Dear Sonoma County,
I have called you home for most of my life. I have learned so much from you and the people who call you home. As we look back at the past year and think of all that has happened, I cannot help but be grateful that your strength and the deep roots we have growth will be the support for a future of recovery and growth.
My family roots lie in Sonoma County. The love I have for this place began in my childhood. So much of who I am is because of the areas in and around Sebastopol. In 1890 my great-grandparents came from Italy and built the famous Union Hotel, located in the quaint village of Occidental near Bodega Bay. My family were settlers, who saw something special in Northern California. They were the first land developers in the area, so you could say real estate runs in my blood. Somehow they knew, this place would one day be the spectacular place it is now.
Every single day, I am driven by my joy in sharing the beauty of Northern California to people who have been here and those who are just arriving. The dreams and desires of this place mirror my own. Historically, Northern California was a place of hope and dreams of prosperity. It was, and still is a place where those who sow their seeds, have a desire to reap the harvest and share it with their community. That is what drives me every day, that the hard work I put into every endeavor, and the knowledge and love I have of this special place, will reap rewards that will infiltrate every corner or our community.
Best wishes to each and everyone in this holiday season!
Heidi