TRIBUTE TO TIA SMIRNOFF

Tia Smirnoff is a name that most all Tam Valley residents know and love. She grew up in the San Juaquin Valley and migrated north, where she met and married the love of her life, Mr. Smirnoff. They lived in an A-frame home in Tam Valley where they raised four children.

Tia became integrally involved with Tam Valley Girl Scouts, became synonymous with the Marin County Special Olympics, and for decades she materially assisted the Sausalito Art Festival, the Sausalito July 4th Parade and the Marin County Mountain Play productions.

Tia lent her skills and love to all events of the TCSD including the Crab Feed, Spaghetti Bingo, Murder Mystery play, Earth Day, Creekside, Oktoberfest, the Crafts Fair, Jolly Jingles and Breakfast with Santa. You may also know Tia as the tireless “other mom” for literally thousands of Tam Valley kids as she coached and mentored many that grew up in our neighborhoods, while she oversaw the Tam Valley Elementary School’s after-school program through TCSD for more than 50 years!

What some of you may not know is that a project was underway to honor Tia for sharing her time, energy, knowledge, and passion by volunteering thousands of hours in her lifetime, and honoring her dedication to her community, by upgrading the bench on the Enterprise Concourse median. To do this, many have participated: the County of Marin issued a grant that assisted with funding of the island landscaping, the County Tam Fire Crews removed the dangerous juniper, the Tam Valley Elementary School PTA contributed a brand new, commercial grade bench, the nearby neighborhood of Marinview paid to landscape the median and bench area, and TCSD contributed by assembling and placing the bench and affixing a plaque in Tia’s honor. Truly a community effort!  Thanks to all.