My big Italian family is everything to me. Whenever we host a holiday at my grandmother's house, we always set extra plates at the table - a warm Italian welcome for anyone who might not have a place to go. This tradition was championed by my great-uncle, Ronn Guidi (Founder and Choreographer of the Oakland Ballet), who always invited his dancers to share in our family's food and music. Whether our guests were Italian or not, they certainly felt Italian for the day. Both of my parents are members of the Colombo Club and the Women's Auxiliary. My grandmother, Yvonne Guidi-Evans, has served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Women's Auxiliary. I grew up in the halls of the Club, from watching my sister, Lauren, represent us as a Colombo Club Princess in the San Francisco Columbus Day Parade to being Tony Tedeschi's helper when pulling the tickets for the raffle prizes. Another event I hope to participate in this year is the upcoming Colombo Club Golf Tournament. It will be the first time for me. In addition to attending Colombo Club events, my family has held many private events at the Club. In 2004, my parents held their wedding reception at the Club with 350 guests! In 2010 we had a big family reunion with 75 Italian cousins in attendance. My mom has also held many fundraising events for my school. All of the school parents loved having the events at the Club and learning about our Italian traditions, while raising money for the school. Another way I have contributed to the Colombo Club is through decorating the Christmas tree. My grandmother, great-uncle, mom and aunts have taken on the tradition of setting up the annual Christmas tree and decorations. I am proud to now take on more responsibility. For years, I watched my Great-Uncle Ronn climb the ladder to decorate the Christmas tree. That has now become my job. Carrying on that tradition - literally and figuratively - means a lot to me. I have such great memories of the Children's Christmas parties. Seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on the sleigh, singing Christmas carols, getting a gift and then heading downstairs for hot dogs - it was a special time. I also remember the annual picnic at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. I won a salami stick by hitting it with a baseball! My great-grandfather (Louis Edward Guidi) was born in Lucca, Italy and arrived at Ellis Island as a twelve-year-old boy. After settling in America, he and his two sisters eventually bought three houses together in Oakland. This created a massive, shared space where ten first cousins could play across all the backyards. I love hearing the stories of the "fun and trouble" they managed to find together. That sense of close-knit community is something I feel when I walk in the Colombo Club. While I have been accepted to several colleges, I have officially committed to Cal State East Bay, where I have accepted an offer to play on the NCAA Division II golf team. Since my college is in Hayward, I'm already looking forward to bringing my new golf team to a Colombo Club event. Thank you for the opportunity to apply for a scholarship in the memory of Mr. Borin. I understand he was a huge part of the Colombo Club and I would be honored to follow in his footsteps of service.