Doug’s Sonoma Journey
This is the third of three stories about Doug’s relationship with Sonoma.
🟩 Rafts, Parades, and Growing Up in Sonoma — Chapter 1
Begin with “Rafts, Parades, and Growing Up in Sonoma” for Doug’s memories of childhood in town.
🟨 I Never Found Another Place Quite Like Sonoma — Chapter 2
Explains why Doug kept Sonoma as his home throughout his career.
🟥 Giving Back to the Town That Raised Me — Chapter 3 (You are reading this story.)
This chapter completes Doug’s journey, from growing up in Sonoma to helping care for its community.
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Doug Lobsinger’s community involvement stretches from six years on Sonoma’s Planning Commission to weekly Meals on Wheels deliveries. Along the way, tennis and pickleball have brought friendships that keep his connections to the town growing.
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Giving Back to the Town That Raised Me
My civic involvement began in the 1970s, when I became a member of Sonoma’s Planning Commission. I served for about six years.
In my mind, that was an important role. I think the way this town has grown has been extremely well thought out, and that’s part of what keeps it special.
The downtown Plaza has changed in terms of the businesses, but it still has the same look and feel I remember from childhood. That means something to me.
My father had been on the City Council for a long time and served as mayor. My mother raised seven children, later worked at Sonoma State Hospital, and became a docent at Jack London State Historic Park. Both of them were involved in the life of this community.
These days, one of the most rewarding things I do is Meals on Wheels. I got involved about four or five years ago, and now I deliver meals every Monday to people around the valley. I’m also on the board of directors.
Meals are prepared five days a week in the kitchen at Trinity Episcopal Church. We have six delivery routes and serve about 95 clients.
Many are seniors who are homebound or can’t get out to get food. Some don’t have family close by, and they don’t see many people. Delivering those meals has been extremely rewarding.
Sports are another way I stay connected. I started tennis in high school, and I still play. About five years ago, I joined a group that plays pickleball on Wednesdays. A lot of the same people play tennis on Saturdays.
That’s how I met Bill—through pickleball and tennis. You meet people through one activity, and then those connections keep growing.
I’ve made a lot of friends in Sonoma over the years. Some go all the way back to school. Others I met when I started working at Safeway, and others through sports or volunteering.
I still see quite a few people who were born and raised here. We have a lot of shared history.
Sonoma has always been a special place to me. Serving on the Planning Commission, delivering meals, and getting out to play with friends have all been ways of continuing to be part of it.
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Doug’s involvement illustrates two ways a community sustains itself: through public decisions that shape its future and through regular personal contact that supports residents today. His Meals on Wheels experience highlights how a routine delivery can also provide human connection, while sports create friendships that extend into other parts of community life.
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This story was created from an interview with Doug Lobsinger conducted by Don Lundgren. Doug’s words have been edited for length and clarity while preserving his voice, experiences and meaning.
