Skyla Vera Send Off

I’ve been lucky enough to have been a part of the GiGi’s Hillsborough family since the very beginning, even before the grand opening in 2015. From day one – at just 9 years old – I was passionately involved. I attended the very first volunteer orientation held, and began to volunteer at programs such as Girls Night out, Kids Club, Nuestros Ángeles, and LMNOP. I may have only been in third grade when I started, but the joy that GiGi’s brought me and the relationships I formed there kept me constantly coming back. Now, almost nine years later, I have just graduated from Hillsborough High School as Vice President of the GiGi’s Hillsborough Youth Board, and am incredibly excited for my next adventure. I will be studying environmental science with a plant studies focus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Although I am going very far away, I am hoping to continue fostering my bond with GiGi’s and will be seeking out opportunities to help others in the same way that GiGi’s has taught me in my next chapter. One of the lessons from working with GiGi’s for so long that has been the most impactful to me is the knowledge that even the smallest actions can make the biggest difference in someone’s life. Kindness is such a powerful thing. The people I’ve met through GiGi’s, the friendships I’ve made, and the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have really solidified for me just how meaningful it is to give your time and your energy to organizations like GiGi’s, who are putting so much good into the world. I know that wherever I go in the future I’ll always carry GiGi’s and the things I’ve learned and experienced there very close to my heart.