Linda can serve as an example and inspiration for us all. She single-handedly manages to do the work of a whole organization with only the help of a few friends and family.
Her passion for indigenous and impoverished peoples seem to be limitless. Ever searching for ways she can help her community and people across the country she manages to make incredible things happen, and does it with a humility that is amazing.
She is the President of All Nation Circle of Big Bear Valley and she runs Granny's Pantry - a charity that provides holiday meals for families in her surrounding community.
Yet perhaps her greatest passion and service is for the people of the Pineridge Reservation in South Dakota. Originally asked to contribute by a friend to a charity that benefited the reservation she searched her heart and felt that a cash contribution "...simply wasn't going to be enough!"
Ever since and for the last three years Linda has become a one-woman force for Pineridge. She scours every corner of Southern California inspiring people to give clothing and other useful household items to the people of Pineridge. However Linda does not stop there. Utilizing raffles and imploring people for cash contributions she rents a massive truck and fills it to brimming with all she has been able to gather. She then makes the harrowing 2 1/2 day trip to the Pineridge Reservation, usually towing a trailer behind her rental truck to accommodate the overflow of goods and her personal belongings necessary to make the trip.
She does so fearless of any hazards or roadside danger, simply out of an all encompassing love to reach out to a community that needs ALL of our help.
She delivers her load discreetly to people of the community who see to it that her contributions make it in the hands of those who most need them.
This year Linda was blessed to receive a $2500 cash donation from the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. With her successful raffles she has managed to find the funding for her trip this year . She will be leaving for the reservation in November and is still accepting donations. Any money she doesn't use this year will go to her next trip cross country.
She has managed to reserve a truck at a discounted rate from UHAUL of Barstow but it is "Only and 18 footer" - she is really hoping to get a 26 ft truck so she can fit more items and avoid the perils of towing a trailer.
To read the most recent article about Linda in the Big Bear Grizzly newspaper click here!
If you would like to send a cash contribution to Linda directly you can mail it to:
Sunset Lions Club
Attn: Pineridge Project
P.O. Box 6692
Big Bear Lake 92315
To learn more or to donate clothing and other items you can contact Linda direct at 909.585.0542.
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