While The Taylor Family Foundation’s (TTFF) mission revolves around medically fragile children and youth at risk, they haven’t been the only ones to benefit from TTFF. Years ago, Virginia Madden commented to Elaine Taylor, “you think you’re doing so much for those sick kids. You have no idea what you’re doing for healthy kids.” She was referring to TTFF’s summer interns who help in the office and provide additional support at camp and our annual fundraiser, Day in the Park. Being a summer intern provides many life lessons – from how to manage an activity such as snow cones and tie-dying t-shirts to cultivating compassion for people who may seem different from you.
Luisa Demartini forming a friendship with Elaine’s son Tom was just the beginning of her relationship with TTFF. She and her sister Paula believed in giving back through volunteering. Each summer they would come back from college, Luisa from UC Davis and Paula from Santa Clara, and volunteer in the TTFF office, putting together the Day in the Park silent auction. This was no small endeavor! Their support for TTFF wasn’t limited to summers, though. While at Davis, Luisa enlisted her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma, to make special pillowcases for our campers. In following years, they crafted custom tote bags. TTFF had a long-lasting effect on the sorority as they continued their giving in a myriad of ways for TTFF campers for more than a decade after she graduated!
Besides our summer interns, there has also been a younger set of kids who grew up with TTFF. When she was 4 years old, Emma Garman started a lemonade stand to quench the thirst of local golfers. Her parents didn’t realize how successful her endeavor would become, so they suggested that Emma donate some of the money she earned. Emma’s mom, Mindy, knew of parents who were raising kids with special needs and how much they relied on community resources like TTFF. Donating to the foundation seemed like a good fit. Emma didn’t forget about TTFF when she retired from lemonade sales. As a teenager, she worked in the office as a summer intern, helping with social media. Now she’s a student at Georgetown University studying finance and accounting.
Like Emma, Nick Yerondopoulos learned from the early age of six, that giving is way better than receiving. Each year for his birthday, he’d ask his friends to donate a set of Legos to TTFF. Over the course of seven years, Nick, with the help of family and friends, has gifted TTFF with more than 1,000 sets of Legos. These Legos provide hours of fun for campers and for children in treatment at local hospitals. They are also a huge hit during the holidays for youth in foster care, group homes, shelters, or otherwise in need.
While it’s great to see the campers each summer having boundless fun, making new friends and creating fabulous memories, it’s also rewarding to see our volunteers and interns blossom into compassionate young adults who lead with their hearts.