Judy White in the desert birding
Judy White enjoying her passion, gardening
Deb Melton and Judy White
I asked Judy White, chair of The Women of Quail Creek (TWOQC) Scholarship Team, if she would be willing to be our “Member Spotlight” this month, and she agreed. Here is what she had to say.
Where did you live before moving to Quail Creek?
My husband Dan and I lived in Hawaii for about 22 years prior to moving to Quail Creek. Our professional careers have centered around education at both secondary and collegiate levels in California and Hawaii. In 2002 we were asked to found an independent school on Oahu, and we retired as principal administrators from there in 2013. It took us a few years to decide to leave Hawaii and move to Arizona, though I have loved the Sonoran Desert for decades.
How did you learn about TWOQC, and how long have you been a member?
I’ve been a member since fall 2020, just a few months after we moved to QC. My next-door neighbor Marilyn Burkstrand is a member and also treasurer of the TWOQC Scholarship Committee. I was especially interested in the fact that women who are returning to complete their education were given assistance through the program, and I joined TWOQC in order to participate in the Scholarship Committee.
What is it you most enjoy about being a member of TWOQC?
Even though I haven’t as yet participated in any of them, I appreciate the time and effort (and generosity of presenters) that go into organizing arts/crafts and other classes, as well as interesting outings for members. That TWOQC has a charitable purpose as part of its mission was also important to me. For the most part, my involvement with TWOQC to date has been involved with the Scholarship Committee.
What other activities do you participate in outside of TWOQC?
I’m a member of the Green Valley Gardeners and maintain a raised garden bed at Desert Meadows, as well as donate potted plants to their nursery for sale. I was recently asked to join the board of the Sahuarita Educational Enrichment Foundation. I’m also interested in succulents and other desert plants and enjoy collecting potted specimens and adding interesting plants to my yard. I’ve been an avid birder for many years and am pleased to now be living in one of the birding hotspots in the U.S. Now that COVID restrictions have loosened, my husband and I are also enjoying getting out to more of the local area museums, historical sites, and other areas of interest.
What dream or bucket list item would you like to fulfill this year?
I’d like to say that Botswana is on my bucket list for the coming year, but that will likely have to wait. We’ve been to Kenya and Tanzania a couple of times and would love to return to Africa. For the coming year, we are looking to make some road trips to explore more of the Southwest—Northern Arizona and Utah in particular.