THE FIFTH WHEEL: Community service just her way of saying ‘thanks’
Yahoo
Newsvine
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Google
Reddit
Fark
There’s active, and then there’s Brenda Li Sánchez.
The San Antonio native moved back to her hometown in 2006 and resolved to become a more productive member of society. To put it mildly, she did.
Sánchez, 34, will graduate from nursing school in December, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. She also works with the National Hispanic Professional Organization, encouraging people to do positive things, like start a business or go back to school. She does public relations for the Bexar County Young Democrats.
“I try to go to as many community- service events as I can,” she said.
That’s why she also pitches in with Underpinnings, a nonprofit that takes donations of undergarments for battered and displaced women.
“Undergarments are hard to come by,” said Sánchez, the group’s special-events coordinator. “To be donated, they have to be brand-new for hygienic reasons. Nobody goes out to buy a bra to donate. There’s an overabundance of donated clothes, but a lack of undergarments.”
The fledgling nonprofit’s first official event is from 4 to 11 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Chili’s at The Forum.
Then there’s Habitat for Humanity with her church and Project Measure Up with her nursing school. I’m exhausted just from writing all this down. But there’s more.
In her free time — yes, free time! — Sánchez plays the piano (“I’m pretty much self taught. I faked my way into music school”) and paints. Right now, she’s illustrating a children’s book a friend is writing for military kids.
Next up is Harvard. Yeah, that Harvard.
“Ultimately, my goal is to become a clinical psychologist while remaining active,” Sánchez said.
Staying active doesn’t seem like a problem. Neither does returning to San Antonio. She said she owes it to her parents, who left Mexico to give their kids more opportunities.
“I never forget where I came from, but I also never forget where my parents came from,” she said. “That’s how I show them my appreciation.”
And in the process, Sánchez is giving San Antonians something to appreciate. And admire.
(1)