Helping the children

When Eleanor Azevedo died on Valentine's Day, she left behind a buried treasure.

The 91-year old Colusa mother of 17 — and grandmother to 42 — lived quietly in the community on a limited income, so what she left her family when she died wasn't a fortune in gold, stocks or jewels.

Instead, Azevedo's family found a scrapbook she kept with newspaper clippings, photos and other momentoes that documented just about everything her children had done — in and out of school.

"We didn't know mom had done that," said Terri Rivera, who works at One-Stop Partnership in workforce education and training. "She raised 17 kids, working in the fields, so there wasn't a lot of money. But mom truly believed that it was important to keep children involved in activities, so she always did everything she could to make that possible for us."

So articles about the big game, photos taken at dance recitals and drawings of trees, butterflies and stick figures holding hands always made their way carefully to the pages of a book that would later inspire her daughters to pay forward the opportunities Azevedo worked so hard to provide her own children.

"Children were mom's life," Rivera said. "Seeing them involved in sports, creative activities and performing arts gave her much pride."

To keep Azevedo's memory alive, Rivera — with the help of the Community Foundation of Colusa County and the Colusa County One-Stop Partnership — has established the Eleanor Azevedo Memorial Fund Youth Empowerment Service.

Since April, Rivera has raised money to help families with children pay registration fees to participate in recreational activities and other self-enrichment programs such as art and dance.

Starting with a $250 donation, Rivera has raised about $2,500 from working a concession stand during recreational softball in Colusa, and a few other activities in order to assist eligible youth of Colusa County.

So far, Yes Empowerment Service funded one cheerleader, two football players, three swim lessons, and has sponsored three kids to a new soccer program being offered in Colusa this fall.

Funding is granted primarily on financial need, Rivera said, although the organization does not require proof of income.

Rivera said she was inspired with the idea at a soccer game, in which a small girl had asked to participate but was gently discouraged by her parents who couldn't spare the expense.

Sandy Cabral, the Colusa recreation supervisor, said she sees this happening more and more as the economy continues to take its toll on families.

"Forty dollars may not sound like much, but when families have several children, recreation fees can add up," Cabral said. "It"s a wonderful thing Terri is doing for the youth in our community, especially during these times of economic hardships."

Cabral added that what Rivera has done in just a few short months is remarkable.

"Terri is so giving of herself," Cabral said. "She has been out at the ball field four nights a week selling refreshments and snacks to the hungry players and their families."

All Rivera asks in return is that the children or families who benefit from the fund "pay it forward" by offering volunteer work within their communities with an organization of their choice.

"We ask this, but do not require it," Rivera said. "We just think that giving your time to help others serves as a positive role model for all of our children."

Riviera said her mother was an extremely humble and generous person, giving what she could to organizations that served youth, and would be pleased at what Rivera is doing for the children in the community to keep her memory alive.

"Our mission is to encourage, empower and engage youth and their families through participation in self-enrichment activities that promote healthy living and community involvement," Rivera said. "I can't think of a better way to honor our mother."