Kathleen Eredia

Age: 38.

Family: Husband, Sam; son, Jesse, 21; daughter, Andrea, 15.

City of residence: Sutter.

Occupation: Homemaker.

How long have you lived in the Yuba-Sutter area? We moved here in 1987 when I was in the eighth grade.

Hobbies, interests: l love to paint and scrapbooking.

For what groups do you volunteer? I run the Angel Tree program in Sutter. It began for children just in Sutter and, when the first person who started it gave it up, I decided to bring it into the community for youngsters living in Sutter County — we did Brittan, Meridian and Nuestro schools and Sutter Union High School this year.

This project is my highlight of the year. We — my mother does it with me every year — start in October sending out letters requesting donations; get nominations of families in need; receive donations from the food drives held for us at Brittan School, Sutter High and by Sutter 4-H; and wrap up each year.

I've been a member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West South Butte Parlor for six years. My mother joined them and then I did. I do it to do something with my mother. She really enjoys it and I enjoy doing it with her.

This is my sixth year with the seventh- and eighth-grade auction at Brittan School in Sutter, a school rewards program. A parent who had done it for a few years moved out of state, someone asked me if I would take it on and I said, "Sure."

I love doing the auctions. I love seeing the kids' smiles on their faces; it makes me happy.

I am a coach for Upward Cheer, for first- and second-graders, at Hope Point Nazarene in Yuba City. This is my second year; my sister volunteered to coach after enrolling my niece but said she couldn't do it without me.

I've been involved in everything since I've had children — coaching T-ball, being a team mom, holding several positions up to president on the Brittan Parent Activity Club. Whatever my kids have been a part of, I've always been a part of.

How do you fit volunteering into your schedule? It's a lot easier now that my children are older; I'm always looking for something to do. But volunteering's always been a part of my life. When something is a priority to you, you make time. I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't volunteer.

Words of advice: People just need to find something they care about — kids or animals or the elderly or environment. There's always somewhere or someone who could use a little bit of help.

Quote: "If I could go out and help somebody every single day, I would do it."

Volunteer of the Week runs Tuesdays. To submit the name of a volunteer to be featured, contact Community Editor Leticia Gutierrez at 749-6552.