Dublin Mothers on the Move

Mother’s Day is an ideal time to celebrate mothers and all they do for their families and also to recognize the contributions they make to our communities.

Dublin Patch has followed up on two mothers who were nominated by community members for Citizen of the Year 2017 and recognized for their volunteering efforts by the City of Dublin at a Volunteer Recognition event held in 2018.

Kim Thomas was nominated by Principal Maureen Byrne for her contribution to the community at Dublin High School (DHS).

Kim has been an enthusiastic volunteer for the “Freshman Seminar” program which is a required class for freshman. Students have the invaluable opportunity to get to explore career opportunities and personal values to help them plan for the future. The program culminates in a mock job interview and members of the community are invited to interview students. “Kim has volunteered for this every time the call goes out,” said Ms Byrne.

Kim says she has been involved in Parent Faculty Student Organization (PFSO) since her son was in kindergarten at Nielsen and enjoys it to this day. “It has given me an opportunity to hear, see & be involved in initiatives and changes happening with our children”.

In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with family and her favorite girlfriends. “We laugh and keep each other grounded” she says.

Kim was eager to help out the less fortunate in the community and when Ms Byrne mentioned that there were some families in need for the holidays, Kim jumped in to action.

She started a “Go Fund Me” page to raise money and, in doing so, raised almost $2,000 to allow families to have a true holiday. “She did this without want of recognition, “said Ms Byrne “and, in doing so, not only changed the reality of some families, she raised awareness in the community. It was so wonderful to have her facilitate this community of givers.”

A memorable moment for Kim was last year when she raised the money for the families in need for the holidays. It brought her so much joy and pride and she was also able to see people in her community come together for a great cause. Kim said “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do during this holiday season for other families in need. Also, I love that my son is proud of me being involved”.

When asked about her reaction to being nominated as Citizen of the Year 2017 Kim related the following. “I received the nomination invite in the mail, I almost threw it away thinking it was some marketing information. So glad I took the time to read it! I was shocked because I do what I do because I love it, but never expected to be acknowledged formally”.

Kim is always willing to help out when asked. DHS College and Career Specialist, Leann Nobida, has this to say about her: “A few months ago, I recruited for a Gala that the DBMG was hosting, and they wanted some of our students to help out. I asked many of our seniors and received three responses, and also added Jalen (her son who is a Junior) to the list. Kim played a vital role in getting our students to the Gala to help. Kim is always that person who jumps in to help out. She’s really that person that cares about all of the kids and is continually trying to make our community a better place. I never hear her complaining - she is a person that focuses on the positive. “

Another Dublin Mom known for her positivity and upbeat approach to life is Aarti Nihalani.

Aarti is a parent at Dougherty Elementary School and was nominated by Susana Kwan (a second grade teacher).

“Aarti is selfless and gives her time and energy to help our school, classrooms, and community,” says Ms Kwan, “in the past, Aarti has volunteered as a PFC member and now is an official board member. She offers countless hours of her time to help at all school events. She also assists teachers, not only in her own children's classrooms, but many teachers throughout the school, with Art in Action, Jr. Achievement, field trips, and prep work”.

Aarti has been called a great role model and her volunteering roles have included being Art in Action Docent, Jr. Achievement presenter and room parent. She makes an effort to make the school a better place on a daily basis. Aarti's selfless efforts have significantly helped teachers and the Dougherty community.

Aarti is trained as a pharmacist but has chosen to stay at home to rear her children. When asked how she manages to include her volunteering roles into her busy mom schedule Aarti says that she offers to do things in manageable chunks so that it does not become overwhelming. She will check what is required and where she can offer help and prioritizes accordingly.

“Also I could not volunteer if I did not have the support of my husband,” says Aarti, “we work together in order that I can make the time to help. My children are also benefitting from the experience of seeing me active in the school community and are learning that they too can offer a hand when needed. They were recently involved in the Math Night event at Dougherty independently of the role I played and that was great to see”.

The Dublin Unified School District Board also recognized Aarti at the annual Volunteer Recognition Program and the following remarks were made about her “Aarti is the first to volunteer - she goes above and beyond regular volunteer duties. She stays for hours to help with any duties and asks on a regular basis if help is needed. Aarti is an excellent role model for students and has earned the respect of each and every one of them”.

Another Dublin Mom who was recognized by the City of Dublin is Summer Ellis who was specifically nominated for her involvement in the Girls on the Run Program. An update on their activities is coming soon.

Patch is celebrating Mother's Day with Mother and daughter lookalike photos so thanks to everyone who has shared their special moments. Happy Mother's Day!