COLUSA, CA (MPG) – This Jan. 10 will mark the sixth anniversary of the death of Davis police officer and Arbuckle native Natalie Corona, and while nothing can take away the pain associated with her loss, one thing that remains certain is that her legacy of compassion and joy is still a vibrant presence in Colusa County.
Over the past six years, one event that has come to epitomize Corona’s passion for finding the good in life is the annual Colusa County Corona Classic Volleyball Alumni Game, which brings together the rival Pierce Bears and Colusa RedHawks to raise funds for two scholarships that are awarded in Corona’s memory.
This year the gathering took place on Jan. 4 in Colusa’s Don Bransford Gymnasium and expanded to include participants from Maxwell and Williams in the “For fun Game,” illustrating the sense of community that Corona’s father, Merced, says is at the heart of his daughter’s essence.
“This event encapsulates Natalie perfectly,” said Corona. “She would have loved that these women are not only out here competing, but also the fact that they are laughing and having fun. I’m grateful for this because it shows that her spirit is alive.”
Spearheading the event since its inception has been former Pierce coach Kim Travis, who considers it a fitting tribute to Corona’s memory by promoting camaraderie.
“Competition is not the most important part of what is happening tonight,” Travis said. “This is about bringing people together, which is what Natalie did. She was kind and always went out of her way to make people feel good. That was her spirit.”
By evening’s end although the RedHawks had won the “Competitive Game” for the second straight year, it was evident that what was more significant was the coming together for the love of the game.
It was a scene that prompted Colusa coach Kim Roper to make the comment that, “I hope it continues to grow and thrive. It’s competitive, but fun and is for a wonderful cause in honor of a remarkable human being.”
Natalie Corona was committed to making the communities to which she belonged better and in doing so impacted them with a kindness that will not soon be forgotten.
Ultimately hers is a legacy can be summed up in the words of the poet Maya Angelou, who once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”