Matrix 25th Anniversary Party

To celebrate 25 years of empowering families, almost 200 people gathered, including Founders Ning Douglas and Barbara Alexander, past and present Board, staff and clients. Among them, Emmy Sokoloff, one of our first Board members, and former Board members Roger Peters, Norm Bryan and Dee Hayden (a former Executive Director of Matrix). Dignitaries included Assemblyman Jared Huffman, who presented Matrix with a CA State Legislature Resolution, County Supervisor Judy Arnold, who presented Matrix with a County Resolution, and Marin County Superintendent of Schools Mary Jane Burke.

Important as Matrix History and Vision are, the party was also about FUN, and there was lots of that too! Old friends, new friends, a great BBQ lunch (thanks to our volunteer chefs - Jim Askim, Ray Douglas, Joel Neecke, Bud Thompson, & Jack Watson ) and activities including bubble blowing, volleyball, face painting by San Rafael High School volunteers, wonderful music for adults and kids provided by Orange Sherbet (Jill Pierce and Adrian Libertini), Dusty’s Puppets, and Play-Well TEKnology’s thousands of manipulatives brought smiles and laughter to attendees of all ages. Many thanks to all of our sponsors, volunteers, committee members and attendees for helping us recognize and celebrate our past, present, and future!

Check out some of our celebration below. Click on individual photos to enlarge.