When I began my first career in teaching in the fall of 1998, we didn’t have a name for it. Not until April 20, 1999.
I learned of the tragic events at Columbine when I walked into the front office of the small private school I was teaching at and found our school secretary in tears. The word used most at the time to describe Columbine was “massacre”—meaning “an indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of people.” It was coldly accurate. But in the 16 years that followed while I was still working in education, we would experience 599 documented gun incidents on K-12 school grounds here in the US.
Santana. Farmington. West Nickel Mines. Springwater Trail. Sandy Hook.
They became so frequent, so ubiquitous, so commonplace, that we stopped using the word “massacre” and defaulted to the term “school shooting”—as if we had just surrendered to an illness that we refused to cure, despite having the means and know-how.
I left teaching and coaching for good in 2016, and my wife and I had our daughter Ariya in 2017, and we made our first wine in celebration of that tremendous gift. And while it was a joyous time for us, in the 12 months that followed, more gun massacres occurred.
Rancho Tehama. Marshall County. Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Santa Fe.
Our son Soren was born in late 2020, and our daughter began going to preschool at our local elementary school campus in the fall of 2021. In that year alone, there were 250 gun incidents on K-12 school grounds.
Nine months later, we all watched the horror unfold in Uvalde, TX at Robb Elementary School, where 38 people were shot, 21 of those died, including 19 children between the ages of 9-11 years old. This was just one of 155 gun incidents on K-12 school grounds in 2022. In 2023, there would be 198 such incidents, including the one that took place in Nashville, TN at The Covenant School.
I juxtapose our children’s timeline with those of these horrific events because I have never been able to separate them. We would see these events online or on the news, and then they would rebroadcast in the darker corners of my mind where the victims are my children or the children of my family and friends. The fear, the sadness, the rage was all there—as if this was all inevitable.
And when Covenant happened—when Evelyn Dieckhaus, the niece of our industry friends Kelly & Noah Dorrance, was killed—it was incumbent upon us to act in solidarity with them and our fellow vintners.
And when Covenant happened—when they called it another school shooting instead of a massacre—a new term was revealed to me in the days that followed.
Truly, I had never heard of a “light catcher” until Kelly & Noah used it in reference to Evelyn, and it has stuck with me ever since. Referring to their niece as a “light catcher” is a beautifully poetic way to acknowledge Evelyn’s ability to bring positivity, joy, and inspiration to those around her. This term, while not commonly found in everyday language, carries a depth of meaning that speaks to the transformative impact such people can have on their environments and the people they encounter.
Just as a physical light catcher—a decorative object designed to catch and refract light—transforms and amplifies light into beautiful patterns, a person who is a light catcher does something similar on an emotional and social level. They capture the essence of positive experiences, attitudes, and energies, and then radiate that positivity outward, often without even realizing the extent of their influence. And while Evelyn is gone and the pain of her absence is omnipresent for those she loved and loved her back, the extent of her influence is far-reaching.
Light catchers like Evelyn are often those who can find the silver lining in dark clouds. They maintain an optimistic outlook even in challenging times and inspire others to do the same. Their presence is a source of comfort and encouragement, as they can shed light on solutions and opportunities that others might overlook. A light catcher might be the colleague who always has a kind word, the leader who motivates their team through tough times, or the friend who always seems to know how to lift your spirits. In the wake of Evelyn’s passing, Kelly & Noah have risen from the darkness to lead those of us in the wine industry to come together to fight for the safety of our children.
Because you see, light catchers have a remarkable ability to bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook. This resilience is not about ignoring difficulties but rather about facing them with a constructive attitude and a belief in the potential for a better future. Their resilience can be incredibly inspiring, serving as a model for others who may be struggling to find their own strength. And so, when Kelly & Noah called upon others to join them for Wine Country Unites, a great number of us felt compelled to contribute to the cause.
Light catchers are often characterized by their generosity of spirit. They willingly share their time, energy, and resources to help others. Whether through small acts of kindness or significant gestures of support, their generosity creates a ripple effect, encouraging a culture of giving and mutual aid within their communities. From Evelyn’s light to Kelly & Noah’s light to all of us now participating…we all transform together to affect change. We all have a chance to be light catchers through acts of generosity as we raise money to combat gun violence in our country.
So, once I distilled it down, I realized that being called a “light catcher” ranks among the highest compliments in my book. It acknowledges a person’s role in making the world a brighter, more hopeful place. It is a recognition of their ability to capture the light of positivity and reflect it in ways that uplift and inspire those around them.
As we strive to be light catchers—reflecting positivity, hope, and the spirit of Evelyn Dieckhaus—I invite you to join us in this mission. Becoming a light catcher involves demonstrating empathy, resilience, generosity, creativity, and authenticity. By embodying these traits and taking proactive steps to support and inspire others, you can make a significant impact on your community and create a brighter, more hopeful world. Each small action contributes to a larger ripple effect, spreading positivity and joy to those around you.
So here is how you can be a light catcher like Evelyn…
On Friday, June 7th, coinciding with National Gun Violence Awareness Day, we invite you to purchase wine from Puppione Family Wines, as we have committed to donating $10 from every bottle sold that day to support GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, an organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. By buying wines from us and the other participating vintners on this day, you are contributing to a cause that seeks to create safer communities and honor the memory of those we have lost. Together, we can make a significant impact and build a brighter, safer future for all our children.
Mark your calendar for Friday the 7th. Let’s make it our biggest sales day ever. Let’s catch the light and spread it far and wide.