After retiring from a forty-year career as a public servant serving six different local governmental agencies in the San Joaquin Valley, Rick Ballantyne and his wife decided to retire to Christian Valley near Auburn. Having worked for public agencies as a professional planner and administrator, Rick gained valuable experience in all faucets of development and public service. He loved working with people to create a better living environment.
Rick’s early training as a Boy Scout had taught him valuable lessons—one of which was to serve his community. Rick previously served as a big brother in Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization, served as a Presbyterian youth mission leader, and most recently as the basketball coach for his granddaughter’s Weimar Hills basketball team.
This year marks Rick’s fourth year as a Habitat Board member. He says that Habitat for Humanity has shown him what a “big hearted” community can do when so many put their talents and gifts together to follow Christ’s teachings of helping others. Rick feels fortunate to have been given the opportunity to serve Habitat and to have made so many new friends in Nevada County even if he lives way down the hill. Habitat’s mission statement of “building decent, affordable homes in partnership with local residents” was what sparked Rick’s interest in joining Nevada County Habitat.
