Sandra Arkin (80) was born and raised in Tacoma, WA. She attended Stadium High School and graduated with the class of 1955. In June of 1961 Sandra moved to Denver, CO- met her husband soon after in Denver and was married by June 1962. Sandra has not been back to Tacoma since 1975 when she attended her 20th High School Reunion. Although it has been several years since she has been back to Tacoma, Sandra still keeps in touch with a couple of her closest friends and cousins that still reside in the area.
This year will be the 62nd High School Reunion and an opportunity for the class to celebrate their 80th birthdays together. Sandra wished nothing more than to have the opportunity to go back to her hometown and be reunited with her classmates. Sandra spent so much time dedicating herself to helping others throughout her life that you could say she was a professional volunteer. Most notably she was the Co-founder and Charter Member of AWARE (Alzheimer’s Women’s Auxiliary for Research and Education) from 1997-2010. She also spent many years serving as the President of 5 nonprofit women’s guilds, and was very passionate in helping children. She was also the first state of Colorado AARP YouTube spokesperson in 2010-2013. She stated that for over 40 years she was privileged to be part of what can be called as “The Golden Age of Volunteerism” in Denver, CO. She is also proud of the fact she was on the Greenwood Village Board d Adjustments and Appeals and the Planning and Zoning Commission. Sandra has also overcame numerous medical ailments over the past few years that made it more difficult for her to travel, but now that she is only experiencing minor residual side effects from her past ailments she feels even more determined to make a trip back to Tacoma, WA.
Wish of a Lifetime and Brookdale were excited to send Sandra and her friend Deborah Massa to Tacoma, WA on July 15, 2017. Sandra had the opportunity to reconnect with her former classmates and stated that “It was so relaxed, as if time had simply stood still for 62 years.” She stated that it isn’t very often that you are able to almost pick up where you left off with old friends, but the comradery was wonderful and all she felt was happiness while she was there.
