Some people don’t just join a community—they become its heartbeat. Dolores is one of those people.
In this edition of Stories from the Circle, meet Dolores—a vibrant ambassador in South San Francisco whose love of music, movement, and friendship made her a leader in her Wider Circle community. After years of waiting for a place to call her own, the community she had poured into for so long poured back, helping her settle into a home of her own just minutes from family.
We hope her story reminds you what is possible when we show up for one another.
Dolores O.
Dolores poured years of love into her Wider Circle community. When her time came, they poured it right back.
When Dolores first walked into a Wider Circle event more than six years ago, she came in smiling, dancing, and ready to connect. She didn’t know yet that this community would grow that spark into friendships, leadership, and eventually a home of her own.
Dolores became an ambassador and took charge of the Monday walking group. It grew so popular that she started a second one on Tuesdays. Along the way, she met her best friend—the two became known around Wider Circle as the “dynamic duo,” inseparable and always laughing, hugging, and dancing. At every in-person event, she made sure music was playing; she once gifted Wider Circle a speaker so the dancing wouldn’t have to wait. “She brings a lot of that really good energy to all of the in-person events,” says Jessamyn Ochoa, Dolores’s Wider Circle Area Manager.
When last year’s Wider Circle Walks step challenge launched, Dolores led the way—hitting 10,000 steps a day, starting a walking group with her apartment neighbors, and recruiting other members to compare numbers on the app.
“I have learned to be more active in my everyday life. I have also learned about the importance of physical activity and exercise. It motivates me,” Dolores says. She has diabetes and credits her active lifestyle with how well she’s managing it. “I have diabetes and don’t take medication due to how active I am overall,” she shares.
Because she feels healthy, Dolores used to skip the doctor. Wider Circle keeps her on track with reminders for her Annual Wellness Visit, preventative tests, and vaccines—and she passes it on, helping other members schedule their own. “Wider Circle has helped to remind me about my Annual Wellness Visit and keep me on top of my health,” she says.
All the while, Dolores carried a quiet hope. For years, she had shared a room with her granddaughter in her daughter’s South San Francisco home; as her granddaughter grew into high school, Dolores wanted to give her back her space—and find a place of her own. She had her heart set on a specific affordable senior community, just five minutes from family, but she knew the wait would be long.
When Wider Circle held a housing event, Dolores finally applied to the community. She didn’t just apply for herself, though—she helped a dozen other members fill out their applications, too. One by one, the members she’d helped found places to live, while Dolores kept waiting.
Then, one day, a spot opened up. On moving day, the community Dolores had poured into for years poured back. One ambassador, who didn’t even share a language with Dolores, donated plates and silverware from her own home.
Today, Dolores is settled in her new home, five minutes from family. She still leads the walking groups. She still dances at every event. And the community she built keeps her coming back, week after week.
“What I love most about Wider Circle is friendships, meeting people I wouldn’t have met without the group and the fun events and activities,” Dolores says.
Thank you, Dolores, for being the heartbeat that keeps your community moving. And thank you to our sponsors for helping make stories like hers possible every day.
Stories from the Circle Sign Up
About the author: Jamie Zale
Wider Circle
