Michael Rubin
Volunteer of the Month - January

Why Volunteer of the Month?
Michael Rubin is the owner of the fabulous print shop, Electric Crayon in Santa Rosa. It is due to Michael’s exceptional generosity that we have been able to continue to have our wonderful, colorful banners in front of Cinnabar and on Petaluma Blvd.

After the funding cuts from the City of Petaluma last year, it seemed that the banners might have to go. But Michael very kindly stepped up to the plate and offered to produce them for Cinnabar at no cost whatsoever. We absolutely cannot thank him (and his wife, Jan), enough for this! (They even deliver!) And, by the way, Jan has been absolutely invaluable as an active member of the parent guild. But that’s another story…

About Michael
Michael Rubin was born in Syracuse, New York but grew up in Southern California. He attended Beverly High School before moving on to Pitzer College in Claremont, where he received his B.A. in sociology. (And an M.A., he says, from the School of Hard Knocks).

Then he met Jan, his wife of 17 years. When asked how they met, Jan said, “Well, our friend set us up. He (the friend) likes to say he met me in a psychiatric hospital and met Michael in a shower.” When pressed to explain, we learn that Jan was a social worker at the hospital and Michael attended the same health club as the friend. Not quite the lurid scenario their matchmaker likes to imply! Guess the date went pretty well, ‘cause…

Fast forward to 2006. Michael and Jan have three great kids, Lily (14), Gabe (10) and Natalie (8) all of whom are Cinnabar Young Rep kids. (Or, Young Reptiles as we like to call them.) Michael is a printer by trade and the owner of Electric Crayon in Santa Rosa, a wildly busy print house judging from the fact the Michael seems to work non-stop. In fact, when asked about hobbies, Michael says, “Work is my hobby. It’s pretty bad.”

The Rubins’ first experience with Cinnabar Young Rep was in 1998 when Lily was only 6½ years old and she signed up for a class called, “Kids on Broadway.” Later on, Gabe and Natalie joined in. Last holiday season, Lily was in The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen while Gabe and Natalie were both in The Tailor of Gloucester.

When asked what brought them to Cinnabar, Michael said, “Jan found out about it. She’s totally responsible for anything that happens with the kids. If it’s positive, it’s probably from Jan.” Then, after he thinks a bit, “I am involved with Gabe’s ice hockey.”

“Watching the kids on stage at Cinnabar is an emotionally fulfilling experience. It’s beneficial to the kids to get on the stage and perform: good for their self-image and self-esteem. Good practice for life. I could go on ad infinitum…it’s a great thing.”