Lew Tremaine says: Get involved and bring the kids

The View from The Hill/Lew Tremaine

When my sons were little, I would always bring them with me when I did community volunteer work. Creek clean-ups, restorations of Peri Park, walking neighborhoods for political campaigns (they loved taking turns knocking on doors); they had a great time.

There is very much to be said for volunteering in your community. It brings a sense of satisfaction and belonging that is otherwise hard to find.  Including your children in those activities makes them all the more rich. You can spend quality time with them, while sharing the experience of making your community better.

There are a few things I’ll always remember about getting my kids involved in my civic activities. Well, more than a few, but I’ll just share a few.

When I was a member of the Fairfax/San Anselmo Greens, we would always participate in the annual creek clean-up, removing trash and litter from the local creeks. My older son Ben, even at age 5, insisted on coming along. How could I turn him down? 

One afternoon, Ben and I were part of a crew that was cleaning the stretch of creek between the Pacheco and Marin Town & Country Club. When we got to Fairfax Plaza, just across the creek from the Town and Country Club with all the cement columns, Ben tugged on my shirt and said, “Dad, I think Godzilla rules this place.” The experience just fired his imagination.

When my younger son Mark was little, he always seemed to look forward to the annual Peri Park restoration. We would arrive and Mark would run to find a shovel, so he could load sand into wheelbarrows. He was tireless, shoveling for hours at a time, always with a look of satisfaction on his face. It was, afterall, HIS park and he understood the importance of maintaining it. Kids are funny that way; they get it if you involve them.

My first four years on the Town Council, I served on the Fairfax Tree Committee. Ben insisted on coming along on my tree inspections. I left him behind once. He was soooo mad at me. I never made that mistake again. He learned how to identify various tree diseases, and would explain it to the homeowners. We’re talking about a fifth-grader here. 

When the flood hit in 2005, I had to go into town and deal with the aftermath. I didn’t bring the boys because it was too dangerous. They were bitterly disappointed. The day after, when I went to do more of the same, Ben and Mark, at the time 15 and 12 respectively, were waiting at the front door. They didn’t ask if they could come with me, they said, “we’re coming with you.” So we grabbed three shovels and headed out toTamalpais Drive and Wood Lane to clear the roads of mud that had slid onto the roads. They worked their butts off that day, and were exhausted at the end, but they were proud to have helped.

I could go on, but my point is that my kids, as would yours, greatly benefitted from being active in their community. I benefited from sharing those experiences with them. As would you.