Published February 2, 2006

Sharon Cohen
photographed by
Rick Bolen/ Special to Fine Life

Cha-Cha’s from Front Row (from left to right): Meg Easter-Dawson, Program Development Manager at Children’s Home; Sharon Cohn; Cheryl Widdis, Cha-Cha’s president; Back Row (from left to right): Julie Atwood; Dianne Anderson; Angelina Messinger; Joanne Foster; Marchelle Carleton; Rebecca Rosenberg; Laura Colgate; Angelina Nessinger; Juli Lorence; Tracy Chin.

Cha Cha’s photographed by Rebecca Gosselin/ Fine Life

How do a bunch of women who find each other amazing and magnificent manage to foster their collective friendship? One such group began meeting monthly at various restaurants for a feast of relationship along with fine food. Sharon Cohn says that beyond amazing, her friends are so giving, loving and community minded, they soon began passing a hat to spread their joy. The group chose the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home as recipient of the generous hatfuls.

Now their monthly gatherings and daily deluge of email took on brainstorming dimensions. “What if …” and “How about …” evolved into prodigious parties, fabulous field trips and transforming teach-ins.

“I think we need to have a name” generated wordplay until “Children’s Home Associates” became the Cha Chas. The imaginative ladies even created a name for their husbands: the Cha Chings.

Asked to define the Children’s Home, Sharon says, “It’s a safe refuge for children in Sonoma County who don’t have that in their own homes.” Wiping a tear, she adds, “It’s so hard to accept that we have a need for such a place.” A dental hygienist, Sharon naturally envisioned clean and healthy teeth among such precious children. Not surprisingly, her approach to long-time friend Paula Gardner, who now practices dentistry in Petaluma, was met with a resounding “Yes!” Now dental hygienists, assistants and practitioners gather in Paula’s office to tend to needs of every resident of the home. Ms. Cohn eagerly anticipates the on-site dental clinic now on the construction schedule at the Children’s Home. While the brand new Valley of the Moon Children’s home was under construction last year, one of the Cha Chas, Marchelle Carleton, suggested a virtual housewarming to fill the rooms with all kinds of things to make life there even more wonderful for such deserving youngsters. You may find “shopping” at www.vomchildrensfoundation.org/housewarming the most fun and interesting donating you’ve ever done. As just one example, you might choose a pillow or blanket to go with the home made quilt covering each bed, which the child gets to keep!

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