#129. You Don’t Have to Be Wealthy to Give Back | Sara Dronkers

Scott Hammond: Ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors, it's Scott Hammond with the 100% Humboldt podcast, and welcome. I wanna welcome my brand-new best friend, Sara Dronkers.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Sara.

Sara Dronkers: Hi. Thank you.

Scott Hammond: How's your day?

Sara Dronkers: Really good.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Sara Dronkers: I wish it wasn't raining.

Scott Hammond: I know.

Sara Dronkers: I wish it was sunny, but-

Scott Hammond: It feels like fall, though. I love it

Sara Dronkers: … it, it does.

Scott Hammond: I was talking to my friend Philip, who's a big thinker, on the way over here, and he goes, "It's more than just a weather change. Fall comes in with a whole other vibe."

Sara Dronkers: It's a vibe.

Scott Hammond: And it kinda hits the nation, and I go-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I wonder what that is. Is it the… I don't know what it is, maybe we'll find out.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Anyway, hey, tell us, uh, name, rank, and serial number. Who, who are you? What do you do?

Sara Dronkers: I'm Sara Dronkers. I'm the CEO of Humboldt Area Foundation.

Scott Hammond: Nice. You guys have been around a little while.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm, since 1972, so.

Scott Hammond: That's a little while.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I was-

Sara Dronkers: 54 years.

Scott Hammond: Well, I wasn't even born. Just kidding. Just kidding. I was born pretty much by then. Um, I'd love to-

Sara Dronkers: Pretty much

Scott Hammond: … I'd love to hear I loved… My brain started developing around about 25, I think, like most of us. Tell us where, what, your backstory. Where were you raised and born, and go, when did you go to school?

Sara Dronkers: Sure. Uh, my mom raised me in Southern California.

Scott Hammond: Me too.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, where are you from?

Scott Hammond: Uh, San Diego.

Sara Dronkers: San Diego. I'm from the Santa Monica area-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Sara Dronkers: … West LA.

Scott Hammond: I know West LA.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. Yep, so I grew up there.

Sara Dronkers: Um, you know, lived life. Did, did all the growing up things.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um-

Scott Hammond: Were you a hippie feral child like I was at the same era?

Sara Dronkers: Yes, I was-

Scott Hammond: SoCal

Sara Dronkers: … I think what they would've called alternative at the time.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: You know, I dyed my hair all the colors and had all the piercings.

Scott Hammond: Did you really? Okay.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Cool. W- dude.

Sara Dronkers: A different time.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I know. Very much. Different culture.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Different age. Lot of different…

Sara Dronkers: Well, it's part of why when I visited colleges and I came up here-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … I looked at the campus and the people and I thought, "I think these are my people. They're, they're weird-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … like me, so-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … I think this is where I belong."

Scott Hammond: You'll fit right in.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, so.

Scott Hammond: That's what we say about church at Catalyst Church in Arcata, "All the weirdos, man, we're gonna fit right in perfectly."

Sara Dronkers: Oh, I love Bethany and Jason.

Scott Hammond: Do you know Bethany?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Everyone knows Bethany and Jason.

Sara Dronkers: Everyone I know 'cause-

Scott Hammond: Hi, Bethany. Hi, Jason

Sara Dronkers: … they're amazing. Hi, Bethany and Jason.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, they're-

Sara Dronkers: They're awesome

Scott Hammond: … yeah, they're often, I- camping somewhere in Black Rock Desert.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, that's right. Yes, I, I know.

Scott Hammond: I'm not supposed to say that, but.

Sara Dronkers: I know many folks over there right now.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, Joni wants to go.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: My wife is, of 45 years, going, is going. You know, I mentioned it once, and now my Facebook's feeding me Black Rock.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, boy.

Scott Hammond: And I'm g- sh- I g- sh- she goes, "I wanna go." I go, "Okay."

Sara Dronkers: Guess you're going next year.

Scott Hammond: I guess maybe. I'm signed up. So yeah, I was raised in SoCal by my mom, San Diego.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: And I just noticed you have really beautiful black hair.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And look what happened to mine.

Sara Dronkers: Mine's on the way, trust me. I've got, got my little tinsel strands.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, we, um, I know. My, my daughter goes, "Dad, you're bald." I go, "Thanks, Abby. What…"

Sara Dronkers: I didn't know till you pointed it out.

Scott Hammond: I know. She goes, "What happened to you?" I go, "You guys ruined me."

Scott Hammond: So.

Sara Dronkers: Well, you have a lot of children.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, we have nine.

Sara Dronkers: That's wild.

Scott Hammond: I know, crazy.

Sara Dronkers: It's more than the Brady Bunch.

Scott Hammond: Oh, Brady Bunch. Pssh. Pssh.

Sara Dronkers: Nothing.

Scott Hammond: Brady- those Bradys. So what was West LA like in the, uh, 70s, 80s?

Sara Dronkers: It was different than now.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: You know, now when I say Santa Monica, people are like, "Ooh.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: That's fancy. That's nice. Beachy, rich." You know, a lot of the entertainment industry has sprawled that way.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Sara Dronkers: A lot of famous people live that way 'cause, you know, beach. Um, but it wasn't that way when I was a kid.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: It was, you know, just your average sort of LA town.

Scott Hammond: Beach town, yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And, uh, you know, like, the Third Street Promenade didn't exist. It was a homeless encampment.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And so, um, you know, I think it was a nice place to grow up. I loved having the beach nearby, and-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … that's part of why living here works, 'cause I feel like I'm a person who needs to be near the ocean.

Scott Hammond: There's lots of that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Never been landlocked. I don't think that would be good.

Scott Hammond: We live in McKinleyville, so we have everything from Clam Beach all the way to-

Sara Dronkers: Mm

Scott Hammond: … Sue Meg to Prairie Creek.

Sara Dronkers: Amazing.

Scott Hammond: Plenty of beach.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And, and the beach is like living next to Disneyland. When you live by it, you don't go that much.

Sara Dronkers: I did-

Scott Hammond: Sadly

Sara Dronkers: … though, as a, as a teen.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, man, I'd spend the whole summers-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah

Sara Dronkers: … just out on the beach.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Sara Dronkers: You know, I'd buy a snack and just be at the beach all day with friends.

Scott Hammond: I love it.

Sara Dronkers: And yeah, it was great.

Scott Hammond: I miss that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Coronado and Ocean Beach-

Sara Dronkers: I miss that weather

Scott Hammond: … and Mission Beach and-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … Pacific Beach and all the beaches and-

Sara Dronkers: Yep

Scott Hammond: … 'cause we were inland people, and so it was just nothing going on, so that was as close as you could get to real life-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … super summer fun.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And all the fun at the beach.

Sara Dronkers: So much fun.

Scott Hammond: And all the trouble. Hey, we're not talking about that.

Sara Dronkers: We would never.

Scott Hammond: So you went to school. Where'd you graduate?

Sara Dronkers: I graduated from Santa Monica High School.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Sara Dronkers: Yep. Alma mater of-

Scott Hammond: Were there actor, actor kids or?

Sara Dronkers: Not during my time. There was, you know, before me, there was Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: After me, uh, there was… Who's that guy in politics now? I think he's the chief of staff in the White House.

Scott Hammond: Oh, what's his name?

Sara Dronkers: I can't think of his name.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh. He went to school there.

Sara Dronkers: He went to Santa Monica High after me.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: So, you know.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, we used to visit Joni's father in Torrance and ride all the way up to-

Sara Dronkers: Okay. Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … uh, on the Strand to, like, Marina del Rey and-

Sara Dronkers: Yep

Scott Hammond: … Santa Monica was next, right?

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, it's quite a ride.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: It's fun.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, or maybe Venice is in between those two.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Venice is right there, too.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Fun. So what drew you to Humboldt besides the weirdos?

Sara Dronkers: So, yeah, I mean, pretty much just the weirdos.

Scott Hammond: No offense, weirdos.

Sara Dronkers: We are weirdos, too.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Well-

Sara Dronkers: I self-identify as a weirdo.

Scott Hammond: It's, not that there's anything wrong with that

Sara Dronkers: Exactly. Um, you know, I graduated, I was only 17-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … 'cause of where my birthday landed, and I just decided that I wanted to come up here.

Sara Dronkers: And, um, the thing that is different about me than many people who live here is I'm not a super outdoorsy person.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: So I got here, and people were like- … "Wanna go on a hike?" And I was like, "What's that?" You know. "Oh, it's just a walk."

Scott Hammond: It's a walk. In the woods.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. So, you know, but that's not what drew me here. Um, part of what drew me here is just it's so far away from everything else-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Sara Dronkers: … and just such a, a different sort of place.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: So I, I did kind of have culture shock when I-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Sara Dronkers: … I moved up here, and I lived in the dorms-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah

Sara Dronkers: … at the university, and I made a lot of good friends. That's where I met my husband.

Scott Hammond: Oh, really?

Sara Dronkers: We lived on the same floor-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … three doors down from each other.

Scott Hammond: So you've been married 100 years.

Sara Dronkers: 100.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That's cool. Did you guys marry while you were still students, or?

Sara Dronkers: No. We, we were together for seven years, so.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: 'Cause we were so young.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Yeah, so I actually, I left after my first semester. I just, I, I think I was so young and just didn't know what I was doing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So I went back home for a year.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Nowadays, they call it a gap year.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: Um, 'cause I did come back a year later, and instead of going back to the university, I went to College of the Redwoods.

Scott Hammond: Oh, very cool.

Sara Dronkers: And so I, um, I had such an excellent experience at College of the Redwoods.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Sara Dronkers: I think some of my favorite classes, favorite-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … instructors. I'm a big fan. Um, so I was there, and then I transferred to the university. I studied math-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … of all things.

Scott Hammond: Of course.

Sara Dronkers: Um, and I, I just liked it, and I was good at it. I never wanted to be a teacher, professor-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … go into physics. So I didn't have a plan, but I was-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … you know, kind of bumbling my way through.

Scott Hammond: I hate you math guys. A little creative.

Sara Dronkers: Figured it's good skills. They apply all over, you know?

Scott Hammond: It's, Oh, it's a great skill.

Sara Dronkers: Critical thinking and-

Scott Hammond: I wish it would've-

Sara Dronkers: … logic and-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … all of that.

Scott Hammond: I mean, insurance, we need math to tell… I mean, math tells stories.

Sara Dronkers: Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: You know? It determines, "Hey, quit spending your money on advertising." Or, or wherever. Or…

Sara Dronkers: Tell you s- tells you a lot of things.

Scott Hammond: Oh, it's so good.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I, I really… Yeah. I've, I've grown to love my- love the numbers.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Yeah, so, uh, when I graduated from Humboldt, um, I'd been working my way through school and, um, had gotten into bookkeeping.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: So I had a little of that accounting-type experience and my math major. So I looked for jobs here and just was so lucky that my first job out of college at age 24 was Humboldt Area Foundation.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Sara Dronkers: And, uh, I came in entry level in the-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … finance department, helped with the cutting checks and entering gifts-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … and writing letters and, you know-

Scott Hammond: Close to Arcata

Sara Dronkers: … all the basics. Yep.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: So, um, I, I just am so fortunate because here I am, 24 years later, I've hit my half-life-

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh

Sara Dronkers: … uh, that I've spent half my life at the foundation.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: So-

Scott Hammond: Let me see

Sara Dronkers: … uncommon these days

Scott Hammond: … so you're 48?

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Wow. I had my birthday yesterday.

Sara Dronkers: Happy birthday.

Scott Hammond: I turned 66.66.

Scott Hammond: Six.

Sara Dronkers: Just with a line over it.

Scott Hammond: Yes, I'm t-

Sara Dronkers: 66.6 with a line over it

Scott Hammond: … I'm two-thirds of 100 years.

Sara Dronkers: Got it.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Cool.

Scott Hammond: Weird birthday.

Sara Dronkers: That's a cool way to look at it.

Scott Hammond: It's the, uh, two f- two-thirds of a century birthday.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Sara Dronkers: I like it.

Scott Hammond: And the day before, I was 12 years as a state farm agent here locally.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, congratulations.

Scott Hammond: Started, started very late, late bloomer at 53, and of course, became my dad.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: My dad was an agent in San Diego in Oceanside.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: And I thought, "That's stupid. That's for chumps. Who would do that?" I'm 17, smoking weed and drinking Heineken and going, "Hey, that's…

Scott Hammond: What a-"

Sara Dronkers: Why would I do that?

Scott Hammond: "What an idiot. I'll ne- What a chump." And, uh, hey, hot flash. Hot flash.

Scott Hammond: Wait.

Sara Dronkers: Not, not the right term.

Scott Hammond: Newsflash. I meant to say newsflash.

Sara Dronkers: You're going through menopause.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I am. Man-

Sara Dronkers: And so you had a hot flash.

Scott Hammond: Menopause, yeah. Uh, newsflash, y- you're becoming your dad and your mom, so good luck on that.

Sara Dronkers: It's inevitable, right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah. It's taking over, so.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Maybe the better p- Let's go with the best parts.

Sara Dronkers: The best parts.

Scott Hammond: Of them.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So it, my dad was a great guy. He was World War II vet, but-

Sara Dronkers: Mm

Scott Hammond: … uh, we won't go down that road for, for now, so, um-

Sara Dronkers: We can

Scott Hammond: … you met Mike Dronkers at, uh, at-

Sara Dronkers: He, at the dorms

Scott Hammond: … I was gonna, I was gonna say at HSU.

Sara Dronkers: That came way later.

Scott Hammond: Was he a, was he a radio guy then?

Sara Dronkers: Well, I mean, he was a freshman in college, so-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Sara Dronkers: … no.

Scott Hammond: He didn't know any, yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, but he already was interested in media.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: He studied journalism. Unlike me, he graduated in four years.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And, uh- You'll have to have him on sometime-

Scott Hammond: Yeah, gap year

Sara Dronkers: … to, to talk about his-

Scott Hammond: Maybe. Yeah, we'll talk to him

Sara Dronkers: … his life. But, um, but when he graduated, he was already working for KHUM.

Scott Hammond: Oh, okay.

Sara Dronkers: So, you know, he kind of launched in that direction-

Scott Hammond: So he, yeah

Sara Dronkers: … and was in radio for decades.

Scott Hammond: Was Patrick part of that then?

Sara Dronkers: Uh, not quite yet.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: But close.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And then Patrick was a director at-

Sara Dronkers: Yep

Scott Hammond: … at the Area Foundation, right?

Sara Dronkers: Indeed.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It is a small world at Humboldt.

Sara Dronkers: There was a, a little stretch of time where we joked that Patrick was the boss of our whole family-

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's funny

Sara Dronkers: … because he was, you know- … employing Mike over there and me at the foundation.

Scott Hammond: I love it. My kids have a saying, "You're not the boss of me."

Sara Dronkers: Kids love that.

Scott Hammond: In this case, Patrick was the boss of us.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Patrick.

Sara Dronkers: Hi, Patrick. I listened to your episode.

Sara Dronkers: I liked it

Scott Hammond: Patrick's a cool guy, man.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Patrick has been very helpful in, uh, my, um, my renaissance of live music.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, yes.

Scott Hammond: And-

Sara Dronkers: That's his passion

Scott Hammond: … not playing it, but ta- the taste, uh, for, um, uh, Bruce Cockburn or The Beach Boys or whoever-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … one-off bands that he has seen, you know, Bonnie Raitt a thousand times and-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … Bonnie who? I, I knew who she was, but-

Sara Dronkers: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … anyway. So, um, yeah, thank you, Patrick.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So you st- came and stayed there.

Sara Dronkers: I came and stayed. I basically, you know, learned the foundation inside and out.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Sara Dronkers: When I came in the door, I, I don't think I really knew what the organization did.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: I, I was wrapping my head around it. We like to tell new employees it takes two to three years to really get it.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Because it's a complex business model that we have, and so it, it took me a while to wrap my head around it.

Scott Hammond: So in 60 seconds, can you tell us what that is?

Sara Dronkers: The foundation?

Scott Hammond: You have two minutes. Go ahead.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Do it in 120 seconds.

Sara Dronkers: Do you have the timer going?

Scott Hammond: Take your time.

Sara Dronkers: Um, no, it's, it's good. It's hard-

Scott Hammond: What is, what is HAF?

Sara Dronkers: HAF.

Scott Hammond: What, what's it all about? What's the mission?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Well, uh, what we have is a strong vision-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Sara Dronkers: … and that is to… Hold on, I'm gonna look at my notes, 'cause otherwise I'm gonna mess it up.

Scott Hammond: By all means.

Sara Dronkers: To, to have a thriving, just, healthy, and equitable region.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So, uh, we have our community foundation-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … which is one of hundreds in the country, and different regions have their own.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So what's unique about them is they serve the local area. Um, and as opposed to what many people think of when they hear foundation, they think of these big foundations, maybe they're corporate, maybe they're-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … family foundations, where, you know, a small group of people decides exactly what they wanna do with that money. It's basically theirs. Um, a community foundation is a way for local donors of all sizes to be engaged in philanthropy and giving back to community.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Sara Dronkers: And so instead of one fund, like one of those foundations would have, we have over 900.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And every single one of those was started by a person or a family or a business-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … or a nonprofit.

Scott Hammond: Say, Patty Berg.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly, one of our newest scholarship funds.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And, um-

Scott Hammond: She was legend, right?

Sara Dronkers: Such a legend.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And, and how amazing, 'cause now she's gonna give back, and her name-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and legacy live on-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … in all of these women students that-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … will receive the scholarship for years to come.

Scott Hammond: Love it.

Sara Dronkers: So part of what is, you know, really cool about what we do is we invest those donations forever, and we pay out a portion of the earnings every year-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … so that the model is the funds grow, keep up with inflation-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … can give out larger and larger amounts, while also maintaining themselves.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And so an example is our very first fund. So the foundation was started by a woman named Vera Vietor.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: She gave her house, which became our headquarters and still is-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … and $2.4 million, and this was in 1972.

Scott Hammond: Where? Her home was up on Ca- at HSU?

Sara Dronkers: In, in Bayside.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, it's, uh-

Scott Hammond: Oh, is it the current site?

Sara Dronkers: Right off of Enola. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: That was her place.

Sara Dronkers: Current site. That was her place, yep.

Scott Hammond: Sweet spot.

Sara Dronkers: With some property. There's a trail. So she gave that $2.4 million, and we invested that, and now the fund itself has 3.7 million.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: But what's amazing is the community has received over 8 million-

Scott Hammond: Beautiful

Sara Dronkers: … from that fund.

Scott Hammond: And that's the model.

Sara Dronkers: So we're talking about 2.4 million turning to over 11. And it'll just-

Scott Hammond: And then growing the principal

Sara Dronkers: … and growing the principal, giving out more every year.

Scott Hammond: Sweet.

Sara Dronkers: It's really beautiful.

Scott Hammond: So the word in perpetuity actually applies. I'm not sure what that-

Sara Dronkers: Exactly

Scott Hammond: … word means all the time, but-

Sara Dronkers: I think it means forever.

Scott Hammond: It goes, it goes on and on.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: I love it. So that's a good model.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, it's a really cool model.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And, um, so yeah, we have over 900 funds, which means, you know, each one can have-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … its own purpose and focus area.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Some of them can be to specific organizations.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And we will just give a donation to that organization year over year.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Which is such a gift to a nonprofit-

Scott Hammond: Right

Sara Dronkers: … to not have to fundraise and write grant reports and, you know, do all-

Scott Hammond: Right

Sara Dronkers: … of that extra work to receive those grants. Um, you know, we have grants for artists, for youth activities, for all, everything you can think of. And then we also once in a while get funds that are fully discretionary.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And those are the ones that our board directs, and we can really use to carry out our strategy and our vision.

Scott Hammond: Oh, the fun, the fun ones.

Sara Dronkers: The fun ones.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, a little discretion.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: So call, cl- uh, call it out here. How do we get ahold of you?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: What's, what's your-

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, the website-

Scott Hammond: If you wanted to donate, I have, you know, 20 million in gold-

Sara Dronkers: Perf-

Scott Hammond: … gold bullion.

Sara Dronkers: You can just hand me the cash right here. I'll tr- trust me.

Scott Hammond: It's in the-

Sara Dronkers: I'll take it back to the foundation.

Scott Hammond: It's in the truck. It's in my car. So, so if we wanted to call or e-

Sara Dronkers: You can call

Scott Hammond: … what's your we- website?

Sara Dronkers: Um, hafoundation.org.

Scott Hammond: Easy.

Sara Dronkers: We have a easy page where you can click to give to a specific fund-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … for a specific cause, or just in general.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: Um, we also work with donors on all kinds of donations. So it could be a stock gift, it could be property. Um-

Scott Hammond: I was gonna ask, a car?

Sara Dronkers: Absolutely. So it's-

Scott Hammond: Like my Jag?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. The one with the $20 million in it?

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: The one with… It's really low right now. It's gold bullion. It's kind of a lowrider Jag.

Sara Dronkers: We'll take it. I'll get it out of here somehow.

Scott Hammond: We'll, we'll hawk it somewhere.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, so-

Scott Hammond: I could donate all my vinyl records.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, perfect.

Scott Hammond: Hey.

Sara Dronkers: Worth a fortune.

Scott Hammond: We were just talking about that.

Sara Dronkers: Priceless, actually.

Scott Hammond: Vinyl.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: So if, if you're just joining us, my new best friend, Sara Dronkers, from-

Sara Dronkers: We're besties

Scott Hammond: … f- yeah, I know, from Humboldt Area Foundation. Well, you know Deanna Dick, so you're gotta be cool already.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: I'm in good.

Scott Hammond: So-

Sara Dronkers: Good company

Scott Hammond: … so Deanna and Adam Dick, uh, owners of Dick Taylor-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … co-owners of Dick Taylor Chocolates-

Sara Dronkers: Yep

Scott Hammond: … located in Eureka, California, and usually we would play today for a bar when you do the quiz.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Sadly, or gratefully, you get to do a Dutch Brothers.

Sara Dronkers: Ooh.

Scott Hammond: That'll… We'll get to that.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, wait, I have to tell you something.

Scott Hammond: Oh, go.

Sara Dronkers: My kids laughed at me because I said Dutch Brothers.

Scott Hammond: Brother.

Sara Dronkers: They said, "Do you mean bros?"

Scott Hammond: Dutch, Dutch Bros. It is Dutch Bros.

Sara Dronkers: It's Dutch Bros. But us old people say-

Scott Hammond: Did you say brother, or did you say brothers?

Sara Dronkers: I said brothers.

Scott Hammond: That's correct. You can do that.

Sara Dronkers: No, it's bros.

Scott Hammond: For them it is.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: Get out of here, kids. You and your kids.

Sara Dronkers: It's these days.

Scott Hammond: I'm gonna look for something that says Dutch Brothers on it. I'll show you. It's all Dutch Bros.

Sara Dronkers: I know.

Scott Hammond: Kids, you're right.

Sara Dronkers: They were right.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Sara Dronkers: I felt so old.

Scott Hammond: The funny thing is they started Grants Pass, Oregon.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Uh, these brothers, and they're on every corner in Medford and Grants, all over the Rogue Valley.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But there's one in Santa Rosa, and it's like Trader Joe's. It's everybody digs it.

Sara Dronkers: Mobbed.

Scott Hammond: It's mobbed. It's like-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … the cool place to go.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And should've bought-

Sara Dronkers: People love it

Scott Hammond: … should've bought 20 franchises.

Sara Dronkers: Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

Scott Hammond: I know.

Sara Dronkers: Well, you still could.

Scott Hammond: And what's cool, our local Dutch Bros, um, uh, friend who's the manager, she's really sweet. She, um, they only hire, like, really high energy, cool people.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: "Hey, how's it going today?"

Scott Hammond: Um-

Sara Dronkers: Super friendly

Scott Hammond: … "Good. How's your life?" "Uh, good."

Sara Dronkers: It'll be better once you hand me this caffeinated beverage.

Scott Hammond: Quit inquisit- inquisitoring me. You and your questions. No, they're always great.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Super, super sweet.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: My wife Joanie loves going there.

Sara Dronkers: Nice.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So we can get ahold of you and donate.

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Uh, online is the way to go?

Sara Dronkers: It's the best way, but you can also call our main line, and we'll direct you to the right people. We have a great donor services team.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: They work with donors on-

Scott Hammond: Love it

Sara Dronkers: … helping them figure out, like, how do they wanna give back to community-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … what do they care about, and what are the ways we can help them accomplish that?

Scott Hammond: The part where I use my prop.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Hey, do you mean this community over here, Sara?

Sara Dronkers: Oh, yes.

Scott Hammond: Wait.

Sara Dronkers: Your prop and your laser pointer.

Scott Hammond: My la- Oh, there it goes.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: So Humboldt County, located in California, uh-

Sara Dronkers: And we actually serve a four-county region.

Scott Hammond: Really?

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: So Del Norte.

Sara Dronkers: We serve Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity.

Scott Hammond: So Del Norte's up here.

Sara Dronkers: Yep. And then we-

Scott Hammond: Trinity's over here

Sara Dronkers: … we go even further north into Curry County, Oregon.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's cool.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That's right, 'cause you're Wild Rivers.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And then-

Sara Dronkers: Wild Rivers Community Foundation

Scott Hammond: … how about Mendocino?

Sara Dronkers: Nope.

Scott Hammond: Not Mendo.

Sara Dronkers: Not Mendocino, but we're friends with them.

Scott Hammond: Of course, yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Do they have their own?

Sara Dronkers: They have their own.

Scott Hammond: They have their own.

Sara Dronkers: We actually helped them start it way back-

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's cool

Sara Dronkers: … before my time, so that's really ancient history, you know.

Scott Hammond: Tell us about Curry and Wild… 'Cause I know when I called, there's a Wild Rivers blah, blah, blah something.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Tell us about that division of the company.

Sara Dronkers: Sure. So we have several what we call affiliates.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: They're basically different arms of the organization. So they're still part of the foundation, but, um, they're really rooted in certain places or causes.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And so Wild Rivers Community Foundation was started alongside the residents of Del Norte and Curry County.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And, um, so created that-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … as a means to cultivate philanthropy in the region.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Have folks who are closest to the community on the advisory committee that makes decisions about how money is spent and-

Scott Hammond: That's cool

Sara Dronkers: … how donors might wanna give. Um, so that's the Wild Rivers Community Foundation, but we also have a Trinity Trust arm.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um, we have a couple other affiliates that are less location-based.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, but the Native Cultures Fund-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … actually serves most of California-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … um, for Native culture bearers and revitalization of cul- culture and arts.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Sara Dronkers: Um, we have a Klamath River Fund, so that was started a few years ago-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … after the unprecedented dam removal.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And the amazing work that's happening there to restore that watershed. Um-

Scott Hammond: I wanna do my joke. Damn. That's great.

Sara Dronkers: That's a dad joke.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, that is… I- You haven't even got… Oh, get me started on the dad jokes.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, boy.

Scott Hammond: Da- Or should, I should've said dang.

Scott Hammond: Darn.

Sara Dronkers: Darn.

Scott Hammond: So the, the, there's a lot of arms then.

Sara Dronkers: A lot of arms, yeah. That's not even all of them.

Scott Hammond: Do they all have separate boards of, of, of, of people that have juris-

Sara Dronkers: We have one board

Scott Hammond: … uh, say so?

Sara Dronkers: So we have a-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … volunteer board of directors for the foundation.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, but we have lots of committees-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Sara Dronkers: … that engage, you know, various community members-

Scott Hammond: Of advisory roles

Sara Dronkers: … and, uh, advise on-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … the direction of funds-

Scott Hammond: Cool

Sara Dronkers: … and grants to the community and, and things like that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And I don't wanna cut you off. Do you, is there more, uh, arms that you wanna mention?

Sara Dronkers: There's, there's so many arms. We're like an octopus.

Scott Hammond: Okay. You wanna go 900? Uh, we, I think we have time.

Sara Dronkers: Okay, yeah, 900. Here we go. Buckle up. No.

Scott Hammond: Number, number one.

Sara Dronkers: No, there's just a couple more. There's the Humboldt Health Foundation.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: So that's what it sounds like, focused on health in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um, and then there's the Redwood Climate and Community Resilience Hub. So-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … doing climate change and climate resilience work.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Cool.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I think I've heard of the former one with the, um… I was on the Humboldt, uh, I'm sorry, St. Joe's Providence-

Sara Dronkers: Oh, yeah

Scott Hammond: … Foundation Board.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I think they had something to do with all y'all.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, yeah, for sure.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And I used to sit on their community benefit committee-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … which was great.

Scott Hammond: You know Michael, Michael Kelemen?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: What a great guy.

Sara Dronkers: Great guy.

Scott Hammond: Sweet guy.

Sara Dronkers: You had him on, too.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Hi, Mike.

Sara Dronkers: Hi, Mike.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Like, like I know. Hey, Mike.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, we go way back.

Scott Hammond: He was in Rotary a couple weeks ago.

Scott Hammond: He's great.

Sara Dronkers: Nice. Yeah

Scott Hammond: Yeah, Dennis-

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, really great leader.

Scott Hammond: Good leader. I just, yeah, hope to- hope he's here for a long, long time.

Sara Dronkers: Me too.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So what a great mission. You're part of… You're like Willy Wonka giving away chocolate.

Sara Dronkers: Well, and so now you-

Scott Hammond: And money

Sara Dronkers: … can see why I've stayed for 24 years.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: How could I find anything better?

Scott Hammond: I, I don't know.

Sara Dronkers: It's just, it's the best.

Scott Hammond: It's a pretty cool gig.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, and your campus is so cool. I've been to a few-

Sara Dronkers: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … meetings there, and-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I went and met your old director. Um, I should say old-

Sara Dronkers: Which one?

Scott Hammond: … former.

Sara Dronkers: Yes, previous.

Scott Hammond: He's probably pretty old now. What's his name? He was there a long time.

Sara Dronkers: Peter Pennekamp.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, Peter was close.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, he was almost 20 years or maybe was past 20 years. I don't know. Around 20 years, he was the-

Scott Hammond: I'm dating myself. I just-

Sara Dronkers: … executive director

Scott Hammond: … I popped in one day, and he saw me, and I asked him about cannabis givers.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: And he goes, "Not so much."

Sara Dronkers: Mm-mm.

Scott Hammond: I go, "I, I would've thought weed guys would be really generous."

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: When things are good, you'd, you'd kick down, and it's like…

Sara Dronkers: Not a thing. It was not an experience we had.

Scott Hammond: Isn't that funny?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. You know, it's, it's… The perception of you go, "Well, yeah, probably." And you go-

Sara Dronkers: Right

Scott Hammond: … "Nope, super- super tight wad."

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Weird.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, I know.

Scott Hammond: I know.

Sara Dronkers: What are you gonna do?

Scott Hammond: All right, come on, weed guys. Let's go. What's, what's going on?

Sara Dronkers: We're, we missed that boat.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. That boat-

Sara Dronkers: That's really changed.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That, uh, that train has sailed.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: The train has sailed.

Scott Hammond: That train has sailed.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Another dad joke.

Scott Hammond: Sorry.

Sara Dronkers: Well, part of what is really cool about our work is that there's no minimum amount to give. We have people who give $5 a month to the Betty Chinn Fund.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Or, you know, whatever they care about.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So part of what's amazing is we provide this platform- … so that, you know, donors of all sizes can come in the door and make a difference.

Scott Hammond: So designated giving.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: And those are all on the website?

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. All on the website.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, we put out this yearbook every year.

Scott Hammond: Oh, sure. Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: It's our donor yearbook.

Scott Hammond: Hold it up. Oh, I know that bridge.

Sara Dronkers: I can leave this for you.

Scott Hammond: Oh, I'd like that.

Sara Dronkers: I know you wanna read it.

Scott Hammond: Absolutely.

Sara Dronkers: Um, so the beginning is sort of what we've been up to this year and our financials. But then what's really cool is it launches into all of those funds.

Scott Hammond: Beautiful.

Sara Dronkers: And everyone got to write their own description.

Scott Hammond: I see the Betty Chinn Fund.

Sara Dronkers: See? There you go.

Scott Hammond: Also a guest.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Yes.

Sara Dronkers: Ugh.

Scott Hammond: Amazing.

Sara Dronkers: A- amazing. But these stories, they kill me. They're so amazing. Like, you know, you do this podcast because this is an amazing area with amazing people. You will h- have that experience reading this.

Scott Hammond: See? Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Like, there's a fund who was started by a man who was, you know, born so prematurely that they put him in a shoebox next to the wood stove.

Scott Hammond: Whoa.

Sara Dronkers: I mean, just that kinda thing-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … that, you know, the picture is painted, and you just-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … can picture all, all of these old times here and new times.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And, and all of those still giving back to community here.

Scott Hammond: I love it.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. I like, I like that idea that we are iconic and unique-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and, um, I guess you used the word weird. That's f- that'll do. And there's that ethos of wanting to, um, be generous of spirit.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And-

Sara Dronkers: And take care of our own.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. I think that's one of the lessons to me that has come out of recent years, where it feels like things have turned upside down-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and the world feels outta control.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And, you know, when you focus locally on things that you can see, feel, touch-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … that's what really makes a difference. So you can h- you know, read the headlines about what's happening in the-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … nation and the world.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: But you can also just go out and see what's amazing in your neighborhood.

Scott Hammond: Amen.

Sara Dronkers: And, you know-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … that's, that's what really can lift the spirits.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Joni and I talk about staying in your lane.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: And above my pay grade.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And the, that weird desire we all have to evaluate and judge-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … and condemn and have contempt for. And you go, "And it's poisoned my soul."

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: There's nothing good for me-

Sara Dronkers: Right

Scott Hammond: … to judge. I don't know that guy's story.

Sara Dronkers: No.

Scott Hammond: Or that gal or that weirdo on hate-

Sara Dronkers: Right. You're hurting yourself

Scott Hammond: … that hateful weirdo on TV. What's wrong with those guys? And yeah, and to refrain from that, that-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … um, uh, gross habit.

Sara Dronkers: Totally. And, you know, when you do act and, you know, just do everything locally-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … not everything, but as much as, you know, you can engage locally, you start to realize that people you really disagree with on things-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … you can always find common ground.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And that's where you can make progress.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Because all of the, the fighting that we do, and the we're right, no, we're right.

Scott Hammond: It's weird.

Sara Dronkers: You know, where's it getting us?

Scott Hammond: It's ne- it'll never get us. It'll be the Hatfields-

Sara Dronkers: Exactly

Scott Hammond: … and the McCoys-

Sara Dronkers: Right

Scott Hammond: … forever.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And it'll… In perpetuity. Works there too.

Sara Dronkers: In perpetuity.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: The wrong kind.

Scott Hammond: No, I just had lunch with somebody from St. Joe's, and she was saying, you know, um, same idea. It's like we want 90% of the same stuff.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So ideologically, how do we get there is probably the, the, the discussion.

Sara Dronkers: It's the how.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And the 10%, who cares? I-

Sara Dronkers: Right.

Scott Hammond: Go, go live your life, dude. I don't-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … you're… Go be weird and-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … wherever that is, you're weird.

Sara Dronkers: Totally.

Scott Hammond: We're weird in McKinleyville. Leave me alone. And so yeah, it- it's funny how we, um, and we c- get that appetite to, to consume news and-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … third party and that voyeurism of I gotta… Oh, what's going on in Washington or Iraq? And it's like-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I don't actually know. I, I have an idea.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: But do I have to be up to date?

Sara Dronkers: Right. We feel this-

Scott Hammond: That's not even me

Sara Dronkers: … responsibility, but so much-

Scott Hammond: What am I gonna do?

Sara Dronkers: … of the time there's nothing that we can do about it.

Scott Hammond: I tell you right now, I'm gonna post on Facebook- … and show those guys. How dare you?

Sara Dronkers: How right you are.

Scott Hammond: Yes, I am super-

Sara Dronkers: You know everything. Why don't they just listen?

Scott Hammond: And you know how they're so convinced when I post up on Facebook, and like I'm posting on Facebook now, I'm not really.

Sara Dronkers: I was gonna say, wow, I'm impressed-

Scott Hammond: Trying to find-

Sara Dronkers: … with your multitasking

Scott Hammond: … I'm trying to find my clock. It's gone. Where did it go? Where'd it go?

Sara Dronkers: It's 4:37.

Scott Hammond: Anyway, thank you.

Scott Hammond: Um, so yeah, I'm, uh, I'm convinced that new- after COVID, af- uh, we've cut off news.

Scott Hammond: Just-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … I know that Dolly died.

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: It doesn't take very long for that to get out.

Sara Dronkers: Right. I, I used to say I want news that would come to me by Pony Express in the olden days.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: I don't need every piece of news in the whole world.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: That's too much. But Dolly, you're gonna hear about it.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: You're gonna hear about it in the grocery store. You're gonna hear about it, you know, when you meet your friend for lunch.

Scott Hammond: What a sweetheart. She, um-

Sara Dronkers: Ugh

Scott Hammond: … we saw, um, a week ago last night, we saw, um, Alison Krauss up in Oregon.

Sara Dronkers: Wow, what a treat.

Scott Hammond: And she's beautiful. She's such a… She sings like an angel.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And she did a really sweetheart Dolly Parton little tribute.

Sara Dronkers: Aw.

Scott Hammond: A couple songs, and her band, most of those guys, they're all Nashville dudes.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: They all hang out. You know, they all know each other.

Sara Dronkers: They all know the same people or in the same crowd.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Some, some guys played with her and knew her, and she was a mentor, so yeah, good stuff, so.

Sara Dronkers: Amazing.

Scott Hammond: We'll talk about vinyl in a minute.

Sara Dronkers: We actually have a picture of a cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton in our yearbook this year.

Scott Hammond: Oh, let's see it.

Sara Dronkers: Because of, uh-

Scott Hammond: Oh, you wish-

Sara Dronkers: You know, her, her program where she gives books-

Scott Hammond: Oh, right

Sara Dronkers: … to kids.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: And so, um-

Scott Hammond: What's it called? Imagine, uh, I don't know

Sara Dronkers: … Imagine Library, I think.

Scott Hammond: There she is.

Sara Dronkers: So there she is in our yearbook.

Scott Hammond: How about that?

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Her effigy.

Sara Dronkers: So her Imagination Library program.

Scott Hammond: Was there something to do with Bridgeville in that specifically?

Sara Dronkers: There… That's so… You have a very good memory.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Thank you.

Sara Dronkers: Yes.

Scott Hammond: What, what was your name?

Sara Dronkers: Bridgeville Community Center.

Scott Hammond: What was your name again?

Sara Dronkers: Is, is running the library.

Scott Hammond: Where-

Sara Dronkers: I don't know. Who am I? Where am I?

Scott Hammond: Nick Where, Where am I, Nick?

Sara Dronkers: What am I doing?

Scott Hammond: Another dad joke. Sorry. Got me going. Well, hey, let's do the quiz. You ready to-

Sara Dronkers: Uh-oh

Scott Hammond: … like earn some, some Dutch-

Sara Dronkers: Okay

Scott Hammond: … Bros?

Sara Dronkers: Dutch Bros.

Scott Hammond: Bros.

Sara Dronkers: Bros.

Scott Hammond: How many kids do you guys have?

Sara Dronkers: Two.

Scott Hammond: How old are they?

Sara Dronkers: One is 19.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, just about to start second year of college.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And the other is 15, uh, in high school.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Getting toward that empty nest then.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Going fresh.

Scott Hammond: Where does the older one go to college?

Sara Dronkers: UC Davis.

Scott Hammond: Good school.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, good school.

Scott Hammond: My son got a master's, a, a doctorate there.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, nice.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: He's in Seoul, South Korea with his Korean wife that works at Samsung.

Sara Dronkers: Wow.

Scott Hammond: And Jesse's at home being Mr.

Scott Hammond: Mom.

Sara Dronkers: I love it.

Scott Hammond: Learning Korean, which is no easy task.

Sara Dronkers: No.

Scott Hammond: He's, he's really like, it's phenomenal.

Sara Dronkers: Just the reading of those characters.

Scott Hammond: It's crazy.

Sara Dronkers: So complicated.

Scott Hammond: Crazy language.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: But he's a good man and a good, good daddy and husband, so.

Sara Dronkers: Aw, that's so sweet.

Scott Hammond: I know. He's a good guy.

Sara Dronkers: You must not see him enough then.

Sara Dronkers: He's so far.

Scott Hammond: Just came through town this-

Sara Dronkers: Oh, good

Scott Hammond: … a couple weeks ago. They were, he and his daughter-

Sara Dronkers: Nice

Scott Hammond: … were on a little tour and came back and had to take Sophie to, uh, Los Bagels, of course.

Sara Dronkers: Of course.

Scott Hammond: And the obligatory Porter Street Barbecue.

Scott Hammond: Just saying.

Sara Dronkers: Top of the list.

Scott Hammond: I know. It's just like went to Dick Taylor, of course, but.

Sara Dronkers: Of course.

Scott Hammond: Anyway, hey, quiz time.

Sara Dronkers: Okay.

Scott Hammond: I really want you to win this.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, man. My kids do too.

Scott Hammond: No dope?

Sara Dronkers: My kids are gonna want that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, it's gonna get, like, them a hot cocoa or something. I don't know. So, uh, okay, question number one.

Sara Dronkers: Okay.

Scott Hammond: What's the best day of your life, Sara?

Sara Dronkers: Oh, boy.

Sara Dronkers: Well, that's so hard when you have two kids because I want to say the days that they were born. I just, I can't decide between the two. That, that would be unfair and wrong, so I'm going with I have two favorite days, the days my kids were born.

Scott Hammond: Those are good answers. Not your marriage day. Did you hear that, Mike?

Sara Dronkers: That's, that's next. That's runner-up.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's… Okay, that's runner-up.

Sara Dronkers: We had an amazing wedding. It was so fun. You can imagine with Huckleberry Flint as our wedding band.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, remind me of that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So how'd you pull that gig off?

Sara Dronkers: They were just… I, I don't think they even had the name Huckleberry Flint yet.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow, so-

Sara Dronkers: They just were so brand new.

Scott Hammond: Was it, did they have the fiddle player-

Sara Dronkers: Uh-huh

Scott Hammond: … the sister-in-law and-

Sara Dronkers: Yes, they did, Mary Beth.

Scott Hammond: Wow, Mary Beth.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: She's-

Sara Dronkers: It was-

Scott Hammond: Finally got to see her.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, it was wonderful. Yeah, they moved, but.

Scott Hammond: They're gone.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, loved when they were here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, we're gonna go see them at Fieldbrook Winery here in a couple weeks.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, nice.

Scott Hammond: Kind of excited to see those guys.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. So fun.

Scott Hammond: It's kind of like seeing Led Zeppelin every time. It's just a good show. Well, I take that back. Led Zeppelin, they used to phone it in, but-

Sara Dronkers: They might

Scott Hammond: … maybe Jethro Tull.

Sara Dronkers: What? These are weird comparisons.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Sara Dronkers: How about Alison Krauss?

Scott Hammond: How about Alison Krauss? Okay.

Sara Dronkers: That's more in the-

Scott Hammond: Little closer

Sara Dronkers: … in the spirit

Scott Hammond: … genre. Sorry, it kinda-

Sara Dronkers: Oh.

Scott Hammond: You know, we, we missed them forever, and everybody go, "Oh, we gotta see these guys."

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And we'd never get tickets.

Sara Dronkers: Well, and they don't play very often, so you really have to be on it.

Scott Hammond: Tickets come out, you better get some.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And, uh, now we don't. We're trying not to miss them and big fans.

Sara Dronkers: So fun.

Scott Hammond: I think Joni's their number one customer down at the shop.

Sara Dronkers: At the chocolate factory?

Scott Hammond: They know, they know her drink and everything.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Here comes Joni, she's got money.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, that bakery case.

Scott Hammond: Oh my gosh.

Sara Dronkers: The dipped dried fruit in chocolate. I mean, come on.

Scott Hammond: I know.

Sara Dronkers: S'mores mocha.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah, or just a simple bar.

Sara Dronkers: Just a simple bar.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: So good.

Scott Hammond: Starting to think about chocolate. Okay, hey, question number two, and there's only 17 questions.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, great. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What was your worst day?

Sara Dronkers: Oh my gosh. That is a hard question.

Scott Hammond: You're so positive, so you, it'd be tough to pull a-

Sara Dronkers: Why are all my things about my kids? I feel like it's times they were scary sick.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: You know?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: 'Cause that just is scary. My youngest got RSV, a respiratory-

Scott Hammond: Ooh

Sara Dronkers: … virus when only six weeks, and we ended up being admitted to the hospital, and-

Scott Hammond: Scary

Sara Dronkers: … it was scary. It was really scary in that sort of existential way that you Don't often have to feel.

Scott Hammond: Right

Sara Dronkers: And it is just profound. And then a different time, my, my daughter, we were camping, and she started having breathing problems.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Sara Dronkers: And it was like, well, what do you do? You're out in the middle of nowhere. So what we did was we drove in the middle of the night to the hospital.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And what's funny is she was, I think, four years old, and she rewrote the memory to, uh, remember that when we did that middle of the night trip-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … we were in a covered wagon with horses.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yes. So say we all.

Sara Dronkers: As we all are.

Scott Hammond: As one does camping. Hitch 'em up, Jodi. We're going camping.

Sara Dronkers: I just love that the way kids, like, you know, they twist their memories and-

Scott Hammond: We're going all the way out to Fieldbrook tonight

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: That's funny.

Sara Dronkers: Get the ponies ready.

Scott Hammond: That's a good one.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: The re- the memory rewrite.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I love it.

Sara Dronkers: So silly.

Scott Hammond: We get those now, it's like, "You were horrible parents. You sucked," and ya, ya, ya.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, man.

Scott Hammond: It's like, wait, what family were you raised in? 'Cause I don't even know you, dude.

Sara Dronkers: And are you alive?

Scott Hammond: Yeah. What's happened to your brain?

Sara Dronkers: I kept you alive.

Scott Hammond: Is it hormones? Are you on drugs, bro? It's like you got more attention than all other eight, and, um-

Sara Dronkers: And I bet you say that to all nine of them.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Probably f- maybe I do. And it's okay. It's, I think it's that cathartic moment where as a parent you go, "Yeah, I'm a human being, and I s- I did suck sometimes."

Sara Dronkers: Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: But 98% of the time, Mom and I were like, pfft, gold, platinum, standard parents.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: You know, did you ever have beer cans thrown at you or a needle?

Sara Dronkers: Right.

Scott Hammond: Only once. No, just, just kidding. Not a funny dad joke. Okay, number three. What do you find, uh, fulfilling in your life?

Sara Dronkers: Wow. Well, I've talked a lot about work.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: But obviously I find that fulfilling. That's why I've been doing it for so long.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Sara Dronkers: Um, it's amazing. I get to see the best parts of this community.

Scott Hammond: Are you kind of a workaholic sometimes?

Sara Dronkers: I don't think so.

Scott Hammond: Good.

Sara Dronkers: I, I mean, I-

Scott Hammond: Good for you

Sara Dronkers: … I get things done, but I, I don't think I'm a workaholic. And I've talked about my family.

Sara Dronkers: I love spending time with family. Um, what was the question again?

Scott Hammond: What do you find fulfilling?

Sara Dronkers: Oh, fulfilling. Um, but I also, I really like to do things with my hands.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: So I knit, and I do other fiber-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … crafts and arts like that. Um, I think it's maybe part of our digital age that it's like I work all day-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and that looks like talking in meetings or writing-

Scott Hammond: Right

Sara Dronkers: … emails. And at the end of the day, you're like, "What did I do?" But when you knit or do something with your hands-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … you can turn something from string-

Scott Hammond: I like it

Sara Dronkers: … to, you know, a piece of cloth and it's cool.

Scott Hammond: I wonder if spinning vinyl is part of that.

Sara Dronkers: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: 'Cause every-

Sara Dronkers: It's physical

Scott Hammond: … 12 minutes, you're over there flipping a record.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Plus the sound.

Sara Dronkers: Of course.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Have we talked about vinyl records yet on this show?

Sara Dronkers: I get the feeling you're kind of into it.

Scott Hammond: A l- you know, it's-

Sara Dronkers: Just a little

Scott Hammond: … it's funny. It- it's, um, Don Chin, and hi, Don.

Sara Dronkers: Hi, Don.

Scott Hammond: He, he calls it black… He, he, he didn't name it. He calls it, he's my dealer for black crack.

Sara Dronkers: Once you start, you can't stop.

Scott Hammond: My favorite store, though, is People's Records in Arcata.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: Steve.

Sara Dronkers: So good.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Steve. You're amazing.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Uh, what a nice man, and just, uh, it is fun to go to Grants Pass and check out-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … the vinyl store.

Scott Hammond: Met-

Sara Dronkers: Well, and thrift stores.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I, I-

Sara Dronkers: So many gems.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, you can.

Sara Dronkers: You don't wanna rummage through.

Scott Hammond: I haven't. Uh, I, I actually did Eureka Thrift Store once, the-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … Rescue Mission, and it's like… But a curated vinyl store-

Sara Dronkers: Mm. Nothing like it

Scott Hammond: … dedicated like the one in Ashland.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: John has been there for 35, 40 years.

Sara Dronkers: Knows his stuff.

Scott Hammond: Killer stuff.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I mean, and I realize that when I put on, um, Al Di Meola, who's a jazz-

Sara Dronkers: Hmm

Scott Hammond: … guy, this morning, I don't like Al Di Meola anymore. I don't like Foghat. My, so my whole-

Sara Dronkers: Your taste has changed

Scott Hammond: … it's shifted.

Sara Dronkers: Interesting.

Scott Hammond: And what if that's true with your palate, too, for wine or chocolate or food?

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: You know?

Sara Dronkers: We could ask-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … the Dick Taylor people.

Scott Hammond: They, yeah, they would know that.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Hey. Maybe later. Okay, question number four. Back on, what's crushing for you?

Scott Hammond: What's, what sucks it out of your soul?

Sara Dronkers: Hmm. Oh, boy. That's hard. I guess I would say not being able to do all the amazing things I wanna do in a day.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Sara Dronkers: You know?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Talk to all the people I wanna talk to-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … especially since moving into this role, like, my time is really stretched.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: And I don't always get to sit down with folks that I wanna sit down with.

Scott Hammond: You're really hard to come by. You really took some months to get here.

Sara Dronkers: I hope that's not true.

Scott Hammond: Just kidding. It's not true. You know, I had to go through a lot of people to get, finally get you here, Sara.

Sara Dronkers: Yes, talk to my people.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Pretty busy executive. I understand.

Sara Dronkers: But I, I do travel more. You know, one of the things that we really try to do is go to national philanthropy, you know, conferences-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and lift up this region.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And the amazing things that happen here in a rural community with robust tribal communities.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: We're not like other places.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: And so if we can attract more philanthropic dollars to this region-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … we're all about it, whether it comes to us or-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … anyone else. So that's part of, you know, how we spend our time too, is-

Scott Hammond: So you're a model for the other guys and gals and programs.

Sara Dronkers: We certainly can be.

Scott Hammond: I think you probably are, definitely are.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I would guess.

Sara Dronkers: Certainly in things like the Klamath River Fund and-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Sara Dronkers: … yeah.

Scott Hammond: And you're going abroad to find o- other ideas through that networking thing.

Sara Dronkers: Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: I love it.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Making connections, and it's always good to have people you can call and say, "Hey-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … have you ever dealt with this?" Or-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … you know, "How are you responding to that?"

Scott Hammond: We do that too through State Farm when we have convention or we meet-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … other agents and go, "Hey, what's working?

Scott Hammond: What's not?"

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's cool. And that camaraderie always is, is great.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So hey, uh, the $2 existential back-to-back questions that Joni's dad invented.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, okay.

Scott Hammond: Tom Hanson, Torrance, California. See, that gets two dings. Sara, who are you and what do you want?

Sara Dronkers: Isn't that what we just talked about?

Scott Hammond: Well, kinda.

Sara Dronkers: Who am I? Well, I'm-

Scott Hammond: Besides your role

Sara Dronkers: … I'm me.

Scott Hammond: Not so easy now.

Scott Hammond: Not so fast.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, boy. Um, I'm a mom. I'm a daughter. I'm a wife. I'm a friend. I'm a listener.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Try to be kind-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and empathetic.

Scott Hammond: A kinder and an empathe- empathizer

Sara Dronkers: Try to show up, you know?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Have integrity.

Sara Dronkers: Um, have fun, find joy.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Love that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, all those things.

Scott Hammond: I feel that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's good.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. So what I want is for everyone to be able to have that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And you know, for everyone to be able to find joy and thrive-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … in their lives and…

Scott Hammond: Is that part of the weirdo tribe that, that wants that?

Sara Dronkers: I think so.

Scott Hammond: There's a lot of weird people in this county.

Scott Hammond: And I think, I noticed there's a lot of people that, that have, that share that love, that vision.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That ethos.

Sara Dronkers: I think it's one of the remarkable things here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And you know, growing up in Southern California, I don't think I knew what community meant.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: I just, I didn't see that-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … in any way. I went to a huge high school. I lived in a huge city-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … in the midst of more huge cities. Like, it's the kind of place where it feels like you kinda leave your neighbors alone because they're so close, you don't wanna interfere with their privacy.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: Whereas here, you really start to understand what it means to know your neighbors-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … to, you know, be accountable for how you show up in the world-

Scott Hammond: Right

Sara Dronkers: … because, you know, if you're mean to your kid's teacher, you're probably gonna-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … they're gonna be on your board of directors next thing you know. Like, we're all wearing so many hats, we-

Scott Hammond: You're gonna see them at Safeway-

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: … at CNF tomorrow.

Sara Dronkers: Cannot hide.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, so.

Scott Hammond: I love that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's true, yeah. You're gonna… You better mind your Ps and Qs.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: It'd take too many screw-ups in a county like this to go, "Hey, you know, I wouldn't buy a car there-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … just if I were you."

Sara Dronkers: Right.

Scott Hammond: Down, on the down low.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: Or up high.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, no, that's a good word. I, um… Yeah, that, that small town sense.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And I, you know, I s- I was juxtaposing. I was thinking about Redding. Redding's big.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Medford, Rogue Valley, too big.

Sara Dronkers: Too big.

Scott Hammond: You know, it's like, I mean, I would love to live there if that was right, but-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … Chico, I, I don't, probably pretty big.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You know?

Sara Dronkers: Yep.

Scott Hammond: So it's, it's an iconic, interesting-

Sara Dronkers: It really is

Scott Hammond: … size.

Sara Dronkers: It's really special.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. The seven layers of Kevin Bacon and Humboldt. 'Cause you know 100 people-

Sara Dronkers: Yes

Scott Hammond: … that I know, and therefore we know each other-

Sara Dronkers: Exactly

Scott Hammond: … almost.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly. Even though-

Scott Hammond: We're that close

Sara Dronkers: … today we met-

Scott Hammond: Yeah, exactly

Sara Dronkers: … and became best friends for the first time.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Oh, that's right, yeah. That's right, you're my best friend. So you answered those both beautifully.

Sara Dronkers: Thank you.

Scott Hammond: So congratulations- … to you and the kids.

Sara Dronkers: I won hot chocolate.

Scott Hammond: The funny thing is this, I, I don't know how this happened, my business card is in there.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, perfect.

Scott Hammond: Which is really kinda like-

Sara Dronkers: Let's, how old is this photo? Let's see.

Scott Hammond: It's, it's 13 years old. I haven't changed a bit. I'll let you judge.

Scott Hammond: Wait.

Sara Dronkers: I love it.

Scott Hammond: I look the same.

Sara Dronkers: Exact same.

Scott Hammond: I have weirder glasses.

Sara Dronkers: Haven't aged a day.

Scott Hammond: Oh, I know. Yeah. Trust me, when I wake up in the morning-

Sara Dronkers: And your glasses now, they're, like, more hip.

Scott Hammond: Well, it's-

Sara Dronkers: You know?

Scott Hammond: You know, I gotta do what you can.

Sara Dronkers: You gotta stay with the times.

Scott Hammond: When you're 66.6663.

Scott Hammond: Gotta do it.

Sara Dronkers: Which is not every day.

Scott Hammond: Gotta do your thing.

Sara Dronkers: Gotta.

Scott Hammond: So, uh, let's hear what AI has to say about you.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, gosh.

Scott Hammond: So, so congratulations. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Sara Dronkers: Yay, thank you.

Scott Hammond: Let's see the AI, the AI re- I feel like I'm reading the news on SNL or something.

Sara Dronkers: Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do.

Scott Hammond: Do, do, do. Uh, College of the Redwoods. Oh, you're on the board.

Sara Dronkers: Mm.

Scott Hammond: Are you on the board at CR now?

Sara Dronkers: I am on the board at CR.

Scott Hammond: Let's talk about that. Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Ah.

Scott Hammond: There you go.

Sara Dronkers: Well, I mentioned earlier that I went to CR, and I really had a life-changing experience there.

Sara Dronkers: Um, so I was fortunate to be appointed to the board- … mm, a year and a half, maybe a little more than that ago. Um, we're currently in the progress of hiring a new superintendent and president-

Scott Hammond: Yes, you are

Sara Dronkers: … since Dr. Keith Flamer's retiring.

Scott Hammond: So Marty's my next guest.

Sara Dronkers: Oh, wonderful.

Scott Hammond: Do you know Marty?

Sara Dronkers: Yes, of course.

Scott Hammond: Say his last name 'cause I don't wanna butcher it.

Sara Dronkers: Marty…

Scott Hammond: Co-

Sara Dronkers: Wait, can you spell it?

Scott Hammond: C-O-E-L-

Sara Dronkers: Oh, Coelho.

Scott Hammond: Coelho.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Hey, Marty, we know your name now. See you next week, Mart.

Sara Dronkers: If I'm wrong, please correct the record when you come here.

Scott Hammond: No, I think you're right. I think you're right.

Sara Dronkers: No, it's a tricky one. Yeah. Oh, that's great.

Scott Hammond: Did he in- truly invent, um, uh, the cancer relay thing called Relay For Life?

Sara Dronkers: Oh, I don't know. You'll have to get to the bottom of that.

Scott Hammond: I'm going to do some investigations.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Well, you'll have an AI report, I bet.

Scott Hammond: ChatGPT knows all.

Sara Dronkers: Yes. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: We'll find out.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, so College of the Redwoods-

Scott Hammond: Think he was at the roots of that

Sara Dronkers: … it's been great. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Is it called Relay For Life?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: It's a big thing, man.

Sara Dronkers: It is.

Scott Hammond: National now.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Well, for decades.

Sara Dronkers: And raises a lot of money, and it's a great cause.

Scott Hammond: He's been a big part of the univer- well, the, the college.

Sara Dronkers: Yes. Yeah. And they just had their big sports auction and dinner, so you're catching him at the right time-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … when it's past that.

Scott Hammond: I got invited and could not go.

Sara Dronkers: Darn it.

Scott Hammond: 'Cause the son was here from Korea.

Scott Hammond: Sorry.

Sara Dronkers: Oh.

Scott Hammond: I mean-

Sara Dronkers: Priorities

Scott Hammond: … can't be two places at once.

Scott Hammond: Sorry, bro.

Sara Dronkers: That's right. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, it's been an interesting time to be engaged with higher education. There's many federal attacks and, uh-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … changes afoot, but You know, part of what's cool about College of the Redwoods is it's its own district.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So decisions are made locally entirely. There's not… You know, there is a chancellor's office, but it's more of a network.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: It's not like they make decisions that come down.

Scott Hammond: And Keith was a great guest and a good president.

Sara Dronkers: He's so wonderful. He's gonna be sorely missed.

Scott Hammond: He's gonna, you're gonna help him stay around somehow. He'll be a consultant in something.

Sara Dronkers: I hope so.

Scott Hammond: He's a sweetheart.

Sara Dronkers: I really… He's a sweetheart. He's so smart. He's just a great leader.

Scott Hammond: Nice man. Hi, Keith.

Sara Dronkers: Hi, Keith.

Scott Hammond: Saying hi to every- Hi, folks.

Sara Dronkers: That'll just be the whole show.

Scott Hammond: Hi, friends.

Sara Dronkers: Just edit it down.

Scott Hammond: Hi, friends.

Sara Dronkers: Hi. Hi.

Scott Hammond: How, how you doing? I love it. No. So what's your role on the board then? Do you just advise?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah, I'm on the, the Board of Trustees they call it. Um, theirs is regional.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: So I represent the Arcata-Bayside region.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um, and so they have folks from Hoopa up to Del Norte.

Scott Hammond: Is it appointed, elected?

Sara Dronkers: Uh, it's an elected position that I was appointed to-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Sara Dronkers: … when the elected had to step away-

Scott Hammond: Who was that?

Sara Dronkers: … midterm. Um, Rebecca something. She became an employee.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: So she stayed very close to College of the Redwoods.

Scott Hammond: Oh, cool. Oh, that's neat.

Sara Dronkers: Robertson.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Sara Dronkers: I believe.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Rebecca.

Sara Dronkers: Um, so but it is an elected position and-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Sara Dronkers: … and folks run for office-

Scott Hammond: Nice

Sara Dronkers: … for their seats.

Scott Hammond: Good for you. So you're serving-

Sara Dronkers: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … outside in, in the community.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, that's cool.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I like it.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Nice. I, I'm, I'm big on that. Um, so let me, let me read the quote.

Sara Dronkers: Okay.

Scott Hammond: And I quote. Um, before I do though, real quick, uh, this came up-

Sara Dronkers: Hmm

Scott Hammond: … um, that during the wildfire season of 2023, you guys were instrumental in doing-

Sara Dronkers: Response

Scott Hammond: … helping.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And how, how so?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. So we set up a disaster response and resilience fund.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um, and this really came out of our COVID response fund.

Scott Hammond: Yes.

Sara Dronkers: So when COVID happened, you know, all of our worlds turned upside down.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: And the needs of the community changed in an instant.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: And so part of what we did was change the way we did our work-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … in an instant too. Um, so we got in touch with community groups. We started getting grants out the door as fast as we could.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Sara Dronkers: Um, you know, things like Meals on Wheels.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: That went up. Kids needing laptops to do school remotely. I mean-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … healthcare obviously-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … a huge impact. Um, so we were able to leverage some outside funding into the area through this-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … COVID fund and get it out in grants to these community groups.

Sara Dronkers: So-

Scott Hammond: Super

Sara Dronkers: … from there, you know, that was a wild year, 2020. We had wildfires then.

Scott Hammond: Crazy.

Sara Dronkers: Uh, so we set up a disaster response fund and, um, with that, you know, we've responded to fires-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … earthquakes, floods, um. And we're not first responders.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Sara Dronkers: W- we're not even second responders really.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: We're here to support. And so whether that looks like funding-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … or driving propane out somewhere or helping to buy air filtration systems-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Sara Dronkers: … um, for those affected by smoke. Uh, coordinating with our COAD, which is Communities Operating in Times of Disaster or something like that.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Um, so really just being part of the network.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Sara Dronkers: And it really takes a network to respond to these crises.

Scott Hammond: Sure. I love that.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's pretty local.

Sara Dronkers: As local as you can get.

Scott Hammond: That'll work. So let me, let me give you the, uh, the quote, and I quote from ChatGPT. Uh, "That may ultimately be the most distinctive feature of her story." That's yours. "Sara Dronkers didn't arrive at the top of Humboldt philanthropy. She grew up professionally inside it, it."

Sara Dronkers: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: I like that.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: I like that a lot.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, yeah. It really-

Sara Dronkers: Yep

Scott Hammond: … uh-

Sara Dronkers: That implies I'm a grown-up.

Scott Hammond: That, yeah. No, that implies you're organic and-

Sara Dronkers: I grew up.

Scott Hammond: … 100% Humboldt and you grew, you grew up inside the… Well, you cut your teeth in it and you paid your dues and-

Sara Dronkers: That's right. I've worked-

Scott Hammond: Earned your chops and-

Sara Dronkers: … in every department, every level of the hierarchy.

Scott Hammond: You went to Costco and got toilet paper and did all the things.

Sara Dronkers: All the things. Yep.

Scott Hammond: I love that.

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: So tell me about your, uh, what would you like to talk to if– for your legacy, what, what's gonna-

Sara Dronkers: Hmm

Scott Hammond: … what's it gonna say on your tombstone?

Sara Dronkers: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: What are we gonna say at your celebration of life? What would you think maybe people would say, or you would like them to say-

Sara Dronkers: Hmm

Scott Hammond: … about your, your legacy?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. I would hope people would remember me as someone who's kind and present-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Sara Dronkers: … um, that just really is a listening ear and helps people figure out things they're trying to figure out in their lives.

Scott Hammond: Love it.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's good.

Sara Dronkers: I'm not a big legacy person.

Scott Hammond: No, it's kind of overused a little bit.

Sara Dronkers: Maybe. I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. I think legacy implies you're gonna, like, do better than your mom and dad or-

Sara Dronkers: Right, or that you care about your name living on into forever or like-

Scott Hammond: Perpetuity. Yeah

Sara Dronkers: … in 100 years, I don't think people are gonna be talking about me.

Scott Hammond: No.

Sara Dronkers: And that's fine.

Scott Hammond: That's okay.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: That's great.

Scott Hammond: We'll be the– Yeah. We'll be elsewhere.

Sara Dronkers: Exactly.

Scott Hammond: It won't matter.

Sara Dronkers: It won't matter.

Scott Hammond: My dad used to say, "40 years from now, it won't make a bit of difference."

Sara Dronkers: So true.

Scott Hammond: And then Tom, the one from Torrance, he drove up. He's, he was late for picking us up at the airport. I go, "You know, 40 years from now, it won't make a bit of difference." He goes, "Scott, 40 minutes from now, I'll, I'll forgotten about it." I go, "Yeah-

Sara Dronkers: Even better

Scott Hammond: … yes, you would." "I wanted you to remember that for a while."

Sara Dronkers: I won't. I'll still be mad, but he'll forget.

Scott Hammond: So how do we reach out again one more time?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Website, phone number?

Sara Dronkers: Yep. Website is hafoundation.org.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Sara Dronkers: Phone number 707-442-2993. We've got a great staff. Um, you know, we have all kinds of complex questions come in-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Sara Dronkers: … and route them to the right person that can help.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Sara Dronkers: And-

Scott Hammond: Can people drop in in Bayside and just say hi?

Sara Dronkers: Yeah. Yep.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Sara Dronkers: Totally. Monday through Thursday, we're open-

Scott Hammond: Indianola Road

Sara Dronkers: … 8:30 to 5:00. Indianola Road.

Scott Hammond: So cool.

Sara Dronkers: New, new overpass.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's right. Oh, the cool overpass.

Sara Dronkers: Safety first.

Scott Hammond: Oh, it's got a, a hill and everything.

Sara Dronkers: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So if you're just joining us, you're way too late.

Sara Dronkers: Rewind it to the beginning.

Scott Hammond: For Sara Dronkers, my new best friend, thank you for being here.

Sara Dronkers: Thank you.

Scott Hammond: Really, really appreciate you doing that.

Sara Dronkers: Same.

Scott Hammond: Being here. Yeah.

Sara Dronkers: Thanks so much for having me.

Scott Hammond: Super cool. And, um, if you wanna reach out to us, we're easy to find on YouTube, all the podcast platforms. Um, Access Humboldt, we love those guys.

Sara Dronkers: Love those guys.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Christina and all the-

Sara Dronkers: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … crew there. And, uh, we're easy to find. Leave a comment, like us, love us. Send us some of that gold bullion. We could, uh, there's– We'll figure it out.

Scott Hammond: And, uh-

Sara Dronkers: We'll put it to good use

Scott Hammond: … and thanks for joining us.

Sara Dronkers: Thank you so much.

Scott Hammond: All right.

Sara Dronkers: This has been a joy.

Scott Hammond: Have a great day.

Sara Dronkers: You too.