The power of community.

Growing up, my family never laid down roots. I was born near Sanibel Island, Florida, but moved to Big Bear Lake, California, before my first birthday. Life continued in that manner between various resort towns where my mother worked as an architect in Florida, California, Colorado and the Cayman Islands.

A great benefit to the rolling stone lifestyle is that I feel at home just about anywhere. But I didn't truly become a part of a community until my early 20s.

My husband and I met in college. After graduation, we fixed up a little Mid Century bungalow in the Flamingo Park Historic District of West Palm Beach. The neighborhood association organized monthly happy hours, each hosted by a different resident, and we signed up to host. It was the first time I'd ever met my neighbors, let alone forged actual relationships. I fell in love with entertaining at home and exploring the places and people around us.

I eventually joined the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association board of directors, chaired the garden tour and the holiday home tour year after year. A neighbor-turned-friend introduced me to the Junior League of the Palm Beaches, where I served on the development committee in support of children's welfare. I eventually joined the board of directors there, too.

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 30. My first son was not yet one at the time. One of the most incredible components of that experience was how the community showed up for my family.

Another of those neighbors-turned-friends regularly sat with my son so I could work or get my nails done or just take a nap. Another brought lunch to just about every chemo session, and she stayed with me for treatment the six hours every other Monday for six months. The casseroles and flowers arrived near daily. A friend who'd lined up a musical performance for a charity event arranged to have the group serenade us a cappella at our front door after hours.

It was magical. That community turned one of the darkest times in my life into a miraculous experience. We talk a lot about giving back to the community, but it is truly the community that gives back to us if we chose to invest in it.

This year in Calistoga, I am proud to serve as President of Calistoga Little League. Having served as Vice President and Fund-Raising Chair since 2020, I have worked alongside some incredible volunteers and have the pleasure of meeting the players' families, as well as our generous sponsors.

In 2022, I joined the board of directors for Brannan Center as Marketing and Communications Chair, which I am incredibly excited about. Brannan Center represents the restoration of a historic church at the heart of our little town, revitalizing a once-cherished community gathering place.

Area residents and visitors will come together for entertainment, education and community. Students of our local public schools and visiting artists will benefit from state-of-the-art music and theater performance space. Nonprofits will have the opportunity to leverage the space for programming and fund-raising.

It will truly be a gift to see this come to fruition.

Construction broke ground in March, and we expect to open following 30 months of construction. In the meantime, you will catch me revamping the web site, designing print and digital collateral, and keeping the community informed of our progress. For more information or to make a donation, please visit BrannanCenter.org (I haven't redesigned it just yet - stay tuned).

But whatever you do, get involved. Dive in. Make a splash. Feel the magic that is being a part of your community, and keep that feeling alive. It is worth every minute.