Gail has been a part of our PFP family for around seven years; first as a caregiver, supporting her mother, Barb, for 3 years, and then in recent years as a volunteer after Barb passed away. Both Gail and Barb immediately felt welcomed and supported by the PFP community and Gail remembers how encouragement and compliments from the PFP instructors always used to leave her mother glowing and gave her such a boost!!

Gail was Barb's full-time caregiver for 8 years; packing up her apartment and moving her to Austin from Florida three short days after Barb called her saying she was ready to make the move. After her mom moved in, Gail would take her everywhere with her and they had a rule that they would always laugh and have as much fun together as they could. For example, Barb had difficulty speaking due to her PD and so the two of them would sing "Born to Be Wild" and other songs at the top of their lungs in the car together. While Gail reflects that she was often running on adrenaline during this time, juggling caring for Barb and working full time, she would not have had it any other way as she wanted to be by her mother's side to support her through her Parkinson's experience as much as she could. When Gail sees other caregivers in class now she just wants to give them the biggest hug and some space to themselves as she understands exactly what they are going through.

Gail offers our participants and their caregivers such presence and support, taking time each week to go around and greet every single person and connect with them in a way that makes them feel seen and encouraged. Through her connection with PFP, Gail also met Richard Mattingly, another one of our wonderful volunteers and a talented musician, and the two of them have been playing music together for four years now!! They have arranged around 140 songs together and share their wonderful music all around Austin and at various PFP events for us all to enjoy.

When she's not playing music or spending her time volunteering at PFP, Gail keeps herself very busy!! She previously worked for Sony for 25 years and since retiring from there, now spreads her time between a few part-time jobs where she again focuses on connecting with people. One of Gail's jobs has her offering tastings at supermarkets of various products. She loves chatting with people and is always there to give them a hug when needed!! Gail has also been a passionate volunteer for Gold Ribbon Rescue for over 14 years, an organization that rescues Golden Retrievers from all over the world and then re-homes them or trains them as therapy dogs. Gail has had three dogs through Gold Ribbon and has supported wounded military personnel and also older people in aged care homes by taking her dogs to spend time with them.

These days Gail is living a life that brings her joy. She just came back from a two-week trip to Montana, where she spent her days fly fishing the river and riding horses with 19 other women on a dude ranch. Gail couldn't wipe the smile off her face and is already looking forward to her next fun adventure. Gail, we absolutely adore you and love the energy you bring to our community, thank you for sharing your light with us!!