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What a year it's been in Sonoma County. We'll be feeling the impact of the wildfires for a long time to come. But recently, that impact came home to us in a very personal way.
Here are two letters from siblings and Teen Leaders, Candler & Coco Weinberg, sharing how the fires have forced a sudden move out of the area, and an end to their time at Ceres.
I hope you'll make time to read their powerful words, and take in what your support of Ceres makes possible for youth. I'm incredibly grateful to Candler and Coco for their service, and for allowing us to share their words, and I can't thank you enough for partnering with me in this important work. If you haven't had a chance yet to
donate recently, I hope you'll consider doing so today to invest in the future of youth like Coco and Candler.
Founder and Executive Director
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Dear Cathryn and the Ceres Community,
For over six years, Ceres has been like a second family to me. When I first started volunteering at Ceres in February of 2011, I was a wide-eyed 13-year-old who had barely set foot in a kitchen. I didn't know what to expect. I initially joined because I needed community service hours for my synagogue, and Ceres sounded infinitely better than any other option. From the minute I set foot in the kitchen for the orientation, I knew that Ceres was going to be a place I volunteered at for many years to come. I was welcomed with open arms by Margaret, Chef Rob, and some truly amazing Teen Leaders. For the first couple of months in the kitchen, I barely talked. A Teen Leader took me under her wing, and I flourished. I came out of my shell and helped bring the Ceres spirit to every teen or Mentor Chef that walked in the doors.
In the years that followed, I became a Teen Leader myself and watched many other fabulous teens mature and grow. I had the distinct pleasure of helping Ceres move from a small rented kitchen in Sebastopol to a facility that has been their own for several years. I cannot thank the Ceres staff enough for the honor of asking me and my sister, Coco, to help start the Santa Rosa kitchen and Café at the SAY Dream Center. It was truly amazing to help a whole other group of teens learn valuable skills while doing great things for those in need.
I am extremely proud of the work that I have done at Ceres, and it is with a heavy heart that I must leave the Ceres family. My family lost our house in the devastating fires and were forced to move closer to family in Los Angeles. I will miss Ceres with all my heart, and I hope that I have the chance to return to volunteering at Ceres in the future. I have learned so much, grown more than I thought I could as a leader and a person, learned the valuable life skill of cooking healthy, delicious, beautiful, and nutritious food, and expanded my academic and social horizons.
When I was 16, I had a difficult recovery after a surgery. Ceres provided food, flowers, and handmade cards to me and my family for several weeks. I am eternally grateful to Ceres for helping me out when I truly needed it. I had no idea of how much Ceres helps their clients until I experienced it myself. We could feel the love, passion, and dedication that was put into each amazing bite. Looking back on my time at Ceres now, there is nothing that I would change. The lessons I have learned from every teen, staff member, and client have been invaluable, and I will always apply that knowledge.
Every time I set foot in the kitchen, put my apron or chef coat on, I learned something new. The sheer amount of knowledge and opportunities I was afforded as a teen volunteer at Ceres is monumental, and I truly appreciate the fact that every opinion is considered and oftentimes used, and I am incredibly happy and proud that I was able to participate fully in many opportunities. I was able to expose myself and Ceres to parts of the community I never in a million years would have thought to expose myself to.
I am grateful for all the tireless work that the Ceres staff and volunteers do for our community. Ceres is, without a doubt, one of the best things to have ever happened to me. Out of all the things I will miss about having to leave Sonoma County so suddenly, Ceres is high up on that list.
Thank you so very much for everything,
Candler Weinberg
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| Candler at Harvest of the Heart 2014 |
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Dear Cathryn and Ceres Board,
It is with much sadness that I write and put in my resignation from the Board of Directors. For nearly 5 years, Ceres has been a major part of my life and my interest. However, due to the Wine Country Wildfires, we are needing to find a new home. We are relocating to Southern California, where we were able to find housing.
Ceres has been my joy and passion for a large part of my teen years. I have learned practical skills like cooking, great knife skills, and healthy eating. I also gained amazing intangible skills, like team building, cooperative working towards a common goal, public speaking (still hard!), leadership with kindness, and empathy channeled towards productivity. I will always hold Ceres warmly in my heart and value what I have learned.
Candler would always come home from his kitchen shifts full of stories about circle, camaraderie with fellow teens and the latest funny thing Rob said. I could not wait to start volunteering, never imagining that I would be a Teen Leader, as well as a Teen Board Member. Ceres has also been a really special place to connect with Candler. We shared funny or sad stories, jokes at Teen Leader retreats, and generally forged a deeper and communal bond. We both carry wonderful memories of our times together, and I cherish the fact that we found something amazing, that let us forge a deeper bond.
Ceres is such an amazing, welcoming, and educational place, playing an important role in shaping who I am today. It has been an immense honor to be a part of such a wonderful community project. I have loved watching teens that I gave orientations to, become Teen Leaders. Working in the kitchen with other teens has played such a key role in my identity, and learning important communication skills is something that I deeply value. I have also really valued my time on the Board. I loved learning the inner workings of a non-profit, and deeply appreciate being taken seriously for my point-of-view. I think the biggest gifts being a Teen Leader and Teen Board Member offered are the satisfaction of helping others, and the sense of competency I have gained. Thank you for providing such a wonderful space for me to grow and to help others.
Coco Weinberg
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| Coco receiving her Teen Leader Chef_s Coat |
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Pass it On!
If this message, and the work we do together at Ceres, has touched and inspired you, please consider forwarding this email to your network of friends and family. If you can add a personal message sharing why you care about and support Ceres, you'll help us reach more people and spread the vision you care so deeply about. Thank you.
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