whom I had worked with in the past and Andrea Howard, a good friend, both introduced me to Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference. I knew if they were involved it would most likely be something I would be interested in as well. I was right!
I chose to be a part of the Hands4Hope Board because of my lifelong interest in working with youth. I have been in the field of education for over 40 years, primarily working with elementary students, and this was an opportunity to work with middle and high school youth. It was of special interest to me to see that Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference was cultivating leadership skills and opportunities for students to get involved in their communities.
It is so refreshing to see these young people take personal responsibility for making a difference in the lives of others. They continue to amaze me with their ability to recognize a need in the community and then orchestrate a plan to fill that need and they do it with purpose, enthusiasm and teamwork.
I have lived in the El Dorado and Folsom communities since 1987 and have been able to witness an incredible amount of growth and change in our region. One thing though that has remained constant, is the incredible youth that we have in our El Dorado County and Folsom communities. We need to thank the parents, our educators and our local business leaders for the ongoing support they provide to our youth and our community. We are truly blessed to live here.