Celebrating Rod and the Gift of a Life Fully Lived
- qualitytimecommuni
- Nov 20
- 3 min read
You may have noticed some of my recent posts about doing fun bucket list events with friends. There is a reason for that. We have a dear friend who was diagnosed with ALS in the summer of 2024. Many of you know ALS as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a condition that moves far too quickly, and it changes everything in a very short period of time.
A couple of weekends ago we had one of the most outrageously fun nights I can remember. A group of us dressed in drag and headed to San Francisco to attend the Nightmare on Strip Street cabaret. Many of you have been asking for photos, so here they are. But the real point of that night, and of so many of our recent adventures, is to celebrate our friend Rod Caborn.
I have known Rod since he joined our Rotary Club twenty years ago. He is one of the finest humans I know. Over the years we have shared adventures, laughter, service projects, fundraisers, ski trips, runs, and many moments where Rod was the center of joy for everyone around him. One of my favorite memories was our midnight walk from Monterey to Aptos along the beach during a full moon. It took us fourteen and a half hours, involved two river crossings, and created a lifetime of memories. But the best part was the conversation over those many miles. That is who Rod is. A person who makes every shared moment meaningful.
Today at Rotary, Rod received a Proclamation from the City of Santa Cruz. If you want to know the measure of a person, read the words spoken about them when a community pauses to offer gratitude. The City honored Rod for a lifetime of leadership, philanthropy, creativity, humor, and service. They recognized his years as a professional rugby captain, his academic journey, his extraordinary fundraising work, his generous impact on schools and nonprofits, his years of Rotary leadership, his educational programs, and his remarkable ability to make every room brighter.
The City of Santa Cruz has officially named November 20, 2025, as Rod Caborn Day.
If you know Rod, this will not surprise you. And if you did not know him before today, now you can understand why I would gladly put on a dress, some makeup, and head off to a show in San Francisco with a huge smile on my face.
This is what QTR is about. Quality Time Remaining. We all know that life is short, even when it is long and full. We are all running out of days, but most of the time we pretend that we are not. When something like an ALS diagnosis enters your world, everything sharpens into focus. You stop assuming that tomorrow is guaranteed. You start creating memories on purpose.
Rod has lived a life that is meaningful and memorable. He has maximized fun and adventure. He has spent his life serving others. He has created joy everywhere he has gone. He has spent his days doing what he loved, surrounded by people who love him.
Even a long amazing life is too short. That is the truth for all of us.
So we are celebrating Rod while he is here, while he can laugh with us, while he can enjoy the stories, the silliness, the adventures, and the love. This is how you honor someone. This is how you live QTR. You do not wait. You say yes. You show up. You make the day meaningful and memorable.
If you know Rod and would like to support his family, here is the link to the gofundme that was created with love and care:
Cheers to Rod.
Cheers to friendship.
Cheers to the days that matter.
And cheers to QTR, today and every day.
Comments