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Anderson Valley Village News

Anderson Valley Village is a locally inspired and managed non-profit organization. Our mission is to help older adults remain active, connected, and independent in the place they call home while enhancing the quality of life in our community. 

We currently have 60 members and 57 trained volunteers ready to lend a hand as Pandemic safety concerns allow! Please reach out if you need a friendly volunteer to call you for a chat, shop for you, do outside chores or errands, tech support, etc.

Since the pandemic has made gathering in groups impossible, we’ve struggled with how to continue to build community and relationships without the traditional social interactions we were used to. One idea, starting this month, is to introduce members of our community to each other, by sharing a photo and a few words about each person. We plan on highlighting 4 or more Village Members per month and the questions are set for the most part, so for members who will be interviewed in the future this is a sneak peek and a chance to think about your possible answers.


Mary Anne Payne, Board Member and Village Member

1. How long have you been in the Valley?

I purchased my property in Rancho Navarro in the summer of 2002 and decided to move here when I retired in 2010.

2. Have you had a career or a passion project so far in your life that you would like to tell us about?

I worked primarily in higher education and moved here from Sacramento.  I was asked to be the Executive Director of the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, a job I held for 4+ years, which further developed my passion for gardens and plants.

3. At present I am very excited about my partner Gerry Fields joining me here in the near future.


Elizabeth Wyant, Board Member and Baker Extraordinaire

1. How long have you been in the Valley?

I started teaching at Anderson Valley Elementary School in 1987. I commuted from Ukiah for four years before moving to Boonville

2. Where did you grow up and where were you coming from when you moved to the Valley?

I was born in Oklahoma and moved to Napa when I was 12.  I lived there until I left for college.  I moved back to Napa after earning my teaching credential where I taught for about four years.  I lived a few years in Fresno and north eastern Oregon before moving to Ukiah.

3. Have you had a career or a passion project so far in your life that you would like to tell us about?

This is my third year of retirement after a teaching career of 40 years, the last 29 in Boonville.  Most of my career was teaching first grade.  I loved teaching children to read.  I always considered it a miracle when a child had that light bulb moment and took off reading.  I loved my job and miss the children but am so glad I'm not trying to teach children from the other side of a computer.  Our educators need all the support and encouragement they can get under the current conditions.

4. Luckiest thing that has happened to you?

I consider meeting my husband one of the luckiest things to happen to me not only because of who he is but because he came with two children. Through them I was able to get a taste of motherhood and now be a grandmother.  I currently have 2 and 9/10th grandchildren who are absolutely the light of my life.


Paul Soderman, Village Member and Volunteer Extraordinaire

1. How long have you been in the Valley?

Been here since 2004, almost 17 years.

2. Where did you grow up and where were you coming from when you moved to the Valley?

I grew up near Astoria, Oregon and lived in a valley much like Anderson Valley, only we had dairy cows instead of grapes, and spruce trees instead of redwoods. Astoria is much like Fort Bragg - beautiful environment, modest economy. Amy and I came here from Palo Alto, as fine a town as you can find in the Bay Area, but getting crowded.

3. Have you had a career or a passion project so far in your life that you would like to tell us about?

My current passion is building websites for people or small businesses.

4. What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my 37 years as an aeronautical engineer with NASA. Research suited my personality and I hope I helped make some progress in aircraft noise reduction, high altitude atmosphere studies, and aeronautics.


Donna Pierson-Pugh, Board Member, Village Member and Volunteer Extortionate And Jeff Pugh, Village Member

1. How long have you been in the Valley?

Donna: We have lived in AV since 1986 - 34 years

Jeff: 34 years

2. Where did you grow up and where were you coming from when you moved to the Valley?

Donna: I was born in Hollywood and my family moved up to Lafayette in the East Bay Area when I was three. My husband and two boys moved to the Valley from Healdsburg, where we lived in an old farmhouse on the Zellerbach Vineyard and Jeff was the vineyard manager and I was teaching/co-directing a preschool in Geyserville.

Jeff: Illinois until 3rd grade, then Concord in the East Bay. We lived in Sonoma County where I was a vineyard manager at Hanzel in Sonoma and Zellerbach in Healdsburg and then moved to Anderson Valley as the vineyard manager for Navarro Vineyards.

3. Did you have a career or a passion project so far in your life that you would like to tell us about?

Donna: My career as an educator was very rewarding, starting as a bilingual preschool/kindergarten teacher and eventually becoming an administrator here in Anderson Valley. Working with the children and families in Anderson Valley was an amazingly satisfying experience for me!!

Jeff: During the Pandemic I have been milling the downed redwood on our property that was left after the logging in the 50's and have made the “Fort Knox” chicken coop that no varmint will ever be able to break into and kill our chickens again!

4. Luckiest thing that has happened to you?

Donna: Moving to Anderson Valley was the luckiest thing that happened for my family and me. I always felt that my children lived the “It Takes a Village” experience with the teachers, and their friends' parents supporting them in so many ways. Anderson Valley has always felt like a “Village,” but now with the AV Village, Jeff and I have the entire Village Experience!

5. Favorite place to be outside of the Anderson Valley?

Jeff: I spent a lot of time in Fitchburg outside of Madison, Wisconsin where my maternal grandparents had a farm and our extended family lived and I visited frequently when living in Illinois and then spent summers there once we moved to California.


Anica Williams, AV Village Coordinator (for 2 years)

1.How long have you been in the area?

I have lived here about 23 years (minus many formative years in SF and a stint in Eureka, UK and SLO).

2. Where did you grow up and where were you coming from when you moved to the Valley?

I was born in Fort Bragg of “Back to the Land” parents and grew up in the house they built on Greenwood Ridge. Larry and I were living in Eureka before we moved back 5 years ago.

3. Have you had a career or a passion project so far in your life that you would like to tell us about?

My main passion in life has been the natural world and traveling — I studied Geography at SFSU and have had many related jobs in outdoor education, the Zoo Mobile, CA State Parks, National Parks and a College Instructor. I also enjoy working with people which led me to my current position with the Village.

4. Favorite place to be outside of the Anderson Valley?

Anywhere on an adventure — especially Greece (not in the summer) — I love the Greek culture and have many connections to the Greek people, food and sights. I hope to get back there some day and finally visit the island of Zakynthos!

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