Meet Kara and Tom
How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
We have lived in the Bay Area (Concord, Crockett, and Clayton) since 1978.
How did you learn about Save Mount Diablo?
We learned of Save Mount Diablo through volunteers at Save Mount Diablo and similar outdoor organizations including East Bay Regional Park District and Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.
When did you start volunteering with us, and why did you get involved?
We started with Save Mount Diablo in 2023 as stewards for Lot 25. We got involved because we’re devoted to outdoors experiences near Clayton and everywhere we go.
Which Save Mount Diablo programs are you involved in?
We are involved with Save Mount Diablo’s land stewardship program.
What do you enjoy about the volunteer work you do?
The thing we enjoy most about volunteer work is being around like-minded outdoors people: cattle ranchers to corporate executives, dog walkers to mountain climbers. Everyone who needs to get dirt under their feet.
What is the most challenging project you’ve worked on as a Save Mount Diablo volunteer?
Our most challenging project with Save Mount Diablo has been chipping up fallen limbs from a large oak tree at Curry Canyon Ranch.
Is there a memorable experience you’ve had as a Save Mount Diablo volunteer?
A memorable experience was Save Mount Diablo’s 50th anniversary celebration and outdoor fair at Cal State East Bay Concord Campus. The tarantula crawled up Tom’s arm like a curious furry pet!
How do you spend your time beyond your volunteer work with us?
Beyond volunteer work we enjoy many outdoor activities like hiking the Bay Area from Point Reyes to the Pinnacles and everywhere in between. Last summer we celebrated 50 years backpacking in the Sierras.
We bike Lake Tahoe and hike nearby Desolation Wilderness at least twice a year. This is our Disneyland!
We will soon complete 6,000 miles hiking and walking the Bay Area since the COVID 19 shutdown. Why not? There is no other place like where we live.
This March our informal hiking group heads to Joshua Tree National Park and Anza Borrego desert country in southern California. Hopefully we’ll hit the annual superbloom.
If anyone is wondering, we can do all this because we’re motivated, reasonably strong, and fully retired.
We share our mantra: “LIGO.” Life Is Good—Outdoors!
