A message from April Vargas, Club President

Hello Fellow Democrats, Coastside Residents and Friends:

As 2023 begins our community is faced with challenges that seemed unimaginable just a few months ago. Severe flooding, landslides, falling trees and power outages have affected so many in our community. And then this week’s mass shooting in Half Moon Bay has brought unimaginable sadness, frustration and disbelief as our small community becomes the latest casualty in the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in this country.

 We thank our elected officials on the local, county, state and federal levels for their immediate engagement and effective response. Who we elect truly matters and we are proud to have supported the leaders who are representing us during this critical time.

We also thank our local community based organizations:  ALAS, Coastside Hope and Puente de la Coastal Sur, for providing aid to our farm workers and the other essential workers who have been displaced by the flooding and the shootings not to mention all those who live with the lack of affordable housing, health care and adequate food on a daily basis.

As Democrats and Coastsiders, we need to respond and stay engaged in effective and meaningful ways. The Executive Board of the Coastside Democrats met this week and voted to make donations to  ALAS and Coastside Hope to help fund their crisis response activities. In addition, we are planning club events for the coming year that will bring the community together, generate renewed energy in advance of the 2024 elections and keep our Coastside neighbors informed about the issues that affect us all.

With the new year, we’ve reactivated our monthly newsletter. Please review the announcements posted below and in future newsletters for community and club events, volunteer opportunities and information that directly affects our neighborhoods and residents. We look forward to reconnecting with you as we work together to build an even more vibrant, inclusive and resilient community. We welcome all local Democrats to join us.

Democratically yours,

April Vargas, President

Kathy Klein, Vice President

Claire Giovanetti, Secretary

John Dye, Treasurer

Belinda Arriaga, Member At Large

Peihua Ku, Member At Large

Tyler Stone, Member At Large

With special assistance from Barbara Dye