North Bay Woman

Gawronski's childhood and her older sisters helped as coaches. "I had these good role models to look up to," Krista says. Volunteerism is a legacy Gawronski wants to pass on to her own children: "We can model service and kindness in a way that's relatable to the next generation." Exactly how she would go about doing that was unclear until Gawronski attended the San Francisco Mayor's Summit for Women put on by Willie Brown in 1999. "Oprah was the keynote speaker," Gawronski recalls. "There was a lot of inspiration. Oprah asked, 'What is your gift and how will you use it for some greater good?' Oprah planted the seed and I started soul searching." Opportunity presented itself several years later when another young mother from the family's elementary school suddenly lost her husband. Gawronski gathered neighbors and friends to rally around the woman, inviting everyone to her home for an evening of emotional and financial support. "There were a lot of layers to the evening," recalls Gawronski of the gathering that brought 30 women together to help one of their own. "It was a gift for all of us, as we each realized 'If something happens to me, there's a network that will support me.'" Together, the women raised more than $1,000, money that helped their friend relocate her young family closer to extended family. The satisfaction Gawronski and her group felt afterward was overwhelming, she recalls: "We said, 'Let's keep this going.' " So every few months the group would gather at someone's home for an evening of food, friendship and fund-raising for a local family in need. "It's a simple formula for having fun and giving back," Gawronski says. "It works because of its simplicity. Every person big or small can participate. It assembles itself on easy components, sharing time with people, having stimulating conversa- tions, eating good food, listening to brave stories, exchanging wisdom, creating new friendships and helping someone at a time of great need." The local Petaluma newspaper soon got wind of the group's charitable activities, beginning a story about their latest project with the words "Those fabulous women are at it again." And so the name of the group was born: The Fabulous Women. The organization isn't limited to women, howev- er. Gawronski says that many men have participated, including her father, who passed away earlier this year. Over the last ten years, The Fabulous Women's gatherings have grown from 30 to up to 2,000. Teaming up with local businesses, they've been able to borrow halls, gardens, barns and other large gathering spots. "Now our reputation is large enough that people volunteer spots," Gawronski says. As the group's reputation has grown, so has its reach as more and more Petaluma residents contact Gawronski to nominate families in need. And so the group embraced and supported the families of a teenager paralyzed in a swimming accident and a young boy killed during a friend's birthday outing. Some of the families The Fabulous Women have helped have had a close personal connection. One was a volleyball teammate of Gawronski, Ling Murray, whose young daughter Calli was hit Top: The Fabulous Women board retreat, from left to right; Erin Ascher, Sandra Fetter, Melissa Becker, Krista Gawronski, Valerie Montplaisir, Sharon Medley and Ellen Yant. Photos right top to bottom; Festival of Trees event, from L to R: Sylvia Acevedo, Rene Foppe, Mathew Forsell, Krista Gawronski, Tami Gholson, Sandra Fetter, Melissa Becker, Gail Acevedo. Festival of the Trees, L to R: Erin Ascher, Ellen Yant, Sandra Fetter, Krista Gawronski, Melissa Becker. Photo of salads at Mr. Pickles in Petaluma. – Photos provided by Krista Gawronski. >>

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