Make a secure donation via Paypal to Lorraine L. Lombardo Endowment Fund.
This fund honors the hard work and commitment that two families have contributed to nurturing the land and developing the community of Dixon for many generations, and to ensure that their efforts would not fade into obscurity. The purpose of this fund is to further build on the legacy of the Lombardo Family and the Gallino Family, with an emphasis on supporting agricultural education in the Dixon public schools with ties to University of California, Davis.
Rina Gallino passed away in Dixon just prior to her 90th birthday in 1991. She owned and cared for her land for over forty years. Rina came to California by way of Ellis Island, New York when she was twenty years old. Though she did not speak or write much English, she brought with her a heart full of knowledge about plants and flowers and Italian trails. Her natural horticultural skills were simply a gift.
The Gallino and Lombardo families have dedicated their lives to caring and nurturing her land. In 2004 the land was sold to the City of Dixon and in 2005 the nature trail around Pond C was renamed as "Rina's Trail by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Rina would be happy and proud to know that her land has become a place of enjoyment and relaxation for the community for generations to come.