4 minute read
Meet Julie Moore: A True-Blue California Girl
www.BlackhawkLivingCA.com @BlackhawkLivingCA #BlackhawkLivingCA
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010
Julie has called Blackhawk home for more than twenty years. A true California girl, she was born in Sacramento, raised in Auburn and attended college at the University of Pacific in Stockton. She says the highlight of her college experience was her time in a sorority, “I spent three years living in the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house, where I found friendships that have literally lasted throughout my lifetime. For several years, I worked on the Theta Advisory Board, which allowed me to keep in close touch with my Theta sisters. It was a kick to share stories with the current sorority gals about the adventures we had during our college years.”
After earning her degree in Elementary School education, Julie pursued her passion for teaching but faced many challenges along the way. “I loved teaching, but had to supplement my teacher-salary with a summer bookkeeping job. What started as a way to earn a little money on the side, led me to discover my love of accounting, so, I went back to school to study accounting, earned my CPA license, and practiced in public accounting for five years,” says Julie. That led to Julie becoming controller for her family’s business, Pacific Rim Recycling (PRR).
Pacific Rim Recycling (PRR) was created when Julie’s ex-husband, Steve, started working at the YMCA forty years ago. “He wanted to find a way to employ some financially-challenged teenagers who participated in the YMCA programs and decided to tap into a newly emerging business called recycling. He created a small buy back center in the YMCA parking lot. Fast forward a few years, and we started PRR in the bottom level of our Pleasant Hill condo. Our business model was built on the concept that a portion of the proceeds would go to local charities. We started with 500 wooden recycled newspaper collection boxes located in grocery store parking lots.From that point, PRR grew to handle curbside recycling collection for 5 bay area cities. Subsequently, our company spent a decade handling the recyclables generated by most of Contra Costa county,” shares Julie. Over the years the philanthropic arm of PRR started to really add up. Julie believes it’s why they were so successful, “Good communities choose to reward the philanthropic efforts made by well-meaning business’ ventures. It’s the ultimate win-win.”
Julie retired from her role at PRR and began to focus her talents towards helping nonprofits, “I was blessed to be able to retire at an early age and focus my accounting skills on being Treasurer for several charity and volunteer organizations. Many happy years were spent being Treasurer of PTA groups and college alumnae groups. More recently, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time spent on the Board of Blackhawk Women, and serving as Treasurer for Blackhawk Women Scholarship Fund (BWSF). I’m so proud to say that my dear friends in the BWSF group have been responsible for awarding over $375,000 in scholarship monies to many financially-challenged, well-deserving Contra Costa women attending four-year colleges/universities,” shares Julie.
From a young age, Julie was inspired by her parents to give back to those in need. “My parents did a wonderful job of instilling a philanthropic spirit into me. When I was 8-years-old, my parents chose to participate in an organization similar to Peace Corp called LAOS (Laymens Overseas Service). LAOS allowed families to do volunteer service abroad for one year. We went to Puerto Rico and lived in a small mountain village. My dad was the first licensed pharmacist the local hospital ever had, and my mom taught English to the kids in the local elementary school. My favorite memories of Puerto Rico include running across the cement floor of our living quarters every morning to pull a ripe banana off the stalk that my dad hung in the corner of our kitchen. I loved picking off elephant ear plant leaves to use as a makeshift umbrellas while walking to school in pouring tropical rainstorms and using flattened cardboard boxes to slide down the steep grassy hillside in front of the hospital,” says Julie.
A Bay Area resident since graduating college, Julie and her ex-husband, Steve, along with their daughter, Marisa, moved to Blackhawk 23 years ago.
Last year Julie was overjoyed to help host her daughter’s wedding ceremony in the gorgeous Santa Cruz mountains. She says she can’t wait to become a grandmother, “I’m really hoping to become a grandmother in the near future. My daughter and her new husband live nearby in Lafayette, so I’m prepared to be on call for any baby-sitting duties that hopefully come along.”
Julie lights up when asked about her own parents, saying her dad is her true hero. “My mom passed away several years ago, but my dad is still going strong. He continues to live in Auburn - in the very home I was raised in. My father is 89 years-young and the man is so busy I need to schedule visits around his calendar. Between his Rotary meetings, singing in the church choir, and golfing every week...the man is living the dream. I only hope to follow in his footsteps.”
Most days you can find Julie cruising the streets of Blackhawk walking her rescue dog, Jack. She is also very passionate about exercise – especially when it’s combined with upbeat music. She loves Jazzercise and her new-found sport, Pickleball. “It’s been fun meeting some new Blackhawk friends out on the Sports Complex courts. I’m looking to meet more fun BH friends at our amazing BH Fitness Center.”
Do you know a neighbor who has a story to share? Nominate your neighbor to be featured in one of our upcoming issues! Contact us at mscott@bestversionmedia.com.
