“I hope in your life you find a thing that makes you feel empowered and delighted, and costs you nothing and gives you everything.”
– Sara Bir, Pebblefest 2019

Sara Bir’s passion starts with foraging. A trained chef and three-time published cookbook author, Sara is always searching for freely available, locally sourced ingredients that she can whip up into a delicious, foolproof recipe.

“I express myself by making food,” she said. “It’s something I do for me and my family to keep us together and healthy, and it’s a way that I can relate to where I am. The ingredients that I’m using have a sense of place.”

A childhood obsession with her mother’s cookbooks planted the seeds of her career. Creating recipes with regional ingredients, such as pawpaw and ramps, allows Sara to fuel her creativity, connect with her surroundings on a deeper level, and maintain her livelihood.

This food media industry expert finds this area to be just the right size to find your tribe and still be exposed to diverse outlooks. One of Sara’s tribes includes members of the Mid-Ohio Valley Dragon Boat, also known as the MOV’n Dragons.

Sara is a beneficiary of the group’s Felicia M. Buell Thriver Program, which encourages cancer survivors to participate in activities that promote fitness and fun. The program uses their fund at Marietta Community Foundation to help keep cancer survivors active and thriving — not just surviving.

Sara now uses the Foundation as a portal when she wants to do charitable giving and make a difference locally — especially when she isn’t sure how she can help with a need.

“For things like COVID-19, or situations like that, I feel that if I give through the Foundation my money will go where it’s needed the most," she said. "I trust the Foundation to make that decision for me.”

Recently Marietta Community Foundation published several stories of local families and organizations in the 2021 Annual Report: Inspiring Community. Each of these families has a unique background and perspective, but they all share an inspiring love for our community.