KRIS POWELL

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER & LEADER

“I'‘ve been involved in the community for a long time. Always involved, highly involved.”

HOUSING STORY

My adult kids can’t really afford to live here in Encinitas. A landlord actually set them on the couch and said, “It is going to be hard for you to meet this rent.”

That is when I came in. I helped by moving in with them. The reason the landlord let my son move into the house was because I wrote him a two page e-mail tugging at his heartstrings. Finally he let my son and his family move in. But, with changes in my finances I got stuck living there too. So for awhile it worked out for all of us. Then, I was very fortunate to finally find a studio I could afford in Leucadia, where I live now.

“When my kids were young, I was a single mom working 50 to 60 hours a week, while volunteering in the community.”

I remember one time when we were going to a soccer tournament. I was driving the boys. I had one young man in the car with me who was from a single parent home. He had big behavioral problems. I went to pick up another boy on our way to a tournament in Escondido. The boy I went to pick up took one look at the boy I had in the car with me and would not get in. He didn't like him because he was poor and had an attitude problem, so the kid I went to pick up refused to come with us. His mother allowed that kind of thing to happen. I was blown away. He actually said, “I will not ride in the same car with him.” I said, “You’re getting in. Now.”

Later, the poor boy with behavioral problems came back and thanked me, because I also took him under my wing and helped him out. He ended up continuing to play soccer and went on to play in college and got a scholarship. That was a good feeling, to know I had been able to make a difference.

I understood. I was a single parent as well. And, I had a child who could also act out a bit too, so I just knew what to do. The other kid said, “He stinks and he's dirty.” It was just horrible. The fact that the boy who had problems came back to see me, and a lot of my boys on that team have done that, means a lot to me.

“We did one in Olivenhain with their Hiking Trails Coalition nonprofit. I met with the president and we scouted out a path for her. It turned out to be a beautiful day.”

I hooked up with Catherine Blakespear when she ran for mayor. I started as a volunteer and now I’m paid staff on her campaigns, as her volunteer coordinator. There are three of us, Scott Chatfield, Catherine and myself. Our campaign strategy works out well.

When she first announced she was running we started doing hikes and walks around Encinitas. I planned and marketed them. We advertise them through our newsletters. We always had from 30 to 50 people there. We weren't asking for money, Catherine really wanted to be up close and personal and to gather at different places. It was very successful. We started the first one at the Encinitas Ranch. We did one in Olivenhain with their Hiking Trails Coalition nonprofit. I met with the president and we scouted out a path for her. It turned out to be a beautiful day. We also did one at San Elijo Lagoon. Since they're doing all that trenching, digging out the dirt and sand, and also the wastewater treatment plant is doing a remodel, we combined the two. I just wished a hundred people would have been there. It was so informative. When we did Encinitas Ranch, Mim Mishlove was still working at the Food Lab and so she gave us a great tour. They were all great.

“I am a visionary, I have ideas, I didn't know that until recently.”

Through the Senior Commission I am working on senior transportation. We want a substantial transportation project to get underway. Already, sixty men have raised money to help us. Have you ever heard of men doing fundraising?! Sixty men?! And, I connected up with an organization who offered to set up a nonprofit for the senior center, to help raise more money. That happened just today.

It was just from having conversations, just asking around, just being out there in the community. That's what I do. I am a visionary, I have ideas, I didn't know that until recently.