Hello, readers. This is my debut writing for the volunteer page. Todd Broadman has written many wonderful profiles for years, but he has moved on to new things, and I will be taking his place.  I am excited for the opportunity to try something new and was lucky to have Stacy Pettitt, who is bright and cheerful, as my first volunteer interview.

Stacy's volunteer job includes organizing and running the Mamas and Papas group, which meets on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 in the Co-op Deli, and writing about the activities of the group.  Mamas and Papas is mostly for new parents and parents-to-be. The focus of the group is lifestyle and wellness. Stacy brings in speakers to educate parents on a variety of issues. Recent topics included healthy cleaning and cosmetic products, homeopathy and your family, acupuncture for children, and the dangers of plastics.

At a recent Moscow Food Co-op Board of Directors meeting, I made a presentation on living wage. According to the Northwest Job Gap Study, a living wage allows someone to pay their bills, with something left over. It is not minimum wage or a poverty wage.  The formula for a living wage is base wage + benefits = living wage. To calculate the living wage we used a model designed by CDS Consulting Group. This model helps us calculate living expenses for Latah County, and then compare our wages and benefits against those expenses.

If you were to look at your life today, giving the areas of profession, finances, rest & relaxation, physical well-being, and relationships each a value indicating your level of fulfillment, how rich would you be? Could the wealth be even greater, or more valuable? These are some of the core elements a life coach looks at to help you gauge if you're living your life in alignment with your values.

Katrina Mikiah, a professional life coach here in Moscow, says, "My chosen vocation is about helping people to thrive doing what they love and being guided by their own inner wisdom."