A man volunteered his helicopter and pilot skills. I acted as navigator and spotter. Using a GPS unit, a map, and looking out the window, I had to identify where we were and where to go next, while at the same time searching the ground for a white bicycle and communicating with the pilot through a headset. It would be easier if creeks had big labels on them. (Photo by Ivy.)
An email from me after a week of searching:
Dear Friends,
We still do not know where Minna is. We searched the Santa Cruz mountains extensively, from Hidden Villa (where she was staying), up the main roads, around Skyline, down the other side, and all the way to the ocean. Search teams worked from Tuesday to Sunday, combing the open spaces and parks, looking down roadside embankments, and bushwacking through ravines.
We did not find a trace of Minna; not her bike, helmet, or clothing. One team did, however, find the body of another woman who had been killed several months ago. We were glad first of all that it was not Minna, and secondly that we were able to provide some closure for the other woman's family.
Our other focus has been in urban areas, particularly Oakland, Woodside, and Santa Cruz. We have flyered much of the south and east bay (in English and Spanish) and received a number of reports of possible sightings by community members. Most leads were dead ends, but some are still being investigated. A librarian in Woodside may have seen her on the afternoon that she disappeared (July 13), possbily looking for bike routes online.
Other than that all we know is that she hasn't checked her email or used her bank account since then, and all she took with her was a change of clothes, a small blanket, and her wallet.
The community support has been tremendous. On Saturday alone we had about 150 volunteers who did not even know Minna. We have had generous donations of food, facilities, counseling, and supplies like GPS units and cell phones. People have contributed use of their planes and helicopters, and several military and search & rescue groups have given their time.
The organization of Minna's friends has been phenomenol as well. Chi Theta Chi served as our base, where people handled maps, the press, phones, coordinating volunteers, making flyers, and a million other things. News coverage in the papers, radio, and TV have been substantial (which means more eyes looking for Minna), and we've all learned so much about S&R organization.
Today we officially ended the large-scale, physical search. We felt we had done all we could do in that vein (although a few will keep going), and the Sandmeyers will hire a private investigator to continue in a new vein.
Tonight we held a closing ceremony for the searchers who were friends with Minna, and for her family, who flew out from Chicago. It was not a memorial, because we are not giving up hope, but we are moving on with our lives and trying to accept living with not knowing. We have all been grateful for the chance to meet other of Minna's friends and family for the first time, to be with each other, and to see the amazing network of friends that she has created, even though the circumstances under which we gathered were unfortunate.
Updates and information are maintained at the website www.findminna.org. If you want to talk to someone, you can reach search headquarters at Chi Theta Chi at (415)378-0531. I'm sorry not to have happier news; I'm still praying for her safe return.
love,
Jacquie