Sharing Cloverdale’s community spirit
When we speak to our Cloverdale neighbors, whether old-timers or newcomers, they always express appreciation for the spirit of community that is part of our lives here. Teacher Angelica Rege and City Parks Superintendent Héctor Galván embody this friendliness and connection.
Angelica Rege, who teaches agriculture and culinary classes at Cloverdale High School, moved here with her now husband four years ago. Angelica teaches about where our food comes from and how its grown. Since most of her students will be going straight into the workforce after high school, many in the food service industry, Angelica feels her job is to prepare them. Her Farm to Table class is a great place for students to learn culinary skills and be more confident in the kitchen. Her goal for this class is to expand into marketing and connecting with our community. "I would love to have a Farm to Table Dinner Night downtown where the students can show off their skills to the public."
"With all my classes comes membership in Future Farmers of America, which allows students to attend leadership conferences and be a part of a community that spans the USA. One student took my class her sophomore year and would never say a peep! Getting to know her and learning about her family background, I knew that FFA would benefit her in many ways. Now, as a senior, she serves as Chapter President. She works for her family’s ranch and plans to attend college. I am beyond proud of what she has accomplished over the past two years and I know that she will be successful in whatever she pursues."
Héctor Galván’s main goal as the City of Cloverdale Parks Superintendent and City Arborist is to develop our parks and open spaces into focal points for the community to gather, and to create places and environments within our community where residents and visitors of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy an array of activities. He brings with him a lifetime of experience in landscape, open space forest management, public utilities and facilities maintenance, as well as many relevant civil licenses and certifications, including a degree in Environmental Horticulture.
Hector and his family have been Sonoma County residents for over 30 years. “Our family first made their way north from San Juan Del Barrio, Michoacan, Mexico in 1954. My grandfather had a dream to seek out opportunity and a brighter future for his family. He traveled to Portland, Ore. where he worked for a logging company. After a couple of years, he desired a more Mediterranean climate with a ‘small town feel’ that reminded him of our village. One of his friends described just such a place about an hour north of San Francisco where there was abundance of work in the nut and fruit tree industry and where everything was within walking distance and people of all backgrounds were welcome. My grandfather made his way to Cloverdale, and then my father with him, and the rest is history.”
Héctor's new job title and level of responsibility afford an opportunity to provide insight in critical parks and community development projects. He tells us, “Parks and open spaces improve our psychological health, strengthen our communities, and make our city a more attractive place to live and work in.” As a new member of the North Sonoma County Healthcare District board, he hopes to contribute his expertise to incorporate new programs for members of our community through outdoor activity.
We wish Angelica, Héctor, and all of our spirited Cloverdale neighbors a very happy holiday season.
