Web Templates Blog welcomes Kimberly Barreda to our weblog. She has allowed me to interview her, making it the latest in our series of interviews with web designers. Kimberly is the Editor of Active Living Magazine. I especially enjoy the healthy, recreational slant of this magazine and the caring voice of the articles, something this society needs more of. My favorite article from the current issue is “The Social Graces - Fielding Personal Questions In Public Places”.

Kimberly came to my attention when I found out she was involved with charitable projects that involve websites and webpage templates. Kimberly explained that she had made a request of Template Monster to donate a template for John’s Golf Course - The Non Profit, No Greens Fees Course for the Handicapped. This project is about making sport and recreation available to the handicapped. The website has a lot of great promotional photos, my favorite is the photo of John with Terry Bradshaw.

Kimberley Barreda requested Template Monster template #6807
to use for the website. John Espinoza - a Special Olympics Golfer, did not have a lot of resources and Kimberley wanted to upgrade John’s website to something considerably more effective so they could further the work they had started together.

So, Kimberly, how did you get into website design? “I paid someone three hundred dollars to design a page for Cripworld.com in 1994 and he stole my money. While he was working on it, I asked him if he’d teach me html and he said no.”

Do you remember the very first site you designed? “Yes - it was HIDEOUS - I thought I could make this great ‘map’ of my site and it would be so cool, with drop shadows and clipart.. then I thought I was REALLY advanced and started using FRAMES - hahahhahhahhhahaaa - lots and lots of frames. . .”

Are you specializing in any way? “I work for a publishing company that operates a network of (currently 14) sites - all with different content but all disability related - and being in the community - it’s where I do my best work.”

Where do you get your ideas for webpages? “It depends on the site - sometimes I have ideas in my mind on what I’d like to see if I went to the site. . .other times, other people have a concept that would be really cool - for the art, we go to Templatemonster.com usually - I browse the new art with the sites we’re developing in mind and something usually jumps out at us.”

Have you ever worked with website templates? “Extensively - we have 14 sites in the network and I believe 10 are template based. I used to use Moira’s web jewels, then I paid a known cartoonist to design some, then I found Template Monster. Moira’s was fun, they were free. . .Template Monster has worked out really well for us.”

What do you think about Flash technology? “I’m on diallup - lots of us still are and it makes me wait. . . Great presentation and the ability to offer something fun - we’ll be using flash extensively on a new site that features sports videos - but if you’re on dialup - I usually skip the intros if they provide a link.”

I asked Kimberly to tell me more about John’s golf Course. “The story is wonderful, a disabled veteran and volunteers from around the country build a golf course for people with disabilities that is completely free. It was built after John’s brother Michael passed away in a car accident. John started swinging Michael’s golf clubs to be closer to him and that got Steve (John’s father) thinking - so they all went to a local golf course and - well - were treated less than courteously. The family heard every word the gentlemen said about John. So did John.”

“Now the course is 9 years old and the tournament last month was a lot of fun. I won ‘worst golfer’ of the event. They still work on no budget at all and they sell tamales to raise money to cover the expenses as well. They are such nice people. Maybe you would want to golf with John if you’re ever in the area? . . .they LOVE the site - absolutely LOVE it. . . it was considerably different before the design - just white with lots of text.” Thankyou, Kimberly.

The Real Deal,

Arthur Browning