4 minute read
Meet the Websters
Meet the Websters
An Adventurous Spirit
By Kara Navolio, Resident since 1991
www.NorthgateLivingCA.com
Janelle Webster’s roots run deep in Northgate. She grew up here as Janelle Carter and graduated from Northgate High School in 1994. After attending college at Brigham Young University and meeting her future husband, Alex, in Utah, the couple married in 2000, started a family and moved back to Northgate in 2010.
Alex and Janelle met at a church Bunco event in Salt Lake City, UT. Janelle was working as a bonds broker. Alex is an electrical contractor. Janelle says of the fateful Bunco event, “he asked me out that night, and we stayed out talking until 2 am. He had a date planned every night of our courtship. Whether it was just sledding in the snow or making paper airplanes and having flying competitions, he always had a plan, and I really liked that about him.”
Both Alex and Janelle are involved in giving back to the community, volunteering extensively at the public schools and at their church. Additionally Janelle volunteered as a refugee transition specialist with Jewish Family Services. “I would greet families and work to teach the mothers English, show them how to purchase groceries, use local parks, and transportation.” Now Janelle is back in school pursuing a Master’s Degree in counseling at St. Mary’s College. Alex is currently volunteering at their church as a youth pastor for teens 12-18. He arranges large activities for youth including dances, conferences, and opportunities for service and fun. Alex owns West Coast Sign Company and installed the digital reader signs at both Walnut Acres and Northgate. He also remodeled the family’s home in the Scottsdale area of Northgate, doing most all the work himself.
Watching the eclipse in Madras, OR
The couple has four daughters. Liz, 16, attended Northgate High School up until this fall when she saw an opportunity and interviewed for a new program through the Mt. Diablo Unified School District called College Now. This program allows students to take both their required high school courses as well as college courses at Diablo Valley College, allowing students to graduate high school while well on their way to completing an Associate of Arts degree from DVC. Janelle says, “We have been so happy with the program so far. The teachers, the counselors and the curriculum have been fantastic. Students who are in the College Now program can still participate in sports and social events at their home school. It has been an amazing opportunity for her.”
Websters enjoy boating on the Delta
Allison is 13 and enjoys being part of the Leadership class at Foothill Middle School. She will be serving as a Youth Ambassador for the City of Walnut Creek and traveling as a foreign exchange student to Walnut Creek’s Sister City Noceto, Italy this fall where she will stay with the family of an Italian 8th grader Nicole. Next spring, the Websters will host Nicole at their home. More information about this great opportunity for Walnut Creek youth can be found at www.wcsci.org.
Caroline is the couple’s 3rd child, a 5th grader at Walnut Acres. She is excited to attend Walker Creek’s Outdoor Education program, a rite of passage for 5th graders. Caroline also loves performing with Curtains Up Youth Theater and is looking forward to Walnut Acres fifth grade play. (She hopes it’s Aladdin this year!)
Suzanne is the youngest, a 3rd grader at Walnut Acres. She is a social butterfly and fills her life with play dates and swimming. She just finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (the first book in the popular series by J.K. Rowling) and will be hosting a Potter Party, complete with chocolate frogs and butterbeer.
The family loves spending time outdoors and traveling. Their cabin in Arnold, CA is a home base for their winter skiing and summer boating adventures. But they love, even more, boating on the delta. Janelle says, “We love tubing and docking at restaurants along the rivers for dinner then skiing home during the sunset. But,” Janelle adds, “our favorite place in all the world is Prairie Creek State Park near Orick, CA. We love to hike in the redwoods down to Fern Canyon looking for banana slugs and seeing the light filter through the trees. Seeing the elk during rutting season can be scary, but that adds to the excitement and wonder of being in the Redwood National Forest.”
The destination is chosen based on a place that matches her talents and personality. She also has to pay for her half of the trip expenses, and she gets alone time with one parent. Liz wants to be an archaeologist, so she and her dad traveled to Peru to hike Machu Picchu. The trip also included ziplining, river rafting and biking. Allison loves art, so she chose France. Allison and her mom spent 5 days in Paris and 4 days in the Loire Valley. Allison’s favorite spot was the gardens at Versailles, with its beautiful fountains and sculpture. Caroline, who is 10, is already planning her trip to a location where she can learn to scuba dive.
With all the adventures, the Websters are always happy to come home to Northgate. They love the walk-ability of the neighborhood and taking advantage of the trials in Shell Ridge Open Space. You can also find them cheering on Northgate’s football team on Friday nights. As Janelle reflects, “We are thankful to the teachers and administrators of our local public schools. We are thankful to all of the parent volunteers who make our community great.
We are thankful for the good children our kids have made friends with and for all of the many opportunities through the schools and City of Walnut Creek recreation programs. We have loved living here.”
