Helping Build Community in Sonoma - John Moss
John’s Sonoma Journey
This is the third of three stories about John’s relationship with Sonoma.
🟩 A One-Month Visit to Sonoma – Chapter 1
🟥 I Found Community in Sonoma – Chapter 2
🟦 Helping Build Community in Sonoma – Chapter 3 (You are reading this story.)
Helping Build Community in Sonoma begins below.
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After retiring from a long legal career, John Moss wondered what would replace the purpose that work had provided. In Sonoma, he found the answer by volunteering with organizations that strengthen the community while building friendships along the way.
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When my wife and I made Sonoma our permanent home in 2024, I was still working as General Counsel for a late-stage technology company.
I had already announced my retirement when the company received an acquisition offer from Salesforce, where I had worked previously. Corporate acquisitions were the kind of legal work I enjoyed most, so I postponed retirement long enough to help complete the transaction. Once the acquisition closed, I finally stepped away from full-time work.
Like many people, I wondered what retirement would be like.
For more than thirty years, much of my identity had been tied to my career. Leaving that behind meant finding a new sense of purpose.
Fortunately, Sonoma made that transition easier than I expected.
I became involved with several local nonprofit organizations that allowed me to use my experience and my interests to help others.
At FISH, I use my Spanish language skills to help Spanish-speaking residents connect with services they need. Through Rotary, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in community service projects that improve life in Sonoma. I also serve on the board of Vivo Youth Orchestras, which provides free after-school music programs for students in Sonoma’s public schools, particularly those from Latino families.
These organizations have given me much more than volunteer work.
They have given me friendships, purpose, and a deeper connection to the community.
Making friends has never come naturally to me, but Sonoma has a way of bringing people together. People are welcoming, conversations start easily, and there are many opportunities to become involved if you’re willing to say yes.
Like many longtime residents, I recognize that Sonoma is changing. Housing has become more expensive, and some of the influence of nearby Napa can be seen in the town’s increasing affluence. Growth brings opportunities, but it also raises questions about affordability and preserving the character that makes Sonoma special.
Even so, I feel fortunate to be here.
Looking back, my relationship with Sonoma unfolded one step at a time. A one-month visit became a second home. That second home became our permanent home. And retirement became an opportunity to help build the community that welcomed us.
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Retirement is not simply about leaving a career; it is about finding a new purpose.
Volunteering gave John a way to use his professional skills and personal interests to strengthen the Sonoma community.
Organizations such as FISH, Rotary, and Vivo Youth Orchestras provided both meaningful service and lasting friendships.
John’s journey reflects a path many newcomers experience: visit, discover a sense of belonging, and eventually find ways to give back.
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This story is the third and final chapter of John’s three-part Sonoma Journey. It was created from John’s original recorded conversation with Don Lundgren for the Sonoma Stories project.
Together, A One-Month Visit to Sonoma, I Found Community in Sonoma, and Helping Build Community in Sonoma tell the story of how an unexpected visit evolved into a permanent home and a commitment to serving the Sonoma community.
