Name: Ritu Duenwald
Age: 41
Occupation: Volunteer
Tell us a little about yourself: I am a native of India and immigrated to the Bronx, N.Y. area in 1972 with my younger brother and parents. I am an active volunteer in the community and a mom of four active kids ages five to 12.
I have been married to my wonderful husband Eric for almost 17 years. I joined GE's Financial Management Program in 1992 after I graduated from Syracuse University. I worked for GE for 15-plus years in various finance roles both domestic and global before I became a full time stay at home mom in 2007.
Now I pour my energy into my kids’ lives, my husband's career and supporting our wonderful community in Redding. I am a Girl Scout leader for both my daughters’ troops. I am also on the Executive Board of the PTA as their treasurer and volunteer on the PTA in various areas. Additionally, I volunteer in my younger kid's classrooms with reading and writing support.
And when I can, I help manage the schedules and teams of the various sports teams my kids are on. I enjoy reading, playing tennis and golf and spending time at our vacation home in Utah with my family.
How long have you lived in Redding? I moved to Redding from the Chicago area in September of 2001, so I have been in Redding for almost 10 years. That is the longest time we have lived in any one place. Prior to moving to Redding, we were moving almost every two years with GE. My husband still works for them.
What is your favorite thing about Redding? My favorite thing about Redding is the community as a whole. I love the wonderful schools and teachers. I love all my friends here and the wonderful people of Redding in general. And I love the open space and the natural beauty of our small town.
What keeps you here? I love the friends my kids have and the parents of those friends are my best friends. The families here are wonderful with terrific values that are similar to ours and always willing to help out.
What is your best memory in Redding? There are so many. Both my younger daughter and son were born into our home here in Redding. I have fond memories of all the town wide family events like Concerts on the Green, Girl Scout events, school concerts, sports games and the wonderful summers we spend as a family at the Redding Country Club where we enjoy swimming, golfing and playing tennis. I have also enjoyed being a host mom to several Au Pairs from Europe over the years and having them become an official part of our family while they learn and enjoy our culture and help with the care of my children.
What do you do during your free time in Redding? I am trying to become a better tennis and golf player and I hope to test out my new bike on some of the trails in our parks.
