On September 8, 2024, Sandra H. Cooperman passed away in Stockton, CA. and if anybody can be said to embody Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote that “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve,” it was Sandra.
In 1998, Sandra and Georgi LaBerge pulled together a group of people to create the Library Foundation with the mission to supplement, not replace, public funding for Redwood City Public Library. Their guiding concept remains the Foundation’s core mission to this day: fundraising for innovative initiatives that expand the Library’s offerings to the community.
Beyond RCLF, Sandra was an environmental activist who helped lead the efforts to preserve Bair Island, one of the last remaining wetlands in the Bay Area. At the heart of it all was a desire to serve her community.
“Sandra’s love for her community was deep and wide,” said Debbi Jones-Thomas, RCLF emerita board member. “She had a penchant for being present and giving voice to community issues that mattered in improving the quality of life for everyone.”
Georgi, former RCLF executive director, noted that Sandra’s devotion to improving Redwood City’s quality of life was complemented by a drive to deliver real results. I loved working with Sandra on behalf of RCLF. Her gentle, but persistent approach to fundraising was instrumental in raising $850,000 for the [initial] Redwood Shores Library collection.”
Sandra’s dedication to Redwood City and all its residents can be an inspiration for all of us.
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