Sue Farmer was installed as the second woman to serve as President of the Orinda Rotary on July 10. She is a 40-year Orinda resident with a community service record a mile long and a smile to match. Her dog Tassie is an honorary Rotarian.
An Orinda resident for 40 years, Sue Farmer has led a life of giving – not only to her own family, but also to her extended family through student exchanges and to Rotary and her community.
Farmer and her husband Al moved to Orinda from England to raise their six children, Laura, Chris, Steve, Patti, Alan and Brenton, who all attended Orinda elementary, middle and high schools.
The couple were strong supporters of the schools, with Sue as a president of the Orinda Newcomers Club in the ‘90s. Farmer is also an accomplished pianist who taught piano in Orinda for many years, and she served as president of the Music Teachers’ Association of Contra Costa County in 2003.
With all the kids grown up, Farmer shared about her late son, and how his life had a profound impact on hers.
“Brenton was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and it was overwhelming to deal with. It took a huge amount of my time and effort to work with him,” said Farmer, who, together with Al, sought and received help on many levels from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
When he tragically passed in 2017, they were heartbroken and devastated.
“I have a great deal of empathy for the many people who have gone through this,” said Farmer, who since then has devoted much of her time to giving back to her community and also to NAMI.
Community service, collaboration and family are a way of life for Farmer, who was sworn in on July 10 as only the second woman president of the Rotary Club of Orinda. She is also on the Board of Directors of Pacific Chamber Orchestra and president of the Lamorinda Arts Council.
Farmer devotes her considerable energy and compassion to providing tangible opportunities for growth to underserved youth and cultural projects. She also provides shelter and support in her home – for the last two years – to a Ukrainian family from the Refugee & Immigrant Transitions program through the Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church.
Her support doesn’t stop there.
Over the past 30 years, Farmer and her family have hosted exchange students from Mexico, Hungary, Czech Republic, France, Spain, Germany and Japan.
She believes student exchanges are a wonderful way to promote world understanding and peace.
Farmer believes that her life of great fortune is defined by giving back – that the blessings of living in Orinda and the San Francisco Bay Area are meant to be shared and celebrated. She takes the Rotary motto “Service Above Self” to heart.
“I’m very excited to be president, because I have a lot of ideas,” said Farmer. “The education of underserved children in Oakland and Richmond is my primary focus. Rotary is made up of people who want to do good things for our community and beyond.”
Farmer is committed to continuing the local and regional educational projects that Rotary supports, such as Children Rising, which is a collaboration of Christian ministries, individuals, and businesses invested in improving young lives in the East Bay.
Rotary members visit as tutors, contribute financially and host events for the arts, including Cantare (“to sing”) in Oakland. Cantare is a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the power and beauty of choral music through adult choirs, youth programs and concerts.
“Pat Hudson and I are writing a grant for Cantare in 2025, which is a music camp in Oakland for youth at the Presbyterian Church on Broadway,” said Farmer.
She added that Rotary will provide a stipend for their high school counselors who help students perform at grade level.
“They do this through multiple activities, such as working together as a team, singing in a choral group and playing drums and games,” said Farmer. “Kids learn how to respect each other and have an enjoyable summer experience at Cantare.”
To learn more about Rotary Club of Orinda, visit orindarotary.org or call 925.254.2222. An upcoming event includes the annual fundraiser, “Dancing with the Cars” on Sept. 6 in Orinda as part of the Orinda Classic Car Show.