The Sunday our daughter was killed our world changed.Laurie Millard (Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Sertoman)

Who am I? I am Laurie Millard and I am all those things you see above, but I am also a survivor. In 2014, my oldest daughter Brianna Smith was killed walking along the shoulder of Highway 138, near Llano, CA. A semi-truck struck her when it veered onto the shoulder of the road striking her and killing her instantly. The Sunday our daughter was killed our world changed. Since the accident, I have raised my autistic, mentally ill, six-year-old grandson, Daniel, full time.

Two years after my daughter’s death, the Brianna Brandy Millard Smith’s Happy Children Memorial Scholarship Fund was founded by my husband David and myself. The fund helps families in recovery from addiction with food, toys, clothes and, when we can, a stipend towards rent.

Laurie Millard and Family Make a Move

In 2006, we moved from Valencia to Lake Elizabeth where David established his own heating and air company. Brianna helped David start the company with the DBA, business license, and various other things necessary to set up a business.  AC Dave Heating and Air was born fulfilling David’s dream to own his own business.

Not long after our move to Lake Elizabeth, we were introduced to Leona Valley Sertoma and soon were members. This lead to me becoming the editor for their newsletter, “Salutations”, something I enjoyed doing for many years.

A tragic event can bring out the best in people, as they will often reach out offering support. Sertoman do more than offer, they jump in to action. They are a force to be reckoned with. You don’t realize how much until you find yourself on the receiving end. Sertomans really know how to step up. Members picked up the food for Brianna’s service for us, and they set it up, and I think they helped serve, too. Honestly, I don’t remember as that day was a blur. I remember feeling overwhelmed at their support, generosity and love. It took my breath away what the members did for our family.

In Service to Others

Leona Valley Sertoma puts on a variety of events every year and one weekend, every year, my grandson Daniel and I join with other members of Leona Valley Sertoma in collecting toys, food and money. These items are distributed to families in our local communities that might need a little help. Daniel and I also help decorate tables at these events and I have often helped serve desserts at their annual Senior Dinner.

Leona Valley Sertoma continues to be there. From guiding my footsteps, helping with donations, and much more. With their help, BBMS Happy Children was able to help 11 families in 2020. We received turkeys, toys, canned goods along with other donations from our communities that we passed on to 11 grateful families. Sertomans are an amazing bunch of people. I should know, I have experienced it first-hand.

David, Daniel, and I are forever grateful to Leona Valley Sertoma for their support, leadership and, most importantly, the friendships we enjoy with the members. Going forward, my hope is to see the BBMS Happy Children Memorial Fund continues to grow and to make the Leona Valley Sertoma members proud of their efforts in helping to make that a reality.

For those who might not know, SERTOMA is an acronym for “SERvice TO MAnkind”, it’s what Sertoma is all about.

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Laurie provided the information and photographs for this article. We look forward to bringing you more posts from our Sertoma members giving you the opportunity to know them better. If you haven’t already,  complete the sign up form in the right-hand column to be alerted to new blog posts from Leona Valley Sertoma.

– Tom Smith, Webmaster

It’s the Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner, from March 17, 2004. Watch the video below and enjoy a whirlwind tour from set-up to wrap as the Leona Valley Sertoma hosts this annual event. I must warn you though, be prepared to take a trip down memory lane where you will see old friends and neighbors, some who have maybe moved away and some who, sadly, are no longer with us. When that happens, we hope it sparks happy memories and brings a smile to your face.

It’s A Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner

It will be a quick two and a half minutes, so don’t blink. It begins with the members setting up tables and in the kitchen prepping the food that is the center piece of the event. Next, enjoy a full minute of the all the activity of the event itself, with members collecting tickets from guests and you can’t help but notice the smiles and laughter, the camaraderie, and the enjoyment of the people, and the members, as they share fellowship with their friends and neighbors. Finally, with the event over, the members take down the tables, sweep up, and return the community building to a state of readiness for the event.

Why Sertoma?

Did you notice the members laughing and smiling, working together to make this popular, annual event a success?

That is one of the true benefits of being a part of this incredible group of people. It’s hard to think of it as being work when you see them laughing and having such a good time. Through events like the Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner, they raise funds that go back into the community as scholarships, to host the Senior Dinners, and other projects that support the community. This is what Leona Valley Sertoma is all about, “Making A Difference” in service to their communities.

You are invited to learn more about Leona Valley Sertoma and, once they are able to once again host their breakfast meetings, to attend a breakfast and see what it is all about. Odds are you know a member, but just in case, use this link to see the names the current officers of the Leona Valley Sertoma. Trust me, you will be glad you did.