Everyone has a story to share. Celebrating human experiences is at the heart of who we are. Local narratives shape relationships and define our communities. Each book in this series includes writings by students, parents, neighbors, and community members, and is designed to awaken new opportunities in authorship and celebrate our individual and collective voices. Proceeds from each book in the series benefit a non-profit community organization with goals centered on caring for our community's most vulnerable. This book was written with the utmost sincerity. It grew out of intrigue for awakening the spirit of authorship. What you hold in your hands is a gift, a gift developed by six of the most genuine women I have had the honor to work with throughout my 25-year career. The unique nature of this book rests upon the manner in which it was developed. In place of consuming other peoples' stories, we voiced our own. We forged a path we had never been down before. Prior to engaging in this project, we navigated "schooling" by means of other peoples' stories - people we had never met before and never would. This book grew out of trust and honor. What started as a four-month adult education ESL class at a local college resulted in a lifelong treasure. Fond Memories is a collection of personal stories that represent a moment in time - both past and present. The process of creating this book is in itself a beautiful story.