Dear editor,

May 19, I attended the 35th anniversary fundraiser for Aldea Children & Family Services. It brought back memories of the early 1970s when a small group of concerned individuals got together to see if we could do something to meet the needs of troubled youth. Our vision was to set up places for the young people to live, such as residential treatment facilities and support services. I am touched by how much that program has grown over the past 35 years and the thousands of individuals it has served. Aldea means "Little Village." We named it that because it takes a village to raise a child and it takes the support of all of us to keep such needed programs going. I urge you to continue your great support for it.

During the night's event, we were shown a short video about Aldea and its history. I recall those early years and the challenges we had. I remember times when we wondered if we could keep it going. We learned so much, and one of the things we learned was that you need the right person to manage and lead. After several years, we hired Alan Ewig as program director. That was such a blessing, for it has been under his direction and leadership that Aldea has blossomed into the multi-faceted program it is today. Alan is an individual with a great deal of wisdom and skill for running youth programs. He shows great compassion for young people. We are so appreciative that Alan has chosen to serve as director of Aldea for so many years and, in so doing, has touched many lives. Thank you.

Harris Nussbaum

Napa