Meet Yountville Welcome Center Volunteer Lorraine Visovsky! Lorraine has been volunteering with the Yountville Welcome Center since 2019 and works on Monday afternoons.
Scroll down to learn more about Lorraine!
What brought you to Napa County? What brought you to Yountville?
Napa was always my favorite vacation spot, and each trip included Yountville. I visited the V Marketplace, had breakfast at Sally’s, or lunched at Hurley’s or Pacific Blues. Ironically, the main reason was to stop by the visitor’s center, specifically to obtain a copy of the Preiser Key. On one of my visits, the volunteer told me about Rancho de Napa, and, while it took 5 more years, everything fell into place in 2018 when I moved there.
Describe your career and volunteer path and how it lead you to the Yountville Chamber of Commerce?
My job didn’t leave me much time for formal volunteering, but I was always the go-to person with one-time obligations. Places like St. Jude walkathons, aviation golf outings, or teaching airplane emergency evacuation techniques to other company employees.
When I moved to Rancho de Napa, I met some wonderful people, who urged me to use my people skills with my growing knowledge of Napa Valley as a way to meet others and enjoy everything that the valley has to offer.
What is your favorite part about volunteering for the Yountville Chamber?
Working at the chamber has greatly expanded my friendships, my knowledge, and yes, I love the fam trips. I also look forward to Napa Life every Monday to provide lots of useful information.
What does volunteering entail and what is the most surprising thing about Chamber work?
My volunteering, on the surface, requires spending 3 hours a week helping visitors to the Valley to plan and enjoy their stay, attending once a month meetings, and a yearly training session. Fam trips, not required, are essential to me, as are the chamber member mixers. However, it is so much more.
Being a volunteer and chamber member gives me a sense of belonging. I am amazed at being recognized when walking in the town. I love that I can say hello to visitors on Washington Street, explain to them that I am part of the visitor’s center, and they are usually happy to chat and thank me for any information that I can give them.
What is the hardest part of your job?
Hardest part of the job is sitting around on a slow day at the center. I catch up on new valley magazines, or restocking office rack cards, etc. Many times I walk outside and just start talking to passers-by, hoping that I can offer them a hello, if nothing else.
What was the last experience that made you a stronger person?
I guess having the conviction to move 3000 miles from where I have lived my whole life made me a stronger person. Most recently, helping a life-long friend clean out her deceased husband’s belongings, because she couldn’t do it. I had to be strong for her.
What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?
My best career lesson is that you can always learn something new.
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
I suppose that I could still be working as a flight attendant. But I chose not to cultivate those ties when I moved here. I thought that I would pour wine at a winery. But I’ve learned that I’d rather visit the wineries!
What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?
Probably most people know that I prefer vodka to wine, but maybe they don’t know that I am a skilled procrastinator. I can accomplish a multitude of planned and unplanned things and still get ready for a scheduled appointment at lightning speed.
Where’s your favorite place in the world?
So hard to pinpoint my favorite place in the world. I love Israel, and Hong Kong, but I would have to say Europe, where I hope to spend more quality time soon.
What is one food that you cannot resist?
Favorite food – wow, probably excellent sashimi.
What is the one thing, you can’t live without?
Electronics – computer, phone, TV.
What is your motto or personal mantra?
My motto is Carpe Diem. I try to live my Namaste, and the Serenity Prayer.
Three words to best describe you:
Ready, Willing, Able.
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