Meet Jen. She is a teacher, a mother, wife, friend, athlete, business owner, and an active member in her community. Jen is 58 and still competes in triathlons . In the 2012 Shelby County ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships she came in 4th in her age group. This year she won a local race in her age group as well. Recently as she was training for a race she took a fall from her bike and hurt her arm, but that didn’t stop her. She is still doing what she can to train. Jen is fiercely competitive to say the least.
But what stands out to me the most about Jen is her love and passion for helping others. Her family’s bike store helped to create a bike hub in Morgan Hill’s pop-up park downtown. She is also an active participant in getting the new all inclusive playground built in Morgan Hill.
And even her profession is about helping others. She owns her own speech therapy practice, Bay Area Speech and Language. What is impressive about Jen is that she works to understand the whole child. She adjusts her therapy to meet each child and their needs. If it means walking to the park to play outside to help foster interaction then that is what she does. If it means finding toys and games that interest that child then she hunts them down and makes sure she has them on hand. Jen recently had a student in her therapy that spoke for the first time. This is what brings her joy. She wants her students to reach their full potential.
Her patience and compassion are unsurpassed. She will stop at nothing to help each student. She is truly a light to all the children she helps.
But this past year has also been a difficult one for her. Her family’s bike shop closed. It was heartbreaking for them to close a business that they ran for years. A business that was a true passion and labor of love.
Jen is a gem. She truly deserved to be honored for all that she does and all that she is.
Jen, the Holiday Cheer Elves and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and we hope our small gift let you know how very much you are appreciated.
Sincerely,
Michelle & The Holiday Cheer Elves