Lisa Browne Stanson '92, Jason Stanson, Eric Farber '81, Katrina Browne Bacallao '88, Jose Bacallao, Isabella Bacallao, SaraJane Bacallao, Colin Browne '95, Shanon Boulter,

Bonnie (Carlson) Solmssen '88, CC Salstrom '89, Ann Shea, Andrea Robinson, Jocelyn (Jolly) Denison Solomon '88, Ken Solomon, Luna Solomon, Dylan Solomon, Springer Browne, Kristie, Edgar Martin '13, Joseph Gottwald '10, Allegra Roth '10, Sarah Martzloff '11, Julia Paley '11, Cheryl Powers, Hallie Preston, Roz Emmett Nieman '89, & Tom Nieman

Servons - It's even more rewarding together.  My parents and grandparents raised me to believe that it was my responsibility to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I have since participated with a lot of charities. This past week, Cate organized two opportunities for us LA alumni: the LA Food Bank and Heal the Bay Beach Clean-Up. It was great to see old friends and meet new ones, work together as a team, and make a difference.  What was really special for me though, was to do charity work with my family, my Cate family.  We share many of the same values, experiences, and enthusiasm, that even when we haven't met, we just seem to fall into synchronicity.  

At the LA Food Bank, our group stuck close together around one massive container, helping sort 76,000 pounds of oranges, along with volunteers from all over LA. We worked in this circle, all facing in, getting to know one another, sharing stories, and talking oranges.  Marne Crowley '90 and her family grow oranges; we had someone who knew what a good orange was, and showed us which oranges we should throw away.  Three hours we worked, talked and listened, sorting oranges.  The activity kept a part of my mind and body busy, allowing me to just relax and be with everyone.  It was fun to have so much in common with people I had just met.  Three hours flew by.  

At Heal the Bay, we gathered trash on the beach, mostly small stuff that the daily sweeping doesn't pick up.  We got to learn from Jose, husband to Kat Browne '88, about how the Santa Monica Aquarium works, and several Cate students who made the trip from the Mesa were invited to apply for the summer internships.  It reminds me of a saying:

"We have all been warmed by fires we did not build and have drunk from wells we did not dig."

It was Mr. Cate's birthday the same weekend, and it made me think about how he made something possible for me, namely the opportunity to spend these past two mornings with such enthusiastic, caring, and motivated Cate alumni.  Cate has made my life better, in the past and in the present.  How has Cate touched your life?