Barbara Adolfi and Ray Boc

Barbara – Retired Fairfax County school social worker; psychotherapist in Rappahannock County; board member, former Ki Theatre; volunteer, Rappahannock Tourism promotion; fundraising organizer, Sperryville Rescue Squad; former columnist, Rappahannock News. Resident of Sperryville for 34 years.

Ray – Retired civil engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; member, Old Rag Photography studio; member, Middle Street Gallery; volunteer, Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC) and member of its Mitchell Fund Committee; volunteer photographer for many county nonpro t organizations; member, Sperryville Rescue Squad. Resident of Sperryville for 19 years.

MOTIVATING SPARK

Barbara – I come from an Italian background where my father placed great emphasis on “la familia,” the family. My parents ran a grocery store which was a hub of social activity in the community. That is where I developed my passion for strong personal relationships and an interest in helping people.

Ray – My interest in public service was sparked in college where I majored in civil engineering and urban planning. The idea of building better communities inspired my overall interest in volunteering. Also, my grandparents emigrated from Poland with nothing in their pockets. They built a successful life from which I bene ted, so I feel an obligation to give back where I can.

PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT

Barbara – Raising my two kids to be thoughtful parents and marrying my childhood friend Ray Boc. My son, who raised three boys, operates a mill producing stone-milled our. It is a community project to help local farmers to remain economically viable while using practices that nourish and conserve farmland. My daughter keeps a busy schedule raising six kids. She is an organizational development consultant.

Ray – Moving to Rappahannock County to be with Barbara is my proudest achievement. I always felt a little unsettled in my life, but here I have found a community and a way of life where I feel truly at home. When I’m out and about, I almost always carry my camera to snap pictures of folks and scenery. This place is ‘family’ to me.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Barbara – I have a huge extended family, both in the states and Italy, and it generally falls to me to gather everyone together. It gets harder as

I get older and I have Parkinson’s Disease, which is becoming more of a challenge to manage. Accepting the fact that I have to slow down isn’t easy.

Ray – In my 20s, I took time o and sailed across the northern Atlantic to Europe on a 30-foot sailboat. Then I “hitchhiked” on boats through the French canals, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast of Africa. I returned about a year later, on a 60-foot sailboat which provided a smoother ride. I put the whole experience down as “character building.”

WHY IT MATTERS

Barbara – Relationships with people count more than anything in life. When I wrote my weekly column on happenings in Sperryville I o en focused attention on what people were doing to build a vibrant, inclusive community. Our village has grown in many positive ways and it is due, in large part, to the people here helping each other prosper.

Ray – Through my photography, I try to promote the arts and spread the word about other philanthropic activities in the county. We have so many volunteer opportunities in which to participate. I want them to succeed. Raising public awareness about these opportunities helps promote volunteerism that can sustain these community programs into the future.

FAVORITE RAPPAHANNOCK TREASURE

Barbara – I really appreciate the diversity of people and of cultural activities; art, theatre, music, we have it all here. To be able to participate in these activities and live in such a beautiful place is very special.

– Barbara is my favorite treasure. And I share her view about the accessibility of the arts as a unique feature in our community. RAAC and other organizations have done so much to involve community members in the arts scene.