Written and compiled by Julie Sage
Over 200 women have made the CHOICE to join Assistance League of Greater Placer and volunteer their personal service through community-based philanthropic programs. Our husbands and male companions never signed up, but spend a great deal of time and effort in supporting our chapter wherever needed. Some wives affectionately call them the “Resistance League”.
The list of men who offer their talents and expertise is extensive. We mention just a few as representative of those many men.
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Thrift Shop
It’s so nice to have a man around our Assistance League Thrift Shop – especially one with a willing attitude and lots of tools! No, it’s not our first male member, it’s Rodger Tognazzini. You’ve seen him.
He’s the guy who hauls display items from Sacramento, then spends hours trying to make them fit the shop spaces. He’s the guy who builds and installs customized workstations for our backroom volunteer teams. He’s the guy who recently has been working on the infamous Christmas tree lights. And, rumor has it he’s the guy who used his handy chainsaw to disassemble a worn sofa left outside the shop before hauling it off to the dump.
Now, we don’t know if he does all this for that special lady in his life (who happens to be General Manager Nancy of the thrift shop) or if he does it for all of the other special ladies at the shop. What we do know is that he’s a huge help to Assistance League of Greater Placer and for that, we are so grateful.
By Susan Maggi & Janet Wheatley
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Bill Dial will always be one of my favorite people and volunteer husbands of all time. He and I spent many hours painting and remodeling the thrift shop kitchen and back room, after hours, to make it more functional. Bill rarely had a complaint or criticism. Even 
when he was hurting and tired from an aching back, he made sure it was done right! He kept measuring, cutting and pounding in nails and I kept painting. One night I think we finally called it a day around 8:00 PM.
If Bill thought of something that would look or function better for our members, he would make a suggestion and show up to do the job. Quite possibly Bill located the objects somewhere in his barn or shop; he was always willing to bring it in to improve the Thrift Shop. I think his wife, Beth, would have been happy to see him bring it ALL in just to clear it out from home. How lucky we are to have such talented, patient and tolerant men in our lives. They are a true reflection of the caring and generous spirit of our members.
By LaVerne Moran
Fundraising
Our bartenders, escorts, parking, set-up and take-down “recruitees” list changes, but many are regular returnees year after year. There’s Jim, Bob, Dave, Tom, Larry, John, Ron, Rex, Rudy, Gene, Gary, Jerry, Rick, Geary, Frank, Fred, George, Pat, Don, Dennis, Bill and more. All are gentlemen and add excitement to the festivities.
Bar Chairman Chris Brower expounds on her husband: “Ron helped me with the Bob Draga concert bar and the annual Fall Tea fundraisers. He is always willing to load the car, buy ice, haul liquor, clean-up and even put on a white shirt if necessary. This is a man who loves wearing shorts and a tee shirt.”
Public Relations
And just this last weekend, Assistance League of Greater Placer was in the Auburn Festival of Lights parade. I volunteered to chair the committee, all the while knowing that my poor husband Bill, would get sucked into my good intentions. I am the visionary and he is the realist who gets it done safely. Bill was surrounded by 8 energetic women who decorated his pick-up truck, carried a banner, wore sandwich boards, and brought our philanthropic program “Kids on the Block” life-size puppets to entertain the spectators.
It was a beautiful evening and Bill’s CHOICE to drive the truck in the parade was met with no RESISTANCE.
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