Bobbie

 I met Bobbie -- where else?  -- at Starbucks.  She likes big, bold, colorful jewelry.

Bobbie is a retired nurse.  She volunteers at the local thrift store and loves gardening and reading. 

Peony Season

The previous owners of my house planted peonies.  Lucky me. (I added pots and planted native plants.)

The Path to the Nature Center

 This leads to Woodcock Nature Center, but it is wet in a low area.  A neighborhood woman just funded a project to bridge the wet area with a simple boardwalk, connecting the neighborhood to the nature center.  

Thank you, Deb.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is an artist.  She paints portraits in oil.  In response to my question about her style, she said they are kind of like Lucian Freud's . . . but regrettably they don't sell for as much.

Elizabeth also has a ceramics studio.  One of her main product lines is reproducing children's artwork in ceramics, sold through the kids' schools.

Prospector Theater -- III

 The moving force behind the Prospector Theater is Val Jensen, who has a sister with Down Syndrome and through her family experience learned that 80 percent of disabled adults are unemployed.  

So, the irrepressible Val founded the Prospector Theater.  75 percent of the employees are disabled.  

Can you see the polka dots on her stockings and the butterflies on her shoes?

Val kept the theater open on a limited basis throughout the pandemic, except for about two months.  Despite the financial strain, she paid all of the employees throughout the pandemic.  

(The sparkly question mark asks, "What is next?)  

In April, the Prospector and Val were featured on ABC's Good Morning America.  It is worth ten minutes of your time to see the video.

Prospector Theater -- II

The theater has wonderful signage, highlighting many of the employees, or "Prospects."  Everything in the theater is colorful, positive and uplifting.

 A small upstairs theater has comfortable seating and stars in the ceiling.

Charisse is a volunteer who gave me a tour on a quiet afternoon when no movies were showing.

Thanks, Charisse.

Prospector Theater -- I

Prospector Theater is in downtown Ridgefield.  There are five (I think) screens of various sizes.  The most important thing about the Prospector is that it is a nonprofit staffed by "Prospects," individuals with a variety of disabilities.  What a wonderful place!  It reopened last Friday with lots of community support.

POPCORN.