People make this place feel like home
Look around you - they're everywhere, by the hundreds, if not thousands.
They're often working quietly behind the scenes, without the fanfare or spotlights, so you might need to look closely. They're cooking meals for homeless people. Giving rides to those who can't drive. Delivering meals. Collecting backpacks for foster children. Taking care of injured wildlife. Coaching youth athletes. Staging shows or showcasing art.
They are the shining stars of Solano County - the people behind the polish. The Reporter cast a wide net for this project, asking for nominations from throughout the many communities we cover: Vacaville, Dixon, Fairfield and Suisun City. In the pages that follow you will find a number of selfless stories and earnest tributes. More than 90 individuals were nominated, and we used them all.
Did we capture them all? Not even close. For every name you will read in these pages, there are dozens more out there, making our communities better places to live.
So if the special star in your life was left out, take a few minutes to add your tribute to our online site. We will leave Solano Shines up for a year, and welcome your input. Use the link in the navigation at the top of each page to "Add a Shining Star," and we'll take it from there. Submissions will be subject to verification, so please include your name and e-mail, in case we have any questions. Include your nominee's e-mail address so we can send them a note, letting them know about your tribute.
For purposes of organization, we divided our shining stars into four categories: At Home, At Work, At Play and At School.
In the At Home section, you'll find stories of those whose shining contributions make our home feel a little bit more like home. They are the folks who plan festivals, raise funds for great organizations, care for our veterans, youth, really just any one who needs a hand.
In the At Work section, we look at those who use their jobs as a platform for community outreach. In some cases they rally their coworkers to get involved. In other cases, they use their very job to reach out and help others.
At Play takes a look at those who have turned their hobbies into an opportunity to connect with others. They sing. They dance. They stage plays. They coach young athlethes and organize tournaments and activities.
At School explores the contributions of students as well as the many adults who put youth first. You'll read about the Park Day Dudes, who organize fun activities for younger children on Fridays year-round. There are also tutors and counselors and volunteers who share their energy and their stories.
Their contributes are vast and varied. No one individual defines that giving spirit, but collectively, they exude the unique spirit that makes Solano County a great place to live. We salute these quiet stars of our community, the behind-the-scene workers who bring joy and hope to our world.
Solano shines because of them.
- By Diane Barney, Editor
Content editors: Diane Barney, Robin Miller, Karen Nolan, Greg Trott
Print design and layout: Lynn Starner
Print cover designs: Lynn Starner
Writers: Danny Bernardini, Brian Hamlin, Kim K. Fu, Jennifer Gentile, Melissa Murphy, Shelly Meron, Richard Bammer, David Henson, Matt Miller, Stephanie Hammon, Mary Lou Wilson, Cat Moy, Brian Arnold, Time Roe, Angela Adams, Ben Edokpayi, Donna Tatom, Diane Barney, Robin Miller, Karen Nolan, Kathy Keatley Garvey, Marilynn Anderson, Holly Valentine, Sally Miller Wyatt
Photographers: Rick Roach, Joel Rosenbaum and Ryan Chalk
Online editor: Jim Moehrke
