Written by Volunteer Spotlight Writer Kami Danaei
For Sheri Ward, volunteering isn’t just something she does, it’s how she builds community and turns a new place into home. When Sheri moved from Seattle and headed south in 2021, she was ready for a change. After visiting her brother, Randall and his family in Redondo Beach, the relocation felt easy. With the weather, laid-back atmosphere and proximity to the water, the Beach Cities quickly felt like home.
Not long after moving, Sheri began looking for ways to connect; an ad in the Easy Reader introducing Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) and its Moai opportunities caught her eye. Moais are small, purpose-driven social groups encouraged by the Blue Zones Project that help people build meaningful connections, something Sheri was eager to find in the Beach Cities. Sheri connected with Jackie Uy at BCHD to learn more and decided to join the restaurant Moai where she quickly formed connections that ultimately led her to volunteer as a Restaurant Ambassador. The role was a natural fit given Sheri’s long history of volunteering.
As a Restaurant Ambassador, Sheri works to encourage local restaurants and grocery stores to offer healthier food choices aligned with the Blue Zones healthy eating principles. Her work involves ensuring that participating restaurants continue to offer healthier menu options as a Blue Zone Approved Restaurant, as well as researching and connecting with potential new restaurants interested in providing healthier choices. “I like learning about the restaurants in our area,” Sheri shares. “It makes me feel more connected to the community.”
That sense of connection is something Sheri values deeply, and it’s also what she highlights when offering advice to prospective volunteers. She encourages others to get involved, noting that BCHD offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities that make it easy to meet people and find a role that’s a good match.
Sheri’s supervisor, Jackie Uy, sums it up best: “With her experience, sense of humor and commitment (once even joining a meeting from the airport), Sheri is an especially valuable member of the Restaurant Ambassador Committee.” Jackie also highlights Sheri’s willingness to jump in wherever help is needed, sharing, “I can always count on her help with onboarding new volunteers since she remembers what it was like to be a Blue Zones beginner,” and the initial information overload. As Jackie jokes, the Pacific Northwest may be known for wellness, but the Beach Cities became an even better Blue Zones community now that Sheri calls Redondo Beach home.
Outside of volunteering, Sheri keeps busy playing Mah Jongg, cheering on the Seattle Mariners, travelling (48 countries and counting) and cooking and entertaining friends. She’s also recently joined the King Harbor Yacht Club and is enjoying its many activities. Whether welcoming new volunteers or working alongside local restaurants, Sheri’s contributions help to bring the Blue Zones vision of healthier, more connected communities to life in the Beach Cities.
