Two Gwinnett Latina’s Re-imagine Your Child’s Next Gift

By Myra Coria, M.Ed.

Shopping for gifts is so fun – until it’s not. When was the last time you purchased a gift for a child? The long lines, the traffic, and not to mention those rising toy prices. One is left to wonder if it’s all worth it for a toy that will likely end up under the car seat or get forgotten after about fifteen minutes. What about gifting something that will last a lifetime? What about gifting a memory, something that was previously out of reach for a family?

Dani Vasquez Robles vividly remembers throwing a tennis ball in the air and smashing it with her racquet. Gabby Bautista will never forget feeling the wind through her hair as she cheered and flipped in the air during a high school football game.

Dani and Gabby were both raised in Snellville and attended South Gwinnett High School. Dani is grateful she was able to think of creative ways to pay for her high school memories. Twelve years later, Dani has had to get even more creative as a mother of two active and curious boys, one who enjoys playing baseball, and the other who likes going to the zoo. When Dani’s sisters asked Dani what toys her youngest wanted, Dani looked at the stack of toys that had not been played with for months, and instead asked them to contribute to a trip to the zoo. This idea sparked her interest in meaningful gift-giving.

A pediatric nurse practitioner and mother of a two year old, Gabby had a similar experience regarding her daughter’s birthday gifts. Gabby’s daughter received the same gift three times and was tasked with giving away the toy intended for her daughter. Instead of toys for her birthday, her active daughter would love to attend a toddler gymnastics class.

Gabby soon joined Dani in the movement toward finding a way to make gifting more meaningful, memorable, and easier on everyone!

Dani is the co-founder and COO at Gift Nabü, and Gabby is the Head of Community Engagement. Gift Nabü is an innovative way to gift children learning experiences, life lessons, and memories

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Ryan’s Remarks

Continued from page 7 the pandemic in different ways. However, it is fair to say, we have all gone through a once-in-a-lifetime experience together. It has been tough, strange, weird, etc., to have so many things (even those trickle-down effect items) in a constant state of change. Some might say… exhausting!

We are approaching the spring season and warmer weather. This means longer daylight hours and more fun. I predict we will all have a great spring and summer of 2023. Also, I may not know you directly, but your feedback and encouragement to me (directly or indirectly) are greatly appreciated. Your support helps me remain optimistic and encouraging in writing these columns, magazines, speaking, radio, TV, podcast shows, etc. Iron (indeed) sharpens iron.

Let me encourage us all to take a moment and reflect on the past three years so we can appreciate where we are now. It has been Tough. Unprecedented. Frustrating. Confusing. Overwhelming. Unknown, etc. Quite frankly, no words are good enough to encompass or describe how historians will define this period. However, we have made it through this time together. Together indeed!

So, let us continue to give each other the benefit of the doubt, love more, listen better, judge less, care more, smile, and be patient. Simply said, we need to BE KIND. I do not profess to have mastered all these things, and I work on them daily. And please know we can only control what we can control.

To all my family, friends, colleagues, and this community, you are the best. Your support and partnership mean more than I can ever tell you. I wish all of you the best, and thank you for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!