BIOGRAPHY:

With her husband and three children, Cricket moved to Ojai in 1969, admonished by their moving van driver that "There's varmits in them hills."

In 1997, Ms. Twichell became the "token woman" in the admissions office of Thacher School, the year that Thacher first admitted women to their school. She taught English as a Second Language at OVS and worked with the Thacher alumni.

With Toastmasters, Crickett conquered her fear of public speaking and now, at the drop of a hat, dresses up as Zaidie Soule and gives talks to community groups about Ojai's colorful past.

At the behest of Editor Fred Volz, she wrote a series of articles for the Ojai Valley News, covering such notables as Fred Linkenhelt, Dwayne Boccali, Winnie Hirsch, and Carla Bard to name a few. This interest in Ojai's history led to oral histories for Thacher's archives and for the Ojai Music Festival.

She has helped to re-establish the Ojai Historical Walking Tours under the auspices of the Ojai Museum 10:30 every Saturday morning.

She helped to start a group called International Outlook which have brought interesting speakers to the Ojai Valley for speaking engagements. She has served as an MC for the Ojai 4th of July Parade, Ojai Valley Land Conservancy Board, and on the Ojai Historical Preservation Commission.

"I've been smitten by the Valley's special history and breathtaking views...and its varmits."