Guerneville couple finds meaning of Thanksgiving is priceless

Being poor has its advantages, Valerie Munthe of Guerneville said.

“You have to use your brain, make good decisions, limit your spending,” she said. “It’s very self-disciplined.”

Munthe, 24, and her husband, Jesse, 31, get by on her part-time job at the Russian River Chamber of Commerce and their Pell Grants to attend Santa Rosa Junior College.

Their son, Atreyu, 6, is named for the boy warrior in “NeverEnding Story” and daughter Jadziah, 3, for a character in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.”

“You can tell we watch a lot of TV,” she said.

Today, the Munthes plan to celebrate Thanksgiving at a friend’s home in Monte Rio. Valerie will bring a vegetable side dish because her husband and kids do not eat meat.

The couple, who grew up in Guerneville and were married on the pedestrian bridge over the river, have always managed on meager funds.

But a brief experience with homelessness, then a year living at a notorious Guerneville motel put the family’s well-being at risk. Through West County Community Services, the Munthes qualified for a Section 8 subsidized rental home.

One-third of their income goes to rent; the program pays the rest. Valerie Munthe said she’s grateful to taxpayers for the subsidy, which allows her to continue working part-time and go to SRJC.

Jesse is working toward a teaching credential; Valerie wants to become an American sign language interpreter. “I always talk with my hands,” she said.

There’s another payoff, too.

“We spend more time with our children than we did before we had Section 8,” she said. “Our family has been deeply enriched.”