Lyza's New Wheels

I'll tell you a story about someone so selfless, kind and talented that it will make you believe in mythical creatures. You may end up thinking that people like Lyza don't exist, I didn't, until I met her and now I know a real-life Phoenix.

Lyza is simultaneously the most powerful yet gentle person on your team. She endlessly backs up those of us lucky enough to call her friend. She will drive an hour after working her tail off, to bring you groceries or pick you up if your car dies. She will sacrifice all her free time to help you install a window, hang up art, build a deck for your parents, grind as you weld, weld as you grind or fix your fountain for your fish. Her talents lie in so many rings, from animal husbandry, carpentry, caregiving, construction, trail building, heavy machine operating, and electrical work to helping train service animals, that it's impossible to list them all here.

Lyza is also the backbone of one of California's natural gems, The Sedgwick Reserve in Santa Ynez on California's Gold Coast is a research facility for UCSB. She has tirelessly led the maintenance and management of the reserve for the last 5 years. Her dedication to the Reserve has facilitated the completion of major projects, assisted in environmental and fire ecological research and led the team through a rough shutdown and grand reopening.

Lyza's dedication to her family will make your heart burst, her Dad glows when he talks about her and she humbly walks alongside him into his later years, paying his mortgage, and household bills to enable his comfortable retirement. She is reserved yet out going and won't hesitate to clap back if you come for her or her team. She'll stick up for you and your integrity with her massive amount of confidence, skill and excellent vernacular. Few things are more rewarding than being Lyza's friend, defended by a well-spoken, altruistic, humble Queen of dance who can outwork your hired help and teach them new skills while she does. These are just a few tiny glimpses into Lyza's long tradition of helping others. There isn't anything that Lyza can't do, and most often, she does it for free. Her tradition of helping others in need in dire need of our help.

Recently Lyza finally did something for herself, she bought herself a new used car. It was a sweet ride that she enjoyed for a few short weeks. 8 days ago, while driving home Lyza swerved to avoid a deer (seriously people she wouldn't even harm a deer in the road) thankfully she did not hit the deer but Lyza's new car was not so lucky.

She crashed into an oak tree and her new car burst into flames like an unwanted firework in a grand old Santa Ynez oak. Lyza gratefully walked away unharmed but her new car which was full of her tools and equipment wasn't so lucky. Her vehicle burned to the ground, taking with it Lyza's transportation, her ability to help others and travel to care for her Father.

After hearing her tell the story, I thought to myself, I'm going to help Lyza replace one thing at a time, one day she'll have it all back. Then another friend offered to do the same and another friend asked how they could help, soon enough Lyza's friends and family began searching for ways to help...but Lyza would never ask for help for herself. She's a head down, up at 5 am, a working machine who will still never charge you full price even when she should. So, it became obvious to me rather quickly, we need Gofundme.

So here we are people, Lyza's New Wheels Gofundme is live! Now's our chance to help Lyza after all the times she's helped us. (Lyza, please don't be mad, we had to help.) Our goal is to help defer the cost of the car payments from her burning car and help her rise again like a Phoenix and make a down payment on a new car and replace her tools so she can get back on the road to helping others.

This is the place you can show gratitude for Lyza, our Team Captain and help her rise from the ashes of her accident. All money raised will go to facilitate replacing her tools, and her vehicle so she can drive an hour and a half to check on her Dad and take him to lunch, pick your puppy up from daycare and swing by to pop in your kitchen sink quick. Seriously people, who is going to help us if Lyza isn't able to?

Please help in any way you can by showing your support for our friend Lyza. If a person truly gets what they give, then I do not doubt that Lyza will be back on the road as quickly as a firefly in July.