Dohna Lee Dunderdale Day

COMMUNITY NEWS Dohna Lee Dunderdale Day

Dohna Lee Dunderdale, founder of the Made in Santa Cruz retail shop, got a special treat before Christmas — the Santa Cruz mayor declared Dec. 15 as Dohna Lee Dunderdale Day for her contributions to the community over the last 28 years.

In 1994, she had the idea to showcase the creativity of local artists, craftspeople, and designers.

Her shop, Made in Santa Cruz, located on the Santa Cruz Wharf, where the scenery is sensational, appeals to local residents and visitors alike.

Today, the shop features merchandise from more than 100 local businesses and artists, the “red dot” shirts from NHS, the “screaming hand” from Jim Phillips, and watercolor prints by Marie Gabrielle, to name a few.

Dunderdale, who turned 71 on Dec. 15, developed her own line of Za*Zen Recovery Pillows, weighted them with rice grown in Woodland, with aromatic lavender grown locally at Bonny Doon Farms, mixed in.

The pillow can be heated up in a microwave oven and then placed on any part of the body that needs warming and soothing. It also can be chilled, sealed in a zip lock bag in the freezer. The price is $44.95.

Dunderdale, a massage therapist, has sold 72,000 and donated more than 800 to

Dohna Lee Dunderdale enjoys unusual weather on the Wharf, where her shop Made in Santa Cruz is located. veterans with the help of organizations like Operation Surf, Holistic Veterans, and the Santa Cruz Police and Fire Departments. “We’ve never had a one returned,” said her friend Jeannie Collins, who designed the logo for Made in Santa Cruz and who finds the recovery pillow beneficial herself.

Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Dunderdale grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois. In 1973, she joined an alternative community on “The Land” in the hills above Palo Alto.

She was one of many people from that community who found their way to Santa Cruz to become community leaders.

She and her partner John Peck moved to Santa Cruz for better access to midwife care, and both of her daughters were born in Santa Cruz.

Her work experience was diverse, from flea market sales to waitressing at the Davenport Cash Store and Gilda’s on the Wharf. She was lead singer for the rock band Colorform in the 1980s, then worked in real estate with Jim Lee and Coldwell Banker before her Made in Santa Cruz brainstorm.

Mayor Donna Meyers sent her congratulations on “the vision and success of Made in Santa Cruz for over 25 years on the Wharf.” n

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For more information, see https://recovery pillow.com/ and www.MadeInSantaCruz.com