One Year Later

All:

I’m still learning to live with the tremendous gap of life without Vangi.  However, there were two memorial events this week which I wanted to share.

Some of you gave the wonderful gift of a memorial tree by the California Department of Forestry.  Due to the snow, they have not been able to plant until this past week.  Vangi’s memorial tree is in a new grove in the Tahoe National Forest past the Onion Valley Campground.  All of the trees are small babies and I’ve attached a picture of one.  The trees were planted to help restore the area that was hit by fires.  If you wish to backpack to the grove, let me know and I’ll share the maps I have received.

The other wonderful gift from everyone was your generous contributions to Downtown College Prep in Vangi’s name.  Last week I attended the graduation ceremony and I’d like to introduce to you Guadalupe, the first recipient of the Evangeline Uribe Memorial Scholarship.  Guadalupe is the class Valedictorian, won a number of awards from her school and she is going to The University of California at Davis to study psychology.  She was a pleasure to meet and the scholarship has made a big difference for her.  Her picture is attached.

The Evangline Uribe Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a student who shows academic promise while having been a caregiver to their family or in their community.  We continue to build the scholarship and if you would like to contribute and help support a first-generation college bound student, that information is below.

I truly don’t have much more to say except for my continuing thanks for all the wonderful support and the sweet remembrances of Vangi.  The year has passed both swiftly and slowly and I’m learning how to live with her presence and her love in this different life.

May each of you know peace and love in your life.

Matt

Memorial Information:

Vangi, Matt and the boys have supported Downtown College Prep (DCP) which is a charter school for low income and primarily Latino students who will be the first generation in their family to go to college.  The Evangeline Uribe Memorial Scholarship has been established and will be given annually to a student who has been a caregiver during their time at DCP.  The caregiver experience can be in direct service to a family member, or as part of a community service organization, or as part of supportive services or therapies to people impacted by health challenges.  The vision for this scholarship is to recognize their service as well as to allow the students to share their stories of their experience as a care giver.

Scholarship donations can be made online at https://dcp.org/collegefund.  Select the “Donate to the DCP Scholarship Fund” button at the top of the page.  You will be directed to PayPal.  On the PayPal page, find “Is this gift a memorial or tribute?”  Here you can type in “Evangeline Uribe Memorial Scholarship” so that your gift is placed in this special scholarship fund. 

If you choose to send your gift as a check, please write “Evangeline Uribe Memorial Scholarship” in the memo section of the check.  Checks can be sent to Downtown College Prep, Attn: Advancement, 1400 Parkmoor Ave Suite 206, San Jose, CA 95126. DCP will send you an acknowledgement of your gift as well as one to Vangi’s family.