Caught in the Act of Generosity: Kathryn Probasco

by Christina Socorro Yovovich of the Radical Generosity Committee

Living at the remote Vandenberg Air Force Base in California shaped Kathryn Probasco’s view on volunteerism. Before, she thought it something nice, but optional. Then she saw the systems military spouses had to support families day-to-day and during challenging times. She experienced the gift of her family being fed for a month following the birth of a child. She realized that without the unpaid labor of military spouses, the military would not function. Her view changed to see volunteering as an essential part of being in society: “I’ve carried that with me since …, volunteering at my kids’ schools, and local nonprofits, and First U.”

She joined First U in 2015, and in 2018 she joined the Radical Generosity committee. That first year they had a combined campaign, raising money for the operating budget and renovations in the Social Hall. During this, she became the team member in charge of skits. She says this was because “I had no other skills,” and once others had taken jobs, skits were left. She determined skits should be funny as well as sincere. This philosophy continues to this day for “Rad Gen,” and though she no longer serves on the committee, she is still called in for skit consultations.

By 2019, Kathryn was serving as co-chair of Rad Gen. When the pandemic arrived, she and the committee rethought how to run the pledge drive. They couldn’t gather to assemble physical pledge packets, for one. The resourceful team impressed her. So did the congregation’s response.

Kathryn joined the Worship Team in 2023. In this role, she works with the team on Sunday Services and Vespers. She says, “I did not realize what incredible attention to detail is involved with each service, and seeing how thoughtful and intentional Rev. Angela, Rev. Bob, and Susan Peck are about each aspect of worship made me appreciate them even more.” She finds that doing research for the entirely lay-led Vespers services is an excellent excuse to read poetry and listen to music: “The less I feel like I have time for ritual, the more I need to do it.”
She plans to continue serving and supporting the church “especially as we are headed into what promises to be a challenging era for the entire country.” She also comments that though the church has been through many changes since she joined, “the core experience … —a loving, thoughtful, like-minded community—has remained the same.”