The 2014 Copperopolis Homecoming Grand Marshals are 20 year
residents of Copperopolis and active community volunteers, Don and Patt Hopper.
The Copperopolis Homecoming Grand Marshal is a position
granted by the Copperopolis Community Center (CCC) board to those who have,
over the years, proven themselves to be not only community oriented, but most
often have been found to go above and beyond in their efforts to make
Copperopolis a wonderful place to call home.
Upon arriving in Copperopolis in 1994, the Hoppers joined
the local square dancing group where they met many community oriented and like
minded people. This was their springboard into community involvement.
Soon, the dynamic duo were volunteering on the CCC board
helping to restore and renovate the historic Brick Church and the Armory in
Copperopolis. “Being on the board” said
Don, “wasn’t as prestigious as one would think. It was about hard work and team
work; a team commitment for the betterment of the community. Pride in where we
live.”
From there the two became involved in home bible studies,
which morphed into a small church, one which is now the Copper Canyon Baptist
Church. “It started right here” said Patt with a sparkle in her eye, “right
here, at this very kitchen table.” The church found a new home at Copperopolis
Elementary School, holding their first service on “Easter Sunday 8 years ago.”
Not stopping at bible studies and church formations, the two
– who love children “anything with kids, you put ‘kid’ on it and it’s a magnet
for me,” said Patt, with Don agreeing strongly, would bring their personal
trailer to the church for a nursery area. Soon a donation of a trailer frame
was made and Don built a ‘real’ school trailer for the church youth. The
trailer has been used by Parks and Recs, church youth groups, school functions,
and more.
In short time Don and Patt were familiar faces at community
clean up days, community garden, history walks, read naturally programs at the
elementary school, field trips, Parent Teacher club meetings and more.
When the County received a one-time grant of seed money to
form local food pantries over 13 years ago, Father Jim Stout of the Church of
the Ascension knew just who to call for help. While Don and Patt helped
collect, distribute and store food products for the food pantry, they are
adamant that without support from the local IGA and help from people like
Olivia Garcia, Richard DeBussman, David and Lorraine Crawford, and more, the
food pantry would not have become the pantry it is today, feeding over 60
families each month.
With the church running smoothly and the food pantry in full
operation, and well ensconced in the youth activities of the community, in 2000
the two took on their most recent and most far reaching project to date –
Operation Christmas Child – a shoebox ministry.
Shoeboxes packed with gifts and collected throughout the
world, have been given to more than 100 million boys and
girls in over 130 countries since the inception of Operation Christmas Child in
1993.
Thanks to the Hoppers, Copperopolis became the first shoebox
drop-off location in Calaveras County. Soon the location moved to Angels Camp
“and kept growing. Angels Camp was still the only drop off location in the tri-county
until 2008 when Sonora became involved.” Now the tri-county area boasts 5
Operation Christmas Child shoebox drop off locations: Angels Camp, Sonora,
Pioneer, Burson and San Andreas. “2013 saw 5,214 boxes filled and donated from
our area.”
Each box delivered is proof to a child in need, “they are
blessed and that someone loves them.”
In addition to the many hours of community service, Patt has
been teaching piano to inspiring pianists for the past 13 years, hosting a
Spring recital each year for the children to perform.
Humbled by the recognition, each say there are more people
deserving of the recognition, “we do what do for the love of people, the love
of children. It’s uplifting to help another human being – we are blessed even
more so with a sense of fulfillment and joy when we help others.”
Copperopolis Homecoming will be June 7, 2014, beginning with
a pancake breakfast from 8:00 to 10:30 am at the Historic Armory, followed by
the parade at 11:00 am. For more information call 785-4081.
