President's Message - May 2022
Sign Up for Volunteer Day
When Principal Danielle Pharr Matthews returned to Ruby Bridges Elementary School in Alameda this school year, she noticed a strong pull among students and staff alike to be outside on school grounds after being sequestered indoors on Zoom meetings for most of 2020-2021.
Through her connection to Wanda Stewart, Executive Director of Common Vision, she began to visualize what the nondescript school grounds could look like even though gardening is not in her wheelhouse.
Separately, I reached out to Wanda because I wanted to find an outdoor volunteer activity for our members to come together and bond once again after two long years physically apart. Common Vision’s mission is to create a Healthy and Just Society by growing fruit tree orchards in low-income schools. She told me about Ruby Bridges, and it sounded perfect for our Chapter.
With the $2,000 donation from our Chapter, Wanda’s vision is to transform the faculty outdoor courtyard into a nurturing, meditative space for teachers to decompress and ground themselves. Some of the tasks will include planting fruit trees and perennial shrubs, setting up a fountain, covering windows with translucent filming for privacy, and painting/staining wood benches.
Sign up for our Volunteer Day on Sunday, Aug. 7. We’re inviting all members to participate! You can attend for the full-day or part of the day. Since this is a weekend outdoor event, please feel free to bring family members.
Ruby Bridges Elementary School is unique, with students from virtually all economic backgrounds and over 25(!) languages represented from various cultural backgrounds, including most recently refugees from Afghanistan. Ruby Bridges is named after the civil rights activist who was the first African-American child to desegregate an all-white New Orleans elementary school in 1960. You can learn more here: https://www.rubybridges.com/
Last Saturday, SMPS member and Giving Back Leader Jules Schaafsma of RHAA (center) and I toured the school grounds with Danielle (left) and Wanda (right) to prepare for our Chapter’s Volunteer event this summer.
Topaz Awards Night Registration Now Open
Early Bird registration is now open for our 2022 Topaz Awards on Thursday, June 23, at Trellis in San Francisco! Our Awards Program is the only one in the Bay Area that highlights the critical role and immense value marketing professionals bring to the design and building industry.
Our Awards Night program will include a tapas-style dinner, drinks, networking, the awards ceremony, and the opportunity to view all award submissions. Attire is semi-formal. Learn more and register for Topaz Awards.
Awards Night Task Force members Jillian Grabenstein (left) and Morgan Michna (right) conducted the very important job of food tasting at our caterer’s location, The Pawn Shop (next door to our event venue, Trellis). Volunteering pays off!
Join Us for Happy Hour this Month
Our Chapter is hosting our first in-person Happy Hour in over two years. Join us at one of our favorite Oakland locations, Drake’s Dealership, on Wednesday, May 18, 5:00-7:00PM. This is a FREE event for members and prospective members.
I hope to see you all soon!
Shannon Daggett, CPSM
Marketing Manager, Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc.
[email protected]
President, SMPS SF Bay Area Chapter
