When Linda Buck first arrived in California from Canada in 2001 with her husband and young son, she was looking for ways to connect with her new community. What started as a passion for health and wellness quickly blossomed into years of meaningful volunteer work that has touched countless lives across the Beach Cities.
Linda began volunteering with the Center for Health and Fitness (CHF) and the YMCA as a group exercise instructor, teaching “Mommy and Me” classes. After her daughter was born and her son started preschool, she stepped back from volunteering at CHF to focus on raising her children. It wasn’t long before Linda was back to giving her time and energy to the causes she cared about most.
Linda learned about the LiveWell Kids program while her kids were enrolled at Beryl Heights Elementary School. Designed to get children moving and making healthy food choices, LiveWell Kids inspired Linda to volunteer as a docent, where she taught nutrition, led gardening activities, and guided morning exercises.
As her kids grew, so did Linda’s involvement. Through her work with the PTA—including serving as President—she recognized the need to better engage parents in the LiveWell Kids program. Her feedback to Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) staff helped launch the Parent Health & Wellness Liaisons volunteer group. This group now brings parents together from the three Beach Cities to collaborate on emerging community needs and has addressed important topics like digital citizenship, healthy relationships with food, substance use prevention, and mental health for both students and parents.
Tessa Gartner, School Health Programs Supervisor says:
“Linda has been a member of the Parent Health & Wellness Liaisons for several years, acting as the RBUSD PTA Council Health & Wellness Chair for the past three years. She has served an integral role in connecting the RBUSD PTA Council with BCHD and the Beach Cities Partnership for Youth Coalition. Beyond attending meetings and providing reports to the PTA Council, she assisted with the creation of several Talk About It parent education documents, covering topics like Fentanyl and having a healthy relationship with food.”
For Linda, who also serves as a BCHD Ambassador and an Event Volunteer, the most rewarding part of volunteering is the connection she feels with the community: “Join. Get involved. BCHD is really supportive and their programs are great! They are a true asset to our community, and I feel privileged to be a part of an organization that truly listens to and works so closely with the people they serve.”
From leading morning stretches to shaping parent engagement, Linda’s journey shows how one person’s passion can ripple outward, creating healthier, stronger communities. Her story is a reminder that when we share our time and talents, we not only support others but we enrich our own lives, too.
