Time for a very special acknowledgment of some amazing people. Three board members’ terms are coming to an end this month. We wanted to take the time to thank each of them for their commitment to Seacoast Eat Local over the years and wish them well as they each take on new projects in their personal and professional lives.
Sara-Zoë Patterson is the founder of Seacoast Eat Local. Over the past 15 years, she has spent countless hours making what we do possible. From the very early days in 2006 when all we had was a challenge to eat more locally-grown food to this past year when she helped put the finishing touches on our 3-year strategic plan, Sara-Zoë is a true leader and we will miss her dedication. Her passionate and playful spirit is a cornerstone of our organizational culture. A lot of us have so much to be thankful for because without Sara-Zoë, the work we do would not exist. If we made a list of all the contributions she made over the years it would quite literally span the Piscataqua River Bridge!
Robin Schweikart has served as a board member since 2014. Over the years, Robin has brought her background in nonprofit administration to help improve many aspects of our organization. Having been on both the Fundraising and Finance committees for a number of years has been a tremendous asset during Robin’s tenure. She most recently served as our treasurer. If you’ve been a customer of our Winter Farmers’ Markets at Wentworth Greenhouses, you may not realize that Robin and her husband volunteer for the early morning set up crew to help vendors bring their products inside. It takes dedicated individuals like Robin to provide both hands-on and professional volunteerism to make Seacoast Eat Local operate.
Theresa Walker has been a board member since 2016 and served as Board Chair for two years. As a farmer and agricultural commission leader, Theresa has enabled Seacoast Eat Local to more effectively see itself as part of a bigger whole. The background she’s brought to the table in community and economic development has been such an important piece to our recent organizational growth. Her involvement in both Board Recruitment and Personnel committees has also been of great value in continuing to build the dream team at our small and nimble nonprofit. When the unexpected happens, Theresa, along with her husband and son, have always provided a helping hand.
