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Last fall, the nonprofit San Diego Nice Guys honored Sandra as 2023 Nice Guy of the Year at the organization's 43rd annual gala for her charitable contributions and commitment to many causes. For ten years, she helped to raise crucial funds for Rady Children's Hospital as a member and president of the Rancho Santa Fe unit of the hospital's auxiliary. In 2018, Sandra and a group of friends were having tea one day at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar when they decided to establish the Tea3 Foundation, to give their "time, talent, and treasure" to benefit worthy causes with an emphasis on military families, children, and animals. Beneficiaries have included United rough Reading, which connects deployed service members with their children through video recordings of story time, and Shelter to Soldier, which provides psychiatric service animals to veterans. e Tea3 Foundation has also supported the Armed Services YMCA, e Randy Jones Foundation, San Pasqual Academy, Just in Time for Foster Youth, Camps for Kids, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. e foundation raises funds through galas, golf tournaments, sip-and-shop events, fashion shows, a "dueling pianos" concert, and "Do You ink We Can Dance?," a dance contest pairing amateurs with Arthur Murray pros. By the way, the den Uijls are both ballroom dancers, competing in contests around the world. In their home, the "grand room," as Sandra calls it, is a large open space off the foyer that serves as a living room and entertainment area. ere's a player piano but no television. One wall is centered by a massive fireplace hung with an oil painting of Sandra on her wedding day, a gift from Henny to his bride. She says her husband's "pride and joy" is an antique cabinet next to the fireplace, filled with rare tequila in beautiful, fanciful bottles, many of them gifts from friends over the years. On the other side of the fireplace, a door leads to the wine room which has sections for whites and champagne, reds, and prized tequila. e home is filled with Mexican art including Reflections, a six- foot-three statue by Sergio Bustamante. Sandra, who was born in Brownsville, Texas to an American mother and Mexican father, was raised mostly in Guadalajara, where her family ran a prosperous business producing and selling hybrid grains to growers. (Her father was an accountant connect people PORTRAIT: PHOTO BY BOB STEFANKO ranchandcoast.com 96 SEPTEMBER 2024 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE <<