"Giving Angel Needs a Miracle"
Nomination by: Barbara Rodgers
Former Anchor/Reporter, CBS News, San Francisco
I can’t think of a business owner and a business more deserving of a
Shine A Light award than my good friend, Darrell F. Robinson, and his
Linen Life Gallery. Linen Life is located in downtown San Leandro
California, but it had earlier incarnations in Emeryville, California,
where it was a Mecca for artists, designers, photographers, community
groups and individuals. Linen Life moved to its new location last
year--a deserted office building that Darrell has since transformed
with his hard work and creativity into a fantastic space that brings
much needed beauty and culture to the downtown San Leandro area.
An Artistic Space...a Spiritual Place is Darrell’s description of the
outstanding gallery he has created. It offers the community a place to
assemble and hold events, often at no charge for non-profit groups and
causes.
Darrell is always doing something to help others, but now he is
the one in need of assistance. Two years ago, he became ill, had to be
hospitalized for several weeks and then spend several months
recuperating. Because of that, he had to close his Emeryville space.
That left Darrell down, but not out. With dedication to his dream and
determination, he regrouped, found the new space in San Leandro and
transformed it by working full days as a property manager in order to
fund the building renovation. He had lined up two investors to help him
finish the process, but when the economy tanked, those two investors
had to back out. Now Darrell needs at least forty thousand dollars to
finish transforming the new space so that he can once again provide the
greater San Francisco Bay Area community with a beautiful and inspiring
place and make a living for himself as well. Right now, there are
clients wanting to book the space, but Darrell has to turn them away
until he can secure the funds to complete the renovation of the
building and get the City of San Leandro’s final approval to open his
doors.
Darrell is philanthropic with the gallery so that artists and community
based organizations with limited or no budgets can use the space to
blossom, thereby gaining exposure for their work and causes. This is a
person who believes that the importance of the cause outweighs the
profit from the event. Events promoting health awareness, education,
children’s issues, music and community gatherings have all found a home
at the Linen Life Gallery in the past and will again once the
renovation of the new space is completed. The Shine A Light grant will
give Darrell the financial assistance he needs to continue his great
work in the community and to become another successful, contributing
small business. He is such a deserving person who is a true angel,
gentleman and giving spirit who needs this opportunity to let his light
shine even more brightly for so many more people.
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