How long have you been in Benicia? Thirteen or fourteen years.
Where are you from? I grew up in Apple Valley in the high desert in Southern California, a cool little town.
How old are you? I am 35.
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What kind of work do you do? I am a kitchen and bath designer in Benicia, Contra Costa and Alameda counties. It's so much fun. I've been doing it for about 11 years. My business is called Amy Carpenter Designs.
What do you do for fun? I don't have a lot of hang-out time, but I do play bocce ball with friends. I love to cook. My husband and I make wine. We have three Weimaraners, so we show and compete with the dogs.
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Do you participate in any community activities? I work a lot with exchange students. I am the Rotary adviser for the high school and I work on a district level with exchange students.
How did you get involved with exchange students? I spent a year in Brazil (in '93-'94) as an exchange student. I joke and say my soul is still in Brazil. Benicia reminds me of that city.
What keeps you volunteering? My own experience changed me profoundly, down to the core. I wanted to give back to my community in the name of an organization that did so much for me. When I became a Rotarian, they asked me to revitalize the exchange program here in Benicia and to be the services chair, working with the Interact Club at the high school. Rotary has a district, so I work on the district level.
What surprised people about you? When I speak Portuguese to them because I don't look like a typical Brazilian.
What do you love about Benicia? The sense of community. There is not one bad spot in this town. I remember the first time I came to Benicia, it was a Saturday night, beautiful weather, all the kids were out playing, people walking their dogs. I instantly fell in love with Benicia. I still remember it very vividly.
What is your favorite thing to do in Benicia? There is a term in Portuguese called voltino, where you take a little drive around the town square. So when we are out, my husband I will take a little voltino around the end of First Street.