Showing Up & Doing the Work
Some places remind you why public service matters.
At the end of June, we officially launched this campaign at the home of the late Kenneth Dickerson, a lifelong public servant who served as Belmont’s respected City Attorney for 31 years.
I am deeply grateful to Ken’s wife, Jan Dickerson, and granddaughter, Emily Tuupo, for hosting such a meaningful gathering, and to Mayor Julia Mates and Dr. Jim Howard for their generous remarks about my leadership, service and family.
It was an evening that honored Ken’s legacy, but it also captured something I believe deeply:
Belmont is worth showing up for.
That means showing up for our neighbors, our shared spaces, our young people, and the practical work of making a community stronger.
Showing Up Means Doing the Work
As this campaign has grown, I have continued working on efforts that create opportunities for our community.
Earlier this year, I helped lead an effort with student leaders, the San Mateo County Office of Education, colleagues from Leadership Council SMC, and Burlingame City Councilmembers Andrea Pappajohn and Desiree Thayer to advance a new Youth Sustainability Internships and Volunteer Opportunities resource.
I am proud that the resource is now live through SMCOE, helping young people connect with opportunities to learn, serve and gain real-world experience in sustainability. Check it out here: https://www.smcoe.org/for-families/student-volunteer-and-internship-opportunities
Closer to home, the Build Belmont Together community center effort also reached an important milestone. After months of work by residents across Belmont, the County certified that the initiative had gathered enough valid signatures to move forward.
That accomplishment belongs to the many people who knocked on doors, signed petitions, talked with neighbors and gave their time because they believe Belmont should continue investing in the spaces that bring our community together.
These efforts are different in scale and focus, but to me they reflect the same kind of leadership: roll up your sleeves, listen, collaborate, solve practical problems, bring people together around shared priorities, and pay attention to the details required to get things done.
Building a Campaign the Same Way
Now we are bringing that same approach to the campaign itself.
We are printing yard signs, preparing leave-behind cards, planning voter mail and getting ready to spend more time talking directly with residents across Belmont.
It has been a busy season, with family graduations, my own graduation from Leadership Council SMC, a little World Cup soccer, and plenty of conversations with elected officials, civic leaders and neighbors across San Mateo County.
But through all of it, one thing keeps coming through clearly:
People care deeply about Belmont’s future.
They want to preserve what makes this community special while making thoughtful decisions about what comes next. They want leadership that listens, prepares, follows through and stays accountable to the people it serves.
That is the kind of campaign I am working to build, and the kind of Councilmember I hope to be.
Help Us Keep Showing Up
As a local campaign, one of our biggest challenges is simply making sure voters have the chance to hear directly from us.
That means printing materials, mailing information, knocking on doors and reaching residents across District 3. All of that takes resources.
If you are able to contribute, I would be very grateful for your support.
Donate here: https://www.sarahforbelmont.com/donate
Every contribution helps us reach more neighbors and continue building a grassroots campaign rooted in the community we hope to serve.
This campaign began in a home shaped by decades of public service, and that feels fitting.
Belmont’s future will not be built by any one person. It will be built by residents who care enough to participate, listen, volunteer, speak up and keep showing up.
I’m grateful to be doing that work alongside so many of you.
