Cheri Gerstenberger

Cheri Gerstenberger is the driving force behind Port Ludlow Performing Arts informative and attractive program, and also the lady with the beautiful smile who serves you wine and beverages during our concert season (along with her hubby Chuck). Here's how the Gerstenberger duo has been spending the last few months.

'Typically, this time of year, I would be feverishly working on the 24-page annual program for PLPA. Due to concerts being canceled and the uncertainly of the future, the decision was made that PLPA not produce a program for this year.

So, with all this extra time, what have I been doing during the lockdown? Walking, hiking, walking, hiking '

Together with my husband Chuck, the two of us have logged over 450 miles and are still counting. The majority of those walks are on the Port Ludlow trails. This has proven to be an excellent stress reducer and gives us time away from the news and social media. Chuck and I have been walkers for several years, but, took it to a whole new level the past few months. A huge 'positive' from this pandemic has been having the time to increase our fitness regime, exploring a vast majority of the PL trails, and most recently joining the PLVC Trails and Natural Resources Committee. We decided, 'Heck, we are on the trails pretty much every day, so we might as well volunteer and help improve them as needed.' An assignment is pending, and we eagerly await our first work party.

In addition to walking with Chuck and a couple of willing neighbors, I have been hiking with my high school girlfriends from South Kitsap. We of course were on hold for a couple of months, but the minute Phase 1 was in place, we resumed our monthly hiking schedule. The group consists of four women currently residing in Tacoma, West Seattle, Bellingham, and Port Ludlow. We were in the drill team together at South Kitsap High School, and three of us even took a trip to the Southwest Coast of England two years ago and walked 118 miles of the coastal path in 12 days. It was the adventure of a lifetime! We hope to walk more of it in the future ' just have to get to England. There is plenty of walking left to do with a total of 630 miles available on the coastal path.

Another positive from the 'lockdown' was the time to reach out to long-lost cousins. Hey, chances were everyone was home and available and I was right. I have 29 first cousins, so, as you can imagine, keeping track of everyone was challenging to say the least.

I would have to say that the most difficult part of this pandemic has been the separation from our only grandchild. Although she lives just 30 minutes away, we had to respect the rules and keep our distance.  Just like all of the grandparents, we Zoomed, but with a 3-year-old ' well, after 10 minutes ' game over!

I am looking forward to summer ' more sunny, dry days, with time spent hiking in the mountains, working on the PL trails and playing with my granddaughter. What more could I ask for. Oh yah, NO resurgence of COVID-19!'