Saturday Slight

So begins the nickname for autumn:  fall.  Yes, they're starting to fall and flutter about. 

As fast I could rake them and scoop them up into the lawnmower bags yesterday, another layer would quickly cover the ground.  

Even though the effort seems a bit self-defeating, my goal is to have fewer leaves to clean up once the rains come.

For now, enough still remain on the trees keep things pretty.  

Usually this phase of autumn reaches its full height in mid-October.  In keeping, however, with the earliness of most natural events of the year, we're losing the color sooner than usual. 

Today's rain and wind will probably drive thousands of leaves far away from the limbs they've been occupying since sprouting and popping out back in late March.

Then, we'll definitely be into the drab nakedness of the pre-winter season and looking forward to some white stuff to cover it all up.

So, go the cycles.  

I'm hoping this morning to do some visiting with a couple of ladies I've known for a long time but have not seen for years----probably not since the Sandpoint High School gym was officially named after their dad, Les Rogers.  

Linda and Francie are in town for a family wedding and they're doing a Hoot Owl run today.  I had Francie as a student for three years at Sandpoint High School.  

She and two other students have the distinction of learning very early on back in 1976 about Willie Love's upcoming appearance on the Earthly scene. 

At the time, we didn't know he'd be a Willie, but we knew that our first child was on the way and that I might have to cut back on some of my school activities---hence the private darkroom discussion which we all remember so clearly.  

It didn't exactly turn out for me to cut back on extracurriculars, and in the end, Willie actually benefitted with about 35 surrogate aunts on the drill team who knew and doted over him since Day One (and in Francie's case even before). 

It will be fun to catch up on some lifetime events with both Linda and Francie.  

That brings to mind a lovely letter I received from another former student this week.

Lindsay Fournier enrolled in my graphic arts class back in the 1990s.  She was a second generation student, as I had been her mother Lorraine's English teacher back in the 1970s. 

Lindsay liked graphic arts enough to pursue it as the focus of her North Idaho College studies. She later spent some time working in Coeur d'Alene and then moved to Seattle where she started her own graphic design business---http://lindsayfournier.com/

Some of her very impressive work appears on her website. 

Well, Lindsay has been doing well with her own business, and she sent me a letter this week to share a very special story about an event associated with one of her clients.  

It's definitely a wonderful story, with that small-world touch about three young women who have found their niche in life. The story is also especially meaningful to me and my family. 

So, I'll share most of the note.  Here's a heads up:  for privacy purposes, the name of the student chef has been changed.  Hope you enjoy.

Mrs. Love, I have a story for you. One of my clients is a non-profit called Friends of the Children of Seattle. I have worked with them for four years now. They are one of my favorite clients.

It’s a mentorship program for under-privileged youth. They have a safe clubhouse for the kids to use for homework and social time. They also have full-time mentors who are assigned kids to mentor through the program.

Children are often in the program from kindergarten until they graduate high school. I am on their Ambassador Board and also volunteer for some of their events with the kids.

As my client, the group hires me every year to do their printed pieces for their annual gala. In addition, I always volunteer my time for this event as well. 

At the gala, they always bring in the children to meet the guests, so the guests can see who they are donating to. Needless to say, it’s always such a magical thing to watch.

This year was no different. The gala for this year was last Saturday.  They focused on some of the older children to show how much the program has helped them get through their high school years.

One specific teen was named Lisa. She is a senior in high school and is planning to go into culinary arts after graduation. She wants to become a chef.

Her Friends of the Children mentor was able to connect her with the chef for the Seattle Mariners, Jeremy Bryant, and he has been working with her in the kitchen, where it is said, she has some really great cooking skills.

One of the auction items at the gala on Saturday was a dinner cooked by Jeremy and Lisa and served in the Mariner's locker room.

Lisa came on stage to make a speech prior to her item being auctioned. I was truly touched by this well-spoken young lady. Apparently, others were too because there ended up being a bidding war between three different women.

The price was up to $25,000, and there was not a dry eye in the house. All the while, Lisa was on stage with eyes the size of saucers! I am sure she was so overwhelmed to see these people whom she did not know supporting her.

The auctioneer finally stopped and asked Lisa if she would like to cook three separate meals at $25,000 apiece, and, of course, all three women approved. 

Lisa raised $75,000 for the event. It was so amazing!

At the end of the night, Lisa and her mentor were able to meet and greet with many well-to-do guests who were all so impressed with this young woman.

I was able to catch her before she left the gala. I told her how much I was impressed with her. Not being able to donate the amount of money others have, I offered her something else.

I made a deal with her that when she graduates culinary school and she is ready to venture on with her dream to be a chef, she could contact me and I would develop her branding logo and marketing pieces for her first business.

She was so overwhelmed with gratitude that we cried together and had a big hug. I shared with her that I too was once a lost teen who needed guidance, but I was strong-willed and determined to become a graphic designer. 

She asked me where I went to school, and I told her North Idaho College....

This is where you tie into this story....

Her mentor then interrupted to ask if I was from Idaho. I told her yes, Sandpoint. She told me she was from Boise but that her best friend was married to a Sandpoint native.

She then asked me, "Do you know the Love's?"

I immediately got goosebumps, and tears welled up in my eyes. I told her and Lisa that Marianne Love was MY mentor growing up.

I told them that you were the one who encouraged me to go into Graphic Design and that you even wrote my first letter of recommendation. Lisa’s mentor is named Alicia, and her best friend is married to Willie.

What a small world!

Lindsay

Note:  Lisa's mentor, Alicia, comes to Sandpoint often with her husband Andrew (a Boeing engineer) and her adorable daughter Emma.  

Alicia was Debbie's maid of honor when Willie and Debbie were married in 2001.  

As a teacher and a friend, I'm really proud of Lindsay, even more so after learning, through this note, the impact she is having with her talents and through her genuine caring for others.  

The same goes for Alicia. It was so neat to learn, through this coincidental happening, the truly positive and impressive impact she has as a mentor to young people in Seattle.  

Good news about good people and much appreciated. Thanks again, Lindsay, for taking the time to share. 

Happy Saturday.