Community members gathered the morning of July 11 at Solano Baking Company for Hope & Heroes: Living Kidney Donation Awareness Day. The event was organized by Kara Benz (far left) and Kendra Benz (second to right) and inspired by Gerna Benz (center). Family friend Sarah Landis (far right) flew in from Atlanta to support. Photo by Nicolas Brown

DIXON, CA (MPG) — Community members gathered the morning of July 11 at Solano Baking Company for Hope & Heroes: Living Kidney Donation Awareness Day, an event focused on educating the public about kidney disease, living kidney donation and the impact of organ transplantation.

The free event was held from 8 a.m. to noon at the bakery, 1160 Pitt School Road, Suite C, and its adjacent outdoor dining area. Activities included a Seeds of Hope station with sunflower seeds and educational materials, a Tree of Hope and Wall of Hope where visitors could leave messages of encouragement, complimentary Hope cookies, a children's activity area and hourly appreciation drawings.

The event was inspired by Gerna Benz, husband of Solano Baking Company owner Kendra Benz, who is living with chronic kidney disease and is awaiting a kidney transplant. According to the Benz family, the event was designed to go beyond their personal experiences by providing education and connecting residents with resources about kidney disease and living kidney donation.

Kendra Benz said her husband's diagnosis changed their family's life and motivated them to create a community-centered event.

“It's a community event,” she said. “We wanted to provide an event where community members can learn something, make a connection, and just feel more hope.”

Benz said she initially envisioned the event as one centered solely on living kidney donation, but expanded its scope as she learned more about kidney disease and transplant options.

“We're trying to connect people, educate people and learn from each other,” she said.

She also hopes attendees leave with new knowledge and a sense of encouragement.

“I wanted this to be a community event to use my platform that others may not have access to,” said Benz. “We try to be good villagers in our village.”

Kara Benz, Kendra’s daughter, said they wanted the event to serve anyone affected by kidney disease, whether they have received a transplant, may need one in the future, or want to learn more.

“We have people that have come from all over,” she said. “The main takeaway is we wanted this to be community-focused. The slogan is, 'One conversation can change a life.”

She said initially they were uncertain how the event would be received but were encouraged by the turnout.

“The reception has been great, such a great turnout,” she said.

Kara Benz said family friend Sarah Landis traveled from Atlanta to participate as a spokesperson, while other family members traveled from Washington to support the event. The Benz family plan to make Hope & Heroes an annual event.

“I'm really happy with the turnout and the support of the community,” said Kara Benz. “Not enough people know about this, and one in three people are affected, so it's important.”

Representatives from local health care organizations also participated in the event. Daunje Saunders, manager of community engagement for NorthBay Health, said the organization provided blood pressure screenings and information about primary care and urgent care services available in Solano County.

“High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of kidney disease,” said Saunders. “Kidney disease, like diabetes and other things, is a silent killer that can affect you severely.”

Saunders said NorthBay Health joined the event because raising awareness through community outreach aligns with its mission.

“We knew this was something we were ecstatic about, so this is something we've been planning to be part of since we heard of it,” she said.

According to Landis, she wanted to support the event because of its message about the life-changing impact of organ donation.

“This isn't just giving someone a pint of blood, which is also important,” she said. “This is the gift of life.”

Organizers encouraged attendees to ask questions, hear personal stories from those affected by kidney disease and learn about living donation, emphasizing education and community connection rather than fundraising.

For more information, visit Solano Baking Company on Facebook or call 707-678-0950.