Getting to know community activist Dottie Berger MacKinnon with this week's '10 questions'

Are you ever curious about the real lives of politicians, celebrities and athletes? Who are their mentors and who would they really like to meet?

Each Tuesday, ABC Action News asks a Bay area leader or celebrity 10 questions. They're fun questions that let you get to know the person.

In this week's profile, we are honored to hear from community activist Dottie Berger MacKinnon.

Dottie is a woman who has inspired our community. I feel blessed to know her and truly feel I'm an even a better person because I try to follow her lead as best as I can.

Dottie Berger MacKinnon said the neglected, abused and abandoned kids she worked so hard to help needed her to be here.

She is a tireless advocate for women and has left her footprint throughout the Bay area. She raised millions to build Joshua House, a safe haven for children removed from their families in Hillsborough County.

She also founded A Kids Place. A home that among many things helps keep siblings who are abandoned and abused together.

Dottie even held a fundraiser to help the Bloomingdale rape victim after learning I, along with our newsteam, had been working on extending the victim's healthcare.

The bottom line, Dottie listens. She listens with all she has. This from a woman who has had to overcome obstacles of her own..

10 questions for community activist Dottie Berger MacKinnon:

What is your all time favorite movie or song?

Movie: Little Drummer Boy
Song: Susan Boyle - I am Who I was Born to be

Do you have a Smartphone?

Yes - emails, text messages, stock market

Who do you count as your mentors?

Bob Thomas - worked for him for 22 years who taught me so much
Sandy MacKinnon - my husband - the kindest, most loving, caring, generous person I know

What was your very first job?

Besides baby-sitting, selling women's hats at Hecht Co. (hats sold themselves - I wasn't much of a sales person)

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Free of cancer

What do you consider your greatest success?

Besides marrying my wonderful husband, having the drive and tenacity to build A Kid's Place as the economy was tanking. We have raised the bar on how we treat kids.

Tell us something about you that most people don't know?

Have worn two hearing aids for years.

If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be?

Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa, Mother Teresa

What is in your fridge right now?

Breakfast food, not much else. We eat out every night

If you could have a different career, other than what you're doing now, what would it be?

Have been volunteering for years trying to improve the lives of our foster children. I worked in the business world before, but my passion is foster kids.

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