In early 2008 Patrice started folding origami cranes and selling them for $1.00 each to raise money so families with critically ill children could be together. She has folded over 40,000 to date. In 2016 she founded CraneAge Inc. In 2017 CraneAge became a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Patrice is a mother of four children, and grandmother of eleven and a great grand mother of three, she is an artist, and writer with a passion for making the world a better place. She has worked in diverse and exciting careers including, bank teller, stock exchange “writer,” mail room clerk, disco dancer, waitress, restaurant(s) manager, masseuse, actress, personal organizer, art teacher, house cleaner, fund raiser, banquet manager, model, gallery manager, hospice caregiver, assistant to the president of a graphic design and marketing corporation in California (only corporate job); horse and llama ranch hand, singer (with a deaf organist) in a lounge, political campaign manager, bed and breakfast owner. She brings a great amount of love and experience to the continued growth of CraneAge.
She is passionate about helping the children of Portland, especially those in critical care at one of the 5 Portland Hospitals and devotes much of her free time to fundraising for the Mama Pea fund which provides financial assistance to cover travel, food and housing expenses for those families whose children are in treatment and recovery. The funds allow families to be with their children in the most critical moments of their treatment.