Sharon Lewis, a former member of the Citrus College Foundation Board of Directors, celebrated her 90th birthday in February. With it came lots of love and support for all she has done on campus.
An idea to get her 90 cards for her 90th birthday came from her friend Rose Wentz and they fell short. However with help from the Citrus community, she received close to 95 cards, Director of Foundation and Alumni Relations Christina Garcia said.
“It’s the contacts that she has through her volunteering and her friendships that over the years that make people want to send the cards in,” Garcia said.
Lewis described the feeling of receiving that many cards as a happy time in her life.
“It was probably the happiest month and a half I’ve ever had in my life,” Lewis said. “…And each one was just wonderful to hear from people that I didn’t know even cared about me.”
At 90, it is nice to know people like you and still care about you, Lewis said.
Lewis said it is nice for older people to be told how they are appreciated, and that is not usually done while people are still alive.
“That’s really special for an older person to be told how they’ve been appreciated and we don’t do that with our family or friends usually and after they’re gone then we talk about it, too late,” Lewis said.
Lewis said one unexpected gift came from Athen Services Executive Vice President Gary Clifford and his wife Linda who came with a bowl of cookies and a card that popped out with flowers with a $100 bill in it.
Each one of the cards was special knowing people took the time to make her day, Lewis said.
Lewis has deep roots in the community as she was a cheerleader for Citrus back when it was a high school and also had a family business in Azusa for a number of years with her husband Charles Lewis, Garcia said.
Lewis is retiring from the Citrus College Foundation Board of Directors after serving many decades. However, she will still be involved in being a reader for scholarships as well as remain active with the Citrus Alumni and Friends Association, Garcia said in an email.
Lewis said she was given such a special honor with a scholarship being named after her when she retired.
“I was given such a special honor from the foundation, they have named that scholarship to be Sharon Lewis Bright Future Scholarship. What an honor, how could I ever dreamed that could happen for me,” Lewis said.
Lewis said that it is the highlight of everything she has had to do with Citrus.
Lewis said one of the best people to work with on the foundation board was Garcia. Garcia said Lewis has invested in the future of the foundation and they are better people because of her.
Garcia describes Lewis as kind-hearted, generous and eager to help students.
She has affected many students by supporting them through the foundation with scholarship support, gift card support and emergency grants, Garcia said in an email.
Kimberly Toth, a student at Citrus who majors in photography, used the foundation to help fund her education during a difficult time in her life as her husband dealt with health issues.
“Money was, you know, tight for our family and the foundation helps me with the scholarship to fund my classes for a semester,” Toth said. “Otherwise, I would have had to not attend school for a while.”
Toth along with Garcia met with Lewis to take birthday portraits for her 90th birthday with all her cards. Toth said Lewis paid for lunch which they enjoyed at her home. Toth said she hopes to be able to photograph Lewis’ husband’s birthday in June.
While at lunch, Garcia said Lewis mentioned her receiving a card from Superintendent/President Greg Schulz.
Lewis said it was impressive and she did not think he would do something like that. Schulz will be a great person to have on campus Lewis said.
“I think he really cares about it, cares about the students and cares about getting the community involved,” Lewis said. “…After the things we’ve been through and different things that have happened, he’s going to bring it together because he wants to.”
