By: Heidy Kellison
After nearly 25 years, I’m saying goodbye to the community that shaped me, inspired me, and gave me more than I could ever give back. Davis will always be my first love—and leaving it is far from easy. But I take with me everything this town has taught me: the value of service, the richness of true friendships, and the belief that the best way to live a meaningful life is to pour your energies into something larger than yourself.
Volunteerism is, in my view, the most productive and rewarding way to spend a life. It allows you to reflect and know your days were spent doing something meaningful. Every friendship I hold dear in Davis began through shared service—side by side at events, on committees, and in countless community efforts.
I recently stepped down from my final board position at the Davis Cemetery District—a true jewel of our community. If you haven’t visited lately, I encourage you to walk the grounds. It’s a place of peace, history, public art (including the deeply moving COVID-19 Memorial), and natural beauty as an accredited arboretum. Like so much of Davis, it’s a place quietly elevated by the hands of volunteers, guided by excellent staff.
I’m especially grateful for the years I’ve spent supporting the Yolo Crisis Nursery. As its Founding Friend in 2002, I’ve watched this essential service grow from a tiny rental space to the brink of a permanent, purpose-built home. I recently toured the new facility in its final construction stages, and I can’t describe the pride I felt in seeing what awaits children and families from throughout Yolo County. The nursery’s staff, led by Heather Sleuter, are a testament to what beautiful hearts and steadfast commitment can accomplish. They embody the very best of Davis.
This town has always had a culture of stepping up. Davis can be intense—any longtime resident knows that. But in my experience, the intensity so often stems from love: for each other, for ideas, for the planet. It’s a place filled with people determined to make things better. It’s a place that believes in justice, inclusion, and compassion—and it’s willing to work hard for all three.
Throughout my time here, I’ve thrown myself into projects I believed in: from founding Friends of the Yolo Crisis Nursery, to championing a homework policy rooted in balance and fairness for all students, to promoting local businesses (especially during the pandemic), and helping raise funds for our schools. I served as a First 5 Yolo Commissioner for a decade, helping build stronger services for families and children. One of the people who has most inspired me along the way is my longtime friend Gina Daleiden, Executive Director of First 5 Yolo. Her extraordinary work ethic, wisdom-centered talent, and unwavering devotion to children and families have shaped not just the agency, but the future of early childhood services in Yolo County and the state of California. I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned from her.
There have been so many chapters, each one imprinted on my soul forever. Davis taught me that when the world feels overwhelming, the most hopeful thing to do is act locally. The ripples are real—and they start right where we live.
Thank you, Davis. For everything.
