Coin Stories

Helped a co-worker with a hard day!

I received this coin on the occasion of my retirement after over 20 years as the director of our county library system. My monarch mentor, Kylee Baumle, presented it to me. I was sincerely touched by her thoughtfulness. Because of Kylee, my husband and I have been inspired to establish habitats and plants for butterflies and bees. I will pass this special coin on at the right moment.

Having spent the past five days in the beautiful land of the Outer Hebrides, I am passing this coin on to Andrew, our extraordinaire tour manager.

Andrew has displayed a very special quality of kindness to our entire traveling troupe. Throughout our journey, he has been relentless in overseeing every detail, making sure that everyone’s needs of our tour group of 31 senior adults have been seen to in a very personalized way.

It takes a specially gifted person to continually shown such kindness and thoughtfulness to so many different people, who come from so many different backgrounds, from all around the world. Andrew has set an example of positivity, thoughtfulness, and kindness that we should all strive for in our lives.

Given to David Whitman for his brilliantly coming up with the phrase "Mutual Rescue" which is illuminating for the world how helping animals also helps people!

Check out: https://mutualrescue.org/

Given to John Cicolella for his leadership in running the wellness/spay-neuter mobile program at Humane Society Silicon Valley which helps the pets of people experiencing homelessness. So great to have this talents making life better for both animals and people!!

Given to John Cicolella for dedicating a year of his life to be a Maddie's Executive Leadership Fellow at Humane Society Silicon Valley so he can make an even greater impact in saving the lives of homeless animals!

Given to Taylor Sharp for her leadership in creating a pilot Trap/Neuter/Return program for community (feral) cats in Silicon Valley which will save the lives of cats and lead to an even bigger scaling of the program throughout the area!

Given to Taylor Sharp for dedicating a year of her life to be a Maddie's Executive Leadership Fellow at Humane Society Silicon Valley so she can make an even greater impact in saving the lives of homeless animals!

Given to Yvonne Saucedo for being a member of Humane Society Silicon Valley's leadership team where she makes a difference every day in helping to transform the lives of both animals and humans!

Given to Dr. Cristie Kamiya in supporting recovery efforts after the Butte County/Paradise/Camp Fire of 2018 by leading employees and volunteers from Humane Society Silicon Valley in a two week stay to
care for animals left homeless from the fire.

Check out this blog post:
https://www.hssv.org/1035-2/

Given to Dr. Cristie Kamiya for being a member of Humane Society Silicon Valley's leadership team where she makes a difference every day in helping to transform the lives of both animals and humans!

Given to Joanne Jacobs for her fearless leadership in significantly advancing Humane Society Silicon Valley's (HSSV) infrastructure by upgrading our CRM systems and website. This will make it possible for HSSV to increase our fundraising efforts to save the lives of even more homeless animals! She is making a big difference in the world by using her vast expertise to help transform both human and animal lives!!

Given to Joanne Jacobs for being a member of Humane Society Silicon Valley's leadership team where she makes a difference every day in helping to transform the lives of both animals and humans!

Given to Stephanie Ladeira for her phenomenal leadership of Humane Society Silicon Valley's (HSSV) Community Development effort to integrate human and animal services. Her efforts in driving the pilot with Downtown Streets Teams to volunteer is truly transforming lives! Check out this link:

https://abc7news.com/society/man-overcomes-homelessness-other-issues-finds-purpose-in-new-pilot-program/5479963/

Given to Stephanie Ladeira for being a member of Humane Society Silicon Valley's leadership team where she makes a difference every day in helping to transform the lives of both animals and humans!

Given to Candice Balmaceda for going above and beyond in leading the development of the fiscal year 20 plan at Humane Society Silicon Valley. She is a finance rock star who uses her talents to help save homeless animals!

Given to Candice Balmaceda for being a member of Humane Society Silicon Valley's leadership team where she makes a difference every day in helping to transform the lives of both animals and humans!

Given to Caroline Alexander for all the love and affection she bestows on the community garden cats at Humane Society Silicon Valley - which helps them become more social and more easily adopted!

Caroline Alexander received this coin for being part of the team at Humane Society Silicon Valley's where she helps transform human and animal lives every day!

I was greatly gifted this butterfly coin from my cousin Dan. He traveled from Minnesota with his wife and sisters and stopped by for a visit in Barstow, California. I decided to show them some of the sites in our area. We stopped at the Harvey House Museum and Train station off of Old Route 66. Then we traveled to Rainbow Basin to do a little rugged driving and some rock climbing. We ended our afternoon with some swimming and a grilled supper. Defiantly, not enough hours to catch up in all our stories. Thanks again Dan for this Butterfly Coin, it is so beautiful. I will have a hard time parting with it, but I am one to pass kindness and acknowledge others for their kindness. I have a few in mind already.

I received this coin from Shawn Wheeler. Before I personally knew her, I admired her from afar. Now that we are friends who happen to be fighting cancer, it’s brought us closer. I was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of gynecological cancer you can get on my birthday in 2016 and the dr said, well you have to remember your 40 now🤬 I fight everyday & I believe that every morning I wake up, it’s God saying ...... Get up, you have more to do. It’s not your time. So everyday I wake up is amazing. God bless those who need it❤️

I received this coin after I lost my dad. It was a thoughtful, kind gesture at a time that I was struggling. I held on to the coin for a bit and I'm struggling again. I'm so let down and disappointed that my pup's surgery was postponed. I think I need to hold onto it just a bit longer as tomorrow should be his surgery date..

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

~~ Here starts the journey of this Monarch coin in 2019 ~~

** Be Kind ** Do Good ** Pay it Forward **

I'm on a journey to deliver all 12 of my Monarch coins over the next 2 weeks, as my family goes on vacation. We'll be driving up and down the east coast.

If you find a coin, please share with others and pay the kindness forward, in whatever way that means to you.

I received this butterfly coin at my 80th birthday party in Golden, CO. I’m passing it to young friends from church along with a set of barbecue tools. They bought their first home in February and recently bought a grill. Note: the barbecue set was a free gift to us for buying a piece of furniture, but we can’t use it. Happy grilling, Jen and Matt! And

Some friends of mine raise Monarch Butterflies. One day they invited me to participate in releasing some. Such a beautiful experience. Thank you, Susan and Mike! Monarch Waystation #15715

An elderly lady on the airplane, needing help with her bag. It just felt right.

I gave this coin and my homemade mug to Emma, a recent college graduate with highest honors, dog lover and now is studying to be a family doctor. May your hard work result in making a positive difference in lives!

My name is Cynde,
Thank you Jackie for gifting me this butterfly coin. You are so very special to me and i look up to you as a friend and as an amazing parent. I want to give this coin to someone who is so kind and generous and is always there to lend a hand. I know everyone has times in their lives when they need a little extra friendship or love. I hope this person knows they are loved by so many.

I am giving this coin to an incredible woman who has a big heart and helps everyone in need. CAD, thank you for being a big part of my life as a great friend, a great listener, and an a beautiful soul. Always & Forever. DMP 8.15.2019

My friend Darra is a loving, caring and compassionate soul. We took a trip and she would not allow me to help cover gas and hotel expenses. She is always about giving to others and loving others where they are. I love you, Darra! You make this world a better place.

Sometime we meet people and we instantly know they are good people. In the military we move around a lot and usually there is someone helping you get adjusted. I’m giving this coin to you Donovan because you have truly been a butterfly in my life. Though I have only known you for a short period of time, you has made my transition to a new place a breeze. You've been a listening ear and someone I truly call a friend. I’m blessed to have met you and I thank you for your friendship.

I received this coin from a very special friend. I shared my story with him and now I want to share it with the entire world. So here goes.
So a few months after I turned 18 i was gave birth to a baby girl. While i was pregnant i didn't know much. The one thing i knew was that I didn't want my daughter to feel like a burden just as i felt most of my life. You see, I've never met my dad, even to this day. My mom is mentally diasbled and did not and does not have the mental capacity to take care of my brother and I. We moved from family member to famliy member. Just to whoever could take care of us. I often felt unwanted, a burden, and like no one realy cared about me. I felt like people looked at me with pity because of my mom;s circumstances. As a young girl i felt lost, no mother and no father. I once lived with a family member that told me that the only reason i was living under their roof was because nobody else wanted me. This stuck with me for a long time. Fast forward and I'm 17 and pregnant. I decided that I would do whatever it took for my daughter to avoid the kind of life i had, even if that life didn't include me. I was okay with walking away so that she would have a better life. When i made this decision, I didn't even know there was a such thing as open and closed adoption. I thought you choose adoption and and 16-17 years later this angry teenager is asking you "why didn't you want me?" I gave birth on Sept 17 1998. I remember looking down at her and I swear she smiled at me. It could have been gas, but i choose to believe it was a smile, lol. The nurse came to get her and i chose not to watch her leave. I wanted the last memory to be of us looking in each others eyes. I slipped a short letter with her and and sat there crying, know that this was best for her. The first time i met Christines' parents was in the Adoption office. When I saw Julia's face (Christine's mom) she had a smile that put me at ease and reassured me that everything would be alright. To my surprise it didn't stop there. Julia kept giving me updates on our daughter. She sent pictures and even offered to meet up so I could see Christine. When Christine was almost two I joined the Air Force. Julia and Kevin (Christine's dad) sent me pictures and told me about how our daughter was doing. I deployed overseas and Julia would send me care pakages. Everytime i was stateside I would visit. I was just blessed and grateful that Julia was allowing me to be in her life. This kept going on and the bond between Julia, Christine, and I just kept getting stronger. We never had any disagreements because we were both so grateful to one another. She was grateful to add to her family and I was grateful that Chrisine was in her family. We celebrate all of Christines' milestone together. celebrating our baby girl getting married, and having a child of her own. Julia said one thing to me that i will forever be grateful of. She said "You know Debbie, when we adopted Christine we adopted you too." She has ALWAYS treated me like I am part of her family. I Love her so much. A few months ago Christine and I were talking and she shared that she never knew the sacrifice I made until she had her own son. She told me she loved me and that she understands how hard that must of been. Getting that validation from here was everything. Most people don't think something like this can happen. I am a living testimony that it can happen. I love my adoption story and i wish more peopl could have the same experience i had. Thank you for reading and if you ever have any questions I am an open book. You can contact me at djaksyn@outlook.com. Be blessed and always smile!!!!