Westchester/Playa HomeTown News March edition

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Westchester Rotarians, Warren Bobrow, Tori Hettinger, John Ramey and Christa Ramey (left to right), get their hands dirty during a makeover project for Safe Places for Youth.

WESTCHESTER ROTARY MAKEOVER PROJECT

Westchester Rotarians spent the weekend sprucing up the interior of S.P.Y. with new paint, floors and decor.

Members of the Westchester and Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Clubs, along with volunteers and Councilmember Mike Bonin, pose in front of S.P.Y.

Rotary Club of Westchester President, Christa Ramey, gets to work.

S.P.Y. Executive Director, Alison Hurst, celebrates the makeover with Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation President, Karen Dial, and Makeover Project co-chairs.

Volunteers help paint and clean the rehabbed drop-in center room.

One of the biggest rain storms in recent years couldn’t stop more than 150 volunteers from donating their time to participate in the Rotary Club of Westchester’s 2017 Makeover Project.

Volunteers from the Rotary Club, LMU and the community, spent President’s Day weekend helping enhance and improve Safe Places for Youth (S.P.Y.), a nonprofit dedicated to providing a nurturing and compassionate Page 2 • March 2017

environment for homeless youth that also offers services like health care, mental health services, career/education counseling and help with housing.

Last year, more than 1,000 homeless youths received services from S.P.Y. Led by Westchester Rotary President, Christa Ramey, and project co-chairs John Ramey, Tori Hettinger and Warren Bobrow, the club raised $175,000 for the Makeover Project through a

Rotary Global Grant and donations from organizations like the Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation, William H. Hannon Foundation and the Adam Levine Foundation. While S.P.Y. received new paint, landscaping, furniture upgrades, new office space for education and employment counseling, a clothing donation closet and an upgraded arts and healing space, the majority of the funds raised will be used for

enhanced programming and internship opportunities for S.P.Y.’s youth.

“Rotary’s motto is ‘Service Above Self.’ Finding ways to help others in the community that are in need is exactly why we all became Rotarians,” said Christa Ramey. “This project is helping homeless youth in Venice in ways that we never imagined possible when we first selected S.P.Y. This is truly some good service.”

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Photos by Lek Pollard and the HomeTown News.

SERVICE ABOVE SELF

This Month Brings You A look inside your HTN Service Above Self: Rotary Makeover Project Diamond duo celebrates 75 years of marriage Nominate a Super Mom! School Board District 4 candidate survey

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HOMETOWN STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis, Publisher, Editor Jeff Blair, Contributing Writer Fay Craton, Contributing Writer

Rebecca Hill, Secret Recipes of the Inn

Advertisers’ Directory

Airport Marina Counseling 16, 21 Alzheimer’s Greater LA 17 Concierge Hearing Group 07 Covenant Presbyterian Church 16 Drollinger Properties 20 Fineman Suarez/Playa Vista 11 Food Pantry, LAX 16 Gateway to GO! 13 Hazardous Waste Round-Up 15 Jane St. John 19 Law Offices of Edgar Saenz 22 Loyola Marymount 04 Martayan for School Board 05

Marina del Rey Hospital Neighborhood Council Sarlo Income Tax Socal Sports and Fitness Southland Vinyl St. Anastasia School Vergari & Napolitano Visitation School Westchester Farmers’ Market Westchester Lutheran

Westchester Town Center BID Westside Pacific Village Zacha Homes

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About The HomeTown News (HTN) The HomeTown News is a monthly community newspaper dedicated to providing information about the people, events and happenings of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Marina del Rey and Playa Vista. Look for the HomeTown News the first Thursday of the month at your home or at one of our drop-off locations.

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Mailing Address: 8939 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 110 #745 Westchester, CA 90045 Email: westchesterhometown@yahoo.com • Phone: (310) 641-1016 Website: thehtn.com • Facebook: facebook.com/thehtn The deadline for submissions is the 22nd of each month.

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Join us at Westchester Lutheran Church,

Freedomus.from doubt. Freedom from fear.

Come and with embrace the freedom found in a We’re spending the month of March inwith prayer, loving, relationship the Joinand usforgiving at Westchester Lutheran Church, praise, community.

And every time we gather, of Lord.

Join new friends in a celebration and embrace the freedom found in a we move forward – closer to God and to each other. loving, forgiving relationship theyou live everything that is possible with when Lord.

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March 2017 • Page 3

Diamond duo celebrates 75 years of marriage

By John Casey More than 200 people gave a Westchester couple a standing ovation on a recent February afternoon, paying respect to the duo for celebrating a diamond anniversary–an incredible 75 years of marriage. The nonagenarian bride and groom even shared a kiss as the Visitation Church congregation looked on, prompting a light-hearted admonishment from Father Jim Forsen.

Bill Holyk and Kay Kubasek fell in love in Coleman, Canada after growing up in neighboring towns. In the winter of 1942 they decided to marry, and that weekend they went to the priest with a few friends and were married on the spot. The next day, the happily eloped couple boarded a train to Medicine Hat, Canada where Bill was to report for basic training in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Nearly twenty years later they left their grocery business in Canada, packed up the family and moved to California, settling in Westchester in 1962. They still live in that same house, visited frequently by their daughters, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

“It’s a miracle,” said Dominican Sister Johnellen Turner who attended

Page 4 • March 2017

Longtime Westchester residents, Bill and Kay Holyk, recently celebrated 75 of marriages at the home they’ve lived in since 1962. At right: The couple during their first year of marriage.

the couple’s anniversary party at their Westchester home. “But it’s been love and a family to support them that got them here.”

“Bill’s kept me out of trouble for the past 50 years,” said Joe Stodderd, a neighbor since 1965. “And he still takes care of this house too. Whoever owns this place isn’t paying him

enough.”

The couple is not only known for their friendly disposition and helpful approach, but also for their legendary spryness and mental acuity. Bill and Kay still work out at the Westchester YMCA several days every week and Kay recently beat her grandchildren and a son-in-law at

Scrabble, with no help.

“I have learned that he is twice as strong as I am,” said Victor, a fellow YMCA fitness partner, referring to Bill’s antics such as picking up the aquatics instructor at the pool.

And what does it take to stay married for 75 years and remain happy?

Bill offers sage and succinct advice: “Don’t do anything you shouldn’t do.”

But when asked about their decision to elope because his mother did not approve, Kay says, “That is the one time he showed any sense. Let the man think he is right.”

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 5

Business & Nonprofit News

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Westchester’s Sender One LAX, an indoor climbing facility, celebrated its recent opening with a ceremonial ribbon cutting led by the LAX Coastal Young Professionals.

Photo by Ballerini Cooley Studios.

Nominate a Super Mom for our Mother’s Day edition!

Nominations are now open for the HomeTown News’ fourth annual Super Moms edition, in honor of Mother’s Day. We are asking our readers to nominate super moms from Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista and Marina del Rey, who make a difference in the community through their dedication to their families, neighborhoods, local schools and/or careers by Monday, April 10.

Please email your super mom nomination to westchesterhometown@ yahoo.com and include why your nominee is a “super mom” and your contact information.

We will feature some of these inspiring moms and their stories in our May edition. Honorees will be treated to a photo shoot courtesy of Playa del Rey’s Ballerini Cooley Studios and a prize bag with gift cards from local businesses.

Westchester mom, Kim Allard, was featured as one of the 2016 Super Moms.

towers and a giant slide.

Day passes, which include unlimited climbing, yoga and fitness, start at $17 for kids 13 and younger and $22 for adults and those 14 and up. Shoes and harness rentals are an additional $7 each. Kids 5 and under are free with a paid adult. Membership rates and party packages are also available.

Sender One LAX is holding a grand opening party and Sender Games event on Saturday, March 18. For more details, visit senderoneclimbing.com/lax.

Sender One LAX is located at 11220 Hindry Ave. in Westchester.

Sender One opens in Westchester.

Sender One, a premier indoor climbing and fitness facility, recently opened in Westchester and celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by the LAX Coastal Young Professionals on Saturday, February 25.

The facility boasts climbing walls that range from 35 to 60 feet in height, a fitness area with cardio machines and weights, a yoga room and a fun, colorful kid-friendly “Sender City” complete with a tire wall, climbing Page 6 • March 2017

Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary hosts BingoFest St. Patrick’s Day party.

Feeling lucky? The Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club is hosting its

annual St. Patrick’s Day bash, with the Luck O’ the Irish BingoFest on Saturday, March 11 from 6 to 10 p.m.

The event will be held on the campus of Visitation School, located at 8740 Emerson Ave. in Westchester.

Admission includes 10 games of Bingo, with prizes paying $100 for 9 games and a final blackout card paying out $500. A dinner, catered

by Cantalini’s Salerno Beach and Rainbow Acres, complete with corn beef and cabbage will be served. An Irish band, cash bar, door prizes and a gift card raffle round out the event.

Tickets are $55 and the money raised from the event help support the club’s community, youth, international and vocational service projects.

To purchase tickets, please call

(310) 963-9494 or visit playavenice.org.

Local leaders honored at City of Angels Gala.

The LAX Coastal Chamber will honor four individuals for their positive impact on Los Angeles at its Thursday, March 2 City of Angels Gala held at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott.

This year’s honorees are L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn; St. Joseph Center, Venice’s President/ CEO VaLecia Adams Kellum; philanthropist Melanie Lundquist and real estate developer and philanthropist, David Nagel.

The event is also a chance to celebrate chamber member businesses that are celebrating a milestone anniversary with certificates and recognition, including: Drollinger Properties, Kentwood Elementary School, Loyola Village Fine & Performing Arts Magnet Elementary School and Visitation School, celebrating 70 years; Sarlo Income Tax Service, Inc., St. Jerome School and the Westchester Family YMCA, celebrating 65 years; and St. Bernard High School and the Westchester Elks Lodge celebrating 60 years.

Loyola Marymount University expands to Playa Vista.

Loyola Marymount University recently announced that it has leased more than 50,000 square feet of space

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

in Playa Vista’s The Brickyard. The LMU Playa Vista Campus will house the graduate programs for the LMU School of Film and Television and will also offer space for academic and creative events. The university’s film school is ranked sixth in USA Today’s national film school rankings.

“LMU Playa Vista Campus is a game-changer,” said LMU President Timothy Law Snyder in a statement.

“As the University of Silicon Beach, our industry partnerships, immersive and interdisciplinary learning opportunities, career pathways and ideal location are unmatched. LMU is already a crucible of creativity, where worldchanging ideas are imagined and formed. Silicon Beach is one of the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems, an ideal counterpart for LMU as the definitive center for global imagination and its impacts.”

The university’s Playa Vista campus is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018.

Westchester Mental Health Guild invites public to its annual meeting.

Members of the community are invited to attend the Westchester Mental Health Guild’s annual meeting on Wednesday, April 5 at 11:30 a.m. A light lunch will be served and the guest speaker is Ronald A. Markman, M.D., J.D. Markman will be speaking on the

topic of “Intrusion of Psychiatry into the Legal Profession.” The Westchester Mental Health Guild is a nonprofit organization that supports the Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS), which provides low-cost counseling services to the community.

Dr. Markman has been with AMCS since 1968. He is also affiliated with UCLA as an Associate Clinical Professor and Cedars Sinai Medical Center, as an attending physician.

Dr. Markman is a consultant to the L.A. Superior Courts, furthering his efforts evaluating mental health concerns related to family, tort, criminal and juvenile law. He has lent his expertise to notorious criminal trials, including the Manson family and the Hillside Strangler. He has published two New York Times best-selling novels, Alone with the Devil and Obsessed.

The meeting is free, but reservations are requested by March 29 by emailing info@ westchestermhg.org. The event will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church, located at 6323 W. 80th St. in Westchester.

Opened a new business?

Celebrating an anniversary or other milestone? We want to hear about your business or nonprofit! Email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo. com.

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March 2017 • Page 7

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

School News

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Students Simran Chopra and Angela Wade were selected as the dance category winners at the Pageant of the Arts contest sponsored by the local Rotary Clubs.

Last chance to sign-up for Race for Success.

Interested in supporting local schools? It’s your last chance to signup as a runner in the annual Race for Success at Loyola Marymount University. The race is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and so far, more than $580,000 has been raised to support local schools.

The 5k walk/run and kids’ 1k, will take place on Saturday, March 11 beginning at 8 a.m. After the race, runners are invited to stick around for the fun and festive community expo. All of the money raised from the event is divided equally between participating schools. Major sponsors include the William H. Hannon Foundation, Drollinger Family Charitable Foundation and Loyola Marymount University.

The cost to participate is $35 for adults and $30 for kids.

For more information or to sign-up, visit raceforsuccess5k.org.

Parade committee looks for National Anthem singer.

The LAX Coastal on Parade Fourth of July Parade committee is looking for its 2017 National Anthem singer.

Auditions will be held on Friday, April 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the LAX Coastal Chamber office. While the auditions are open to anyone, preference is given to students who live or attend school in the LAX Coastal area, which includes Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Marina del Rey and Del Rey. Auditions are by appointment only.

For more info on the parade, or to make a reservation for an audition, please call the chamber office at (310) 645-5151.

Rotary Clubs held their annual Pageant of the Arts scholarship competition at Westchester’s LA Arts Collective. Dozens of high school students participated in the hopes of being one of two people selected in each category–dance, music, fine art and speech–for a $125 scholarship awarded by the clubs. Congratulations to dancers Simran Chopra and Angela Wade: artists Alicia Quill-Strickland and Cristian Solorzano; musicians Kiev Morales and Anna Minotti and speech winners Marc Guerrero and Jyla Yu. These students will now move on to the district finals at Loyola Marymount University on March 11, where they will be eligible for scholarships of up to $1,000.

Visitation hosts golf tournament.

Visitation is looking for golfers for its second annual O’Grady Golf Classic. Named after longtime Visitation pastor, James O’Grady, the golf tournament seeks to help raise money for the seventy-year-old school’s capital campaign.

The golf tournament will take place on Monday, March 13 at the Mountain Gate Country Club starting at 11 a.m.

For more info or to sign-up, visit visitationschool.org/o-grady-classic.

WISH Academy open house.

WISH Charter is expanding with the opening of its new high school, WISH Academy, set to open this fall on the campus of Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets. The school is holding its last information meeting of the season on Tuesday, March 7 at 6 p.m. at a location TBD. RSVPs are mandatory and can be made by visiting wishacademyhs.org/ admissions.

Have something to share about your school? Please email us at westchesterhometown@yahoo.com.

Local students move on to Pageant of the Arts district finals.

On Saturday, February 4, the Playa Venice Sunrise and the Westchester Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 9

Local school board candidates answer questions at the forum held at LMU on February 6. The event was hosted by the Neighborhood Council of Westchester/Playa and the LAX Coastal Chamber.

Photos courtesy the candidates.

Meet your School Board Candidates

Steve Zimmer

Gregory Martayan

Nick Melvoin

Allison Holdorff Polhill

When voters head to the polls on Tuesday, March 7, they’ll have the chance to decide who should be L.A. Mayor and the CD11 councilmember, but the most talked about local race has to be who will win the LAUSD School Board seat to represent District 4, which includes Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista and Marina del Rey. Dozens of campaign mailers have been sent and more than $3.5 million has been spent from independent contributions and outside expenditures. What makes this race even more important for voters is that the school board member elected will serve a 5-1/2 year term, instead of the customary four, to accommodate a change in the election cycle. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote on March 7, the top two candidates will move onto the general election on Tuesday, May 16.

The HomeTown News recently reached out to all four candidates running for the District 4 LAUSD Board Seat to ask them why they’d be the best choice for voters.

Below are their answers to our candidate survey, in the order they were received.

No matter who you’re rooting for this election season, make sure to get out and vote on Tuesday, March 7.

Steve Zimmer

Gregory Martayan

Nick Melvoin

Allison Holdorff Polhill

Personal Statement: Elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2013, Steve Zimmer is President of the LAUSD School Board. A 17-year veteran teacher, counselor and community activist, he began his career at Marshall High School. Through all his work, Steve is passionate about doing whatever it takes to support and affirm all students.

1. What makes you the best candidate for the School Board District 4 seat?

My experience with LAUSD as a School Board member and previously as a teacher, and the trust I have built with parents, teachers, administrators and the community are my greatest assets for this position. I have experience addressing the challenges

(continued on page 12)

Personal Statement: Gregory Martayan is the only candidate in the race for District 4 who is a native Angeleno who was born, raised, educated, married, served and worked to protect the residents and stakeholders of the City of Los Angeles, without ever leaving or abandoning the city. Martayan has served as a Los Angeles City Commissioner, as a member of the Los Angeles Workforce Investment Taskforce, as an Ambassador with the National Crime Prevention Council, as well as numerous posts which all have revolved around education reform and school-neighborhood safety. Martayan is the only candidate in the race with a coalition of elected leaders, business owners,

(continued on page 12)

Personal Statement: I began my career as an English teacher at an LAUSD school in Watts where I saw firsthand how the district was failing students.

After teaching, graduating from law school, working in the Obama White House, and doing civil rights work with the ACLU, I was encouraged by parents in this community to run for the board. I am running on a platform to put kids first by cutting the bloated bureaucracy and keeping the best teachers in schools.

1. What makes you the best candidate for the School Board District 4 seat?

I have spent my career fighting for our city’s schoolchildren, serving as a teacher, a coach, an attorney, a teacher organizer, a charter school board

(continued on page 12)

Personal Statement: Allison is a social justice advocate, parent, educator and a businesswoman who will help reset the table and revitalize the potential of one of our country’s greatest and most diverse school districts. Her goal is to realize the promise of equal education for all our students and she brings 18 years of experience immersed in local public schools governing, managing large school budgets and negotiating with the teachers’ union. She’s a champion for public education, and she and her three children have graduated from our local public schools. She will work tirelessly–and full-time–to build a legislative agenda and budget that will put the interests of our students and our classrooms first and foremost.

(continued on page 13)

*These are the candidates answers in full, with light-editing for grammar and spelling. The HTN does not vouch for the accuracy of any statements made by the candidates.

Page 10 • March 2017

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 11

School board candidate survey (continued) Steve Zimmer

ests and needs.

One parent’s choice shouldn’t come at the expense of another. The best way to live up to the promise of public education is to work collaboratively, rather than competitively, to address the challenges we face.

3. Do you think there should be more local autonomy over schools?

Why or why not?

I’m a strong believer in local autonomy. As a teacher at Marshall High School, I was involved in expanded school based management. During my tenure on the LAUSD School Board, I have worked to support increased local autonomy for schools and efforts to expand pilot schools and affiliated charter schools. I am also a strong

advocate for teacher initiated innovations.

As parent-leader, Tracy Bartley said, “Steve Zimmer has been an advocate for local control and the resulting school pride, academic achievement, and increased enrollment that come when you empower school communities and welcome every child and family that comes to the schoolhouse door.”

4. If you could implement one change at LAUSD what would it be?

We have made important progress on the School Board, under my leadership, but our work is not done.

The most important thing that we can do right now is to galvanize the forces of this district and the forces

of greater Los Angeles around closing the school readiness gap. I believe that a massive investment in early childhood education on an equity basis is absolutely doable. We’ve already seen the positive effects of LAUSD opening 15,000 new seats in the areas of highest concentration of poverty in our district. Tying high quality, early education, rich with social emotional learning and community engagement, to effective early literacy programs would enable us to close the school readiness gap and the Reading by 9 gap and position our students for long term success.

For more info, visit steve4schoolboard.com.

charter and traditional school students, and transparency in the budget. Equal is equal. Our parents who stand with me for choice, deserve to be part of an education system that values their opinion.

2. What do you feel are the biggest issues facing Westchester/Playa schools? How would you work to improve these issues?

Westchester/Playa is a crown jewel of Los Angeles, but the current members of the board have turned their backs on this area by promoting divisive language and not giving parents a seat at the decision making table. As a Los Angeles City Commissioner and all my posts, both nationally and locally, I have been a representative who has been accessible to all. When I take office, I will continue my platform of transparency and access. As a parent, I recognize that access is what we all deserve. The budget and local funding for Westchester will reflect larger numbers when I take office, because

that is what the region deserves. The current numbers are nowhere near where they should be in supporting the needs of Westchester/Playa from the board.

3. Do you think there should be more local autonomy over schools?

Why or why not?

There should more local autonomy over schools, because local communities know their backyard more than the bureaucracy. Simply put, I trust in parents and local organizers. There are “charter deserts” in Los Angeles, and I plan on filling that gap. We need to empower our families to pick the path they feel is best for their child.

As a parent of three, I know that even within families each child has a need specific to themselves. I also recognize that parents know their children best. For this reason, as well as the fact that I strongly stand for families’ rights to make decisions for their own kids, I believe localities in partnership with families can make

assessments and create programs best suited for their regions.

4. If you could implement one change at LAUSD what would it be?

I want to protect our children. I would implement stronger protocols and prevention measures to curb child abuse in schools, and I would implement safe school initiatives to curb school bullying. I am the only candidate in this race who has tried to have a dialogue about the issue of child abuse and has a plan to protect our classrooms. Additionally, there has to be equity in the system for charters and traditional public schools. Dollar for dollar, we have to make sure that each student receives the same services. Anything less, in my opinion, is unfair. The current system allows for charter students to receive less dollars than non-charter students, I would assure we reverse that system. Equal is equal.

For more info, visit votemartayan. com.

(continued from page 10) member, a nonprofit consultant and a children’s advocate. These experiences have helped me understand the problems of LAUSD, but also help craft innovative solutions to improve outcomes for kids.

My platform is aimed at rethinking the way we run the district—from supporting schools to training teachers to engaging with parents.

We need more local control to allow schools and communities to make the decisions that are right for them.

We need to promote innovation in school design, classroom learning and district governance. We have to ensure that all families have access to great choices in schools, regardless of zip code—and that parents can easily navigate those choices. We must overhaul the district’s human capital policies to better support our educators, from recruitment to training to compensation. And we

absolutely must usher in an era of radical transparency and accountability so that parents, students and taxpayers actually know what’s going on in district headquarters, from the true fiscal situation to graduation rates to facilities needs.

2. What do you feel are the biggest issues facing Westchester/Playa schools? How would you work to improve these issues?

Westchester/Playa families are frustrated by the broken promises and roadblocks put in their way by our current leadership. Parents and parent groups have been pitted against each other because of divisive rhetoric surrounding charter schools and facilities, there is not enough local control, promises have been broken and too many students are not receiving quality educations.

I’d work to bring in stakeholders from all communities, including charter schools (Westchester Secondary, WISH, etc.), district

schools (Wright, Playa Vista Elementary, Westchester High, etc.), parents and partners (such as LMU), to reset these relationships. Through more transparency, an improved colocation process, better communication with stakeholders, and more innovative decision-making, I firmly believe there is a way to gain back the trust of the community.

3. Do you think there should be more local autonomy over schools?

Why or why not?

Yes. We should be pushing as much decision-making authority as possible to the school site and letting principals and teachers do their jobs with fewer strings attached. The increase in autonomy and flexibility would extend to giving principals the ability to put together their own staff. I want there to be fewer decisions made at the district level and more made in local schools.

This is one of the lessons we’re learning from charter and pilot schools; in general, decisions made closer to

students and to a community are better serving students and families.

4. If you could implement one change at LAUSD what would it be?

I want to usher in an era of radical transparency. Parents should have information on everything from the true fiscal situation to student achievement scores to salary data at a school site to parent and student satisfaction survey results to a similar school’s ranking and information about neighboring schools and other options they may consider.

In addition to having more information on schools, it will allow voters to hold the board accountable to balancing the budget. With a $13.6 billion unfunded pension liability, it is more important than ever that every dollar in the district is spent as efficiently as possible. Opening up the books will lead to more honest accounting and more efficient spending.

For more info, visit nickmelvoin.com.

Page 12 • March 2017

(continued from page 10) of the district and working effectively with our labor partners and families to make the compromises and decisions needed to provide the greatest benefit for our students.

2. What do you feel are the biggest issues facing Westchester/Playa schools? How would you work to improve these issues?

Some parents perceive that LAUSD schools are not a quality option for them. LAUSD is working hard, but needs to work harder, to make sure that parents are familiar with the excellent programs that exist in our schools and continue building programs that respond to parents’ inter-

Gregory Martayan (continued from page 10) parents and organizers.

1. What makes you the best candidate for the School Board District 4 seat?

The only candidate with a coalition of supporters from every region of Los Angeles, including Westchester/Playa.

The only candidate not compromised by big money and special interests.

The only candidate qualified to lead a large district. The only candidate with the experience to create safer environments for learning for our students.

The only candidate who supports an equitable standard for distributing money to charter students at a dollar for dollar rate as traditional public school students. Equal is equal. I stand strongly for parent’s choice and am a parent who believes that the safety of our children should be a district priority across the board. I stand for safe schools, accountability in providing dollar for dollar equal services for our

Nick Melvoin

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Candidate survey (continued) Allison Holdorff Polhill (continued from page 10) 1. What makes you the best candidate for the School Board District 4 seat?

The LAUSD Board is in dire need of a fresh perspective and hands-on, inthe-trenches experience. The district has been enduring tremendous financial pressures and systemic sub-par graduation rates. I strongly believe that my passion and background as a social justice advocate, a parent and a businesswoman will help reset the table and revitalize the potential of one of our country’s greatest and most diverse school districts. My goal is to realize the promise of equal education for all our students. That’s where it all starts with our students. I will work tirelessly–and full-time–to build a legislative agenda and budget that will put the interests of our students and our classrooms first and foremost. I am the only candidate that has: put all three of my children through our local public schools, balanced a large school budget, negotiated a successful agreement with the teacher’s union and led a fragmented school board together to be student focused with proper governance.

2. What do you feel are the biggest issues facing Westchester/Playa schools? How would you work to improve these issues?

For two decades, parents, teachers, administrators and community members have been striving to offer cohesive public school options in the Westchester/Playa area to serve all students. The district has failed to provide proper oversight and support a master plan. I will advocate for “master planning” of the Westchester/Playa schools. LAUSD has taken a hands-off approach once co-located schools are paired. LAUSD should help co-located schools learn to navigate the process. I will advocate for new policies where school leaders and stakeholders of the traditional and charter schools are encouraged to collaborate together on a co-located site. I will advocate that all communications be transparent, timely and shared with all stakeholders. I will advocate that a liaison be appointed to represent the traditional and charter school directly involved in district discussions.

3. Do you think there should be more local autonomy over schools?

Why or why not?

Having 18 years of experience with an autonomous public school complex within LAUSD, I am a proponent of increasing localized autonomy over schools. Each community’s needs may differ and autonomy over curriculum and budgets can ensure that these needs are met. In order to increase academic performance at all schools and increase graduation rates, the district should increase localized control at individual schools. Each school and complex should prepare educational plans ensuring the majority of monies follow each student.

That is important for our students most in need– homeless, foster, lowincome and English learners. There are highly effective pilot schools with plans that take over 90% high need students and graduate 94% of their student population. Every school needs a specific plan and have monies follow each student to the school site.

4. If you could implement one change at LAUSD what would it be?

I will implement strong, consistent, results-driven board oversight. I will advocate that the board monitor graduate rates on a monthly basis in a systematic manner. The board should also monitor why the district’s middle schools are failing. Middle school years are a time of enormous growth. All of this can be confusing for students and teachers. Students do slip through the cracks. There is not a specific teaching credential for the middle school grades. Providing training for middle school teachers so they can identify and address social emotional issues is imperative. When all middle school teachers are taught how to reach adolescents who are going through developmental changes and the school has implemented a system of tracking these students, students are more likely to succeed and enter high school more likely to graduate.

I will also advocate for governing policies defining the role and responsibility of the board, so the board can balance the budget and ensure that all students can graduate. Without governing policies, the board is a ship without a rudder.

For more info, please visit allisonforstudents.com.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Calendar

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Chinese Food Cooking Class Join Fresh Food in a Flash for a cooking class featuring recipes for authentic Chinese food.

Instructor Patricia Rose will lead the class and will teach attendees how to make dishes from Katie Chin’s book, “Everyday Chinese Cookbook,” including Shrimp Potstickers, Sichuan Tofu with broccoli, Lemon Chicken and Chocolate-Raspberry Wontons.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Dock 52 Parking Lot Fiji Way Marina del Rey For more information or an event schedule, contact: 1(888) CLEAN-LA, www.CleanLA.com or 1(800) 238-0172 www.lacsd.org

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Blvd.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Blvd.

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Household Hazardous Waste & Electronic Waste Roundup

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“Anna Craycroft: Tuning the Room” is now open at Otis’ Ben Maltz Gallery. The show will run through April 16.

In acoustical engineering, “tuning the room” is a technique for measuring the specific sound properties of an enclosed space and then adapting the environment to improve its acoustic reflections. New York-based artist Anna Craycroft applies this technique both literally and metaphorically for her exhibition. Craycroft’s exhibition asks that we consider how the specific characteristics of an environment shape our experience within it and how we become attuned in return.

The Ben Maltz Gallery is located on the campus of Otis at 9045 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. Admission to the gallery is free and open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and

Join Holy Nativity Church for their Lenten series, “Sacred Resistance: Spiritual Practices for Activism” beginning on Wednesday, March 8.

The series will feature members from various faith traditions addressing how people can involve themselves in challenging times. Speakers will share insights and practices that can lift us up and create a spaciousness so that we can move on and identify new opportunities, building on the positivity of recent activism in our communities.

The series will take place every Wednesday in March starting at 6 p.m., with vegetarian soup and salad at 6:30 p.m. and a lecture and discussion starting at 7:15 p.m.

Holy Nativity is located at 6700 W. 83rd St. in Westchester.

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March events: Art Exhibition at Otis

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Soup and Spirituality Series

Old paint. Solvents. Batteries. Computer monitors.

These are some of the household hazardous waste and electronic waste items you can bring to a Roundup for recycling. It’s a great opportunity to clean out your garage and clean up the environment.

Our free drive-thru, drop-off events are a quick, convenient, and common-sense way to dispose of materials too toxic to trash, pour down a sink, or dump in a storm drain.

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The LAX Kiwanis Club is looking for new members. The club meets every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel, located at 9620 Airport Blvd. in Westchester.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. The LAX Kiwanis raise money every year for such causes as providing scholarships, holiday baskets for needy families and back to school shopping sprees.

For more information about the club or to RSVP to attend one of their meetings, please email laxkiwanisclub@gmail.com.

Playa Vista and local real estate team, Fineman Suarez, have teamed up to host a free, fun and familyfriendly Spring Fair! The Spring Fair will take place on Saturday, March 4 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Playa Vista’s Concert Park, located at Concert Park Drive and Runway Road. At the event, attendees can enjoy games, arts & crafts, activities, photobooths, contests, giveaways and more!

Fineman Suarez is also giving away 1,500 In-N-Out burgers from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the fair. To receive a burger, you must RSVP online at pvspringfair.com and then visit the team’s booth at the event.

For more info, please visit pvspringfair.com.

Next up for the Kentwood Players is the new Broadway musical Big Fish.

The play opens on Friday, March 17 and runs through Saturday, April 22.

Big Fish centers on the story of Edward Bloom who has lived a full and fantastical life, populated by witches, giants, and mermaids, marked by true love that stops time in its tracks, and framed by heroics that push the limits of believability.

His adult son, Will, is no longer amused by his father’s fantastical tales, insisting on a real, rather than a fantasy account, of his life. When Edward’s health declines, and Will learns that he and his wife, Josephine, will have a son of their own, Will decides to find out his father’s “true”

The Friends of Ballona Wetlands are hosting a Migration Celebration on Saturday, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will give attendees of all ages the opportunity to learn about the wetlands and the diverse bird and animal populations that reside in and visit the area.

Kids’ activities will include face painting, arts & crafts, science lab, chalk art and a scavenger hunt. For adults, there will be wildlife viewing, food trucks, live music, an outdoor gallery and more. Guilded bird tours in the Ballona Freshwater Marsh will also be given.

The Migration Celebration will take place in the Ballona Discovery Park, located at 13110 Bluff Creek Drive in Playa Vista.

For more info visit, ballonafriends. org.

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LAX Kiwanis Club

Spring Fair in Playa Vista

Big Fish the musical comes to Westchester

Migration Celebration

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The Rotary Club of Westchester meets every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch at the Crowne Plaza LAX Hotel, located at 5985 W. Century Blvd. in Westchester. The cost of lunch is $25 and validated self parking is free. Guests are most welcome!

Reservations are not required.

For more information or to reserve a seat at the luncheon, please contact Bob Smith at (310) 643-9350.

Get motivated to exercise by joining the free Burton Chace Park Walking Club organized by the County of Los Angeles Beaches & Harbors.

The club meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for a walk around the Marina del Rey Harbor.

The club meets at Burton Chace Park, located at 13650 Mindanao Way in Marina del Rey. Please RSVP by calling (310) 3059595.

life story, once and for all.

Performances are held on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and a Sunday matinée is at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at kentwoodplayers.org. The Westchester Playhouse is located at 8301 Hindry Ave. in Westchester.

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Rotary Club of Westchester

Marina del Rey Walking Club

The cooking class fee is $50 when you reserve by March 6 and $60 thereafter, if space is available. To reserve your spot, please email Patricia@FreshFoodinaFlash.com.

The class will take place on Thursday, March 9 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and is held at the Holy Nativity Community Hall, located at 6700 W. 83rd St. in Westchester.

Pacific Ave.

Join the Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club every Wednesday morning at 7:15 a.m. for its weekly meeting.

The club meets at Whiskey Red’s, located at 13813 Fiji Way in Marina del Rey. The cost of the meeting is $25, which includes breakfast. Guests are welcome and reservations are not required.

For more info, visit playavenice. org.

Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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Ongoing monthly events: Playa Venice Sunrise Rotary Club

TheHTN.com

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Enter this Roundup at Dock 52 Parking Lot from Fiji Way Culver Jefferson

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No Business Waste Accepted Brought to you by the County of Los Angeles and presented by the Department of Public Works and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County in cooperation with the cities of Culver City, El Segundo, Inglewood, Los Angeles, and the community of Marina del Rey. Home-generated sharps waste such as hypodermic needles, pen needles, syringes, lancets, and intravenous needles SHOULD NOT be placed in your trash. Bring them to the Roundups or visit www.

CLEANLA.com for alternate disposal options.

You can also take your used motor oil to more than 600 oil recycling centers in Los Angeles County. Call 1(888) CLEAN-LA for a complete listing.

March 2017 • Page 15

Three steps for a spring success system

By Jeff Blair

Opinion: This month I am going to discuss how your attitude towards your fitness challenges can impact your success.

Since your motivation will no doubt be on the rise, I want to give you a “spring success system” that is sure to please even the most discerning fitness consumer.

1. Set a goal. Lots of research and practical experience shows that writing down a goal can help you succeed.

I would encourage you to start with action goals rather than destination goals. An action or behavioral goal is simply an objective to take certain actions each day, week or month. For example, your action goal could be to exercise at least 30 minutes, 4 times per week. That might not sound like a lot, but achieving this goal can lay the foundation for bigger and better things in the future. For some reason, our brains have a hard time accepting “small” goals. We want something big and grandiose, even if we may never achieve it. Take my word on it and start small.

2. Keep a positive focus. One of my favorite books of all-time is “Mindset”

by Carol Dweck, a Psychology professor at Stanford.

The basic idea of “Mindset” is people

generally have one of two mindsets.

The first is a “fixed” mindset. This approach assumes we are either born with talent at something or not.

Basically, your talents don’t change over your lifetime. If we are not naturally good at something, the fixed mindset assumes we will never be very good at it.

Obviously, “failure” at something means you should probably look for something more suited for your specific skill set. Interestingly, a static mindset person may also feel threatened and apprehensive if they have a setback in an area where they believe they are naturally talented. As the sense of identity is tied to “being good” at something, any threat to that identity can cause a sense of insecurity.

A fixed mindset person can also see everything as a reflection on their value and they may fear coming up short. For many of the fixed mindset, making an effort at something can be seen as a sign of low talent and so should be avoided.

A “growth” mindset person on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily focus on whether someone is naturally talented at something or not. They believe almost all talents and skills can be developed and are not necessarily inherent.

They also understand that developing those talents and skills require some

effort. In Dweck’s words, someone with a growth mindset doesn’t necessarily believe anyone can become a worldclass performer, but they do understand most people never get anywhere near their true potential.

If they don’t succeed at something, a growth mindset person will use the “failure” as information to be considered for the next attempt and even use it as motivation to prepare better or try harder for the next challenge. A growth mindset may even see “failure” as desirable in the short term as it oftentimes provides more opportunity to improve than “success.”

Resilience can develop from a growth mindset and we know resilience is the key to success in any area.

While the fixed mindset may avoid effort, the growth mindset person knows you must work at anything to be successful.

3. Closing the loop back to fitness.

Mindset ties into fitness in several ways. For one, many people assume fitness is something bestowed upon the genetically gifted: “you either have it or you don’t.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Some of the most fit people I know were once overweight. I was 20 pounds heavier 18 years ago. I grew up in the South eating fried everything.

I also have horrible genetics: my dad

had two heart attacks in his forties and had endless health problems. My grandfather died in his forties.

It would be easy to say I was doomed to poor health and blame it on genetics.

Rather than give up, however, I learned some new skills and new behaviors. I created better habits. I copied people who were successful at fitness, and I “grew” into a fitness lifestyle. It wasn’t an overnight thing. I had some setbacks, but I kept using my setbacks as information for how I could do better next time. At the time I had my fitness transformation, I hadn’t read “Mindset,” but I knew from past experiences that I could learn, improve and grow.

And so I am now going to challenge you to take a “growth” approach to fitness.

Don’t give up. Get educated about nutrition. Throw the junk food in the garbage. Find some supportive friends.

Understand there is no “fitness sorcery,” you have to make an effort. Sweat today. Know you are going to have some setbacks, but that is okay. That is just part of the process. And know someday you will succeed.

Jeff Blair is a 5-time “Best of” Hometown News Personal Trainer. He has operated a personal training studio in Westchester since 2011. Email jeffblair@ jeffblairfitness.com for fitness story ideas.

YOU CAN HELP! FOOD PANTRY, LAX

Emergency Food Distribution to those in need.

Sponsored by the Westchester Clergy Association

Open Tuesday & Friday, 10am-12pm 355 Beach St., Inglewood

Bring donations of non-perishable food to Covenant Presbyterian Chuch. Volunteers and money donations also welcomed and encouraged!

For more information, please call (310) 677-5597 Ad donated by the Covenant Presbyterian Church

Come Join your Friends at

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Worship Service 10:30 am Canines@Covenant 5:00 pm Sunday Covenant is on the corner of 80th and Sepulveda Blvd.

Church School for Young People during Service.

We have an Orchestra and Adult, Youth and Children’s Choirs.

Email: cpoffis@pacbell.net Childcare is provided-For more information, Call (310) 670-5750.

Page 16 • March 2017

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

You can weather an emotional storm

By Fay Craton

Opinion: Are you ready for St. Patrick’s Day? There are many myths around this celebration, but one of them says to look for a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Storms, rain and rainbows go together. Perhaps after all of the recent rains it could be exciting to look for something golden, fun and sparkly. Wouldn’t it be fun to find gold? However, when I think about the proverbial pot of gold, I perceive it as not being a heap of rich metal, but more about finding the rich internal place of balance, insight and a clarity of direction after a difficult period of time.

Many people found the first couple of months of this year to be an emotional storm. Illness, family crisis, job demands, social or political uncertainty created a period of time where it was a struggle to keep momentum going forward. In order to gain what you desire, it is important to keep yourself resilient in order to weather tough situations.

Storms disrupt plans to take actions to achieve your dreams, diminishing your effort to build healthy habits.

If you have been sidetracked, it is important to know that you are not alone.

At the start of the year, what did you say you wanted to experience?

Did you create a map about what you intend for this year? You are valuable and have many strengths.

Furthermore, your life has purpose.

When you consider the intentions you made for the year, do you believe they are in alignment with the strengths you offer to the world around you? Stop right now and think about what you are really good at accomplishing. How can you use what you are great at doing to make the world around you better? How can you use your strengths to improve relationships in your life? Right now is a good time to adjust your map to allow for your strengths to emerge as well as to allow for the development or maintenance of personal resiliency.

Sometimes for your greatest contributions in life to show up, it is important to expand your perspective about troubling events.

Personal health, job circumstances, politics, where we live, plus many other events, are often outside of personal control. If you keep looking at events or situations in the same way you have been viewing them, you may be missing important pieces of information. In addition, if the way you are looking at the events locks you into anger, bitterness, resentment, a sense of loss, or fear, you are losing out on opportunities

of contentment and happiness.

Changing the way in which you view events does not mean you agree with what has occurred or that you would have chosen the experience. It does mean allowing yourself to consider more possibilities by expanding your understanding. If you are not ready to shift your thinking about what troubles you, instead consider allowing your emotions to be soothed by placing your attention on more satisfying events. As your perceptions shift, consider what you can do to increase the experience of connection and love for the people around you.

Include in your reflections what you can do to improve your ability to care for yourself and others.

Storms happen. After storms, rainbows appear when rain and sunlight combine in a special way.

Light moving through each raindrop transforms water into a vision of beauty. I consider light and love to be forms of energy available to us. How do you choose to use energy available to you? As an exercise, ask yourself, “What can I do to bring caring and connection in this world?”

While you write down your answer, consider: • What do I need to do to keep my thinking clear in order to see all possibilities?

• Am I projecting my emotions onto another person in a way which could be undermining a good relationship?

• Do I care for my body in a way which will sustain my ability to connect with others in a positive manner?

• What can I do each day to help at least one other person to thrive?

• How do I accept the attempts at connection from other people?

• What are the things for which I am grateful?

• How do I want to adjust my plans for the year to increase quality connection between myself and others?

My wish is for you to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I want you to have the resiliency to find balance during and after the storms of life. I want you to have insight and clarity. I want you to thrive by remembering to combine your strengths with the energy of love.

On top of all that, I want you to find sparkling, fun celebrations where you can laugh and play with friends.

Fay Craton, M.A. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (mfc40011), which is the psychology license specializing in relationships (with ourselves or with others), and she has an office in Westchester. For more info, visit communicationtriangle.com or contact her at (310) 645-6762.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 17

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 19

By Rebecca Hill, Innkeeper Most days the Inncrowd and I have so many check-ins, there’s little time to reminisce or take a walk down memory lane, but sometimes, later in the evening, after we’ve served wine and cheese and when all the guests have walked down the street for dinner, I find myself in the peace and quiet of the Inn at Playa del Rey. I often open the French doors in our living room so I can feel the cool breeze coming off the Marina and hear the frogs singing from the wetland’s marshes.

I’ve been blessed to work at the Inn for over a decade. The Inncrowd and I have had the honor of bearing witness to the lives of our guests as they come and go, some celebrating anniversaries and birthdays, others stoically there to remember the life of a loved one. I watch the successes and challenges of many of our business guests play out in our living room.

The Inncrowd and I have welcomed exhausted parents who are there to “finally get a good night’s sleep” now that the grandparents are in town, and we’ve welcomed the new grandparents too. We’ve seen “girlfriends’ getaways” where women leave all their responsibilities behind and trade them in for a weekend of conversation, laughter, beach walks,

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homemade cookies and wine…oh yes, there’s always wine!

I also think about all the amazing women I’ve worked with at the Inn. Dozens of names and hundreds of memories flood my mind. I often think of my friend Jessica. Jess was a LMU student who worked at the Inn part-time. She moved back to her hometown of Memphis after graduation, but I like to think of her because she was always kind with just a hint of mischievousness. She made birthdays happier, difficult days easier, joyous occasions absolutely amazing and where there were frustrations or roadblocks, she always came up with good solutions. The guests loved her and so did we.

All of us Innkeepers are good bakers, but each of us has one “specialty item” that we seem to make better than anyone else on our team.

Jess’ specialty was our “New York Crumb Cake.” In honor of Jess, let’s give it a whirl!

New York Crumb Cake 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Lightly butter or spray Pam on 11x17 jellyroll pan (makes one large rectangular cake).

Cake Ingredients: • 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups white sugar • 2 Tbsp., plus 1 Tsp. baking powder

Photo by Liz Hall.

Recipes from the Inn: New York crumb cake

Finish off the crumb cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

• 1 Tsp. salt • 3 large eggs • 1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk • 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract Crumb topping: • 2 cups butter melted and cooled • 6 cups all-purpose flour • 3 cups light brown sugar • 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon Mix together well, there should be

small, medium and large crumbs.

Directions: 1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In a large measuring glass (or bowl) whisk together the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla.

3. With the mixer set on low, slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix for about 1 minute or until the batter is smooth.

4. Spread evenly over the baking pan.

The batter will not be very high; this cake is short, but very tasty.

5. Top with raspberries, blueberries, or no fruit at all.

6. Spread the crumb topping as evenly as possible over the batter.

7. Bake for about 12 minutes. Rotate pan and bake an additional 12-15 minutes or until the center is firm to the touch. Cool in the pan, sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar and enjoy!

The Inn’s recipes have been lovingly collected over the past 20 years. Some are original recipes, others are wellknown recipes that have been adapted and some are recipes that have been handed down by our innkeepers’ mothers and grandmothers over the years.

Rebecca Hill is an innkeeper at the Inn at Playa del Rey and a published writer. Her stories have appeared in Redbook magazine and in over a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

March 2017 • Page 21

Chad Cole hopes this inaugural event will bring awareness to Alzheimer’s and brain health.

Alzheimer’s forum hopes to create disease awareness Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles is holding its first local event this month focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and brain health. For Playa del Rey resident and Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles board member, Chad Cole, the forum is an opportunity for people to not only get information, but also a chance to help change how the disease is perceived. Cole, who is a local real estate agent, has a personal connection with the devastating disease. His grandmother, Edith Snyder, suffered from the disease for over 10 years before passing away, an experience that was profoundly heartbreaking for him and his family.

“Watching a person deteriorate like that is truly a heartbreaking experience. Nothing can really describe the feeling of watching a loved one, once filled with life, spend their last years without the ability to function on the most basic human level,” said Cole. “Not only does the person afflicted with the disease become a shell of who they once were, the family and caregivers lives are also drastically affected by the disease. The role of a caregiver quickly becomes a full-time job.

With limited resources, caregivers, predominantly women, are often forced to put their lives and careers on hold in order for their loved one to receive the care they deserve.”

An estimated 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and related dementia.

While there is a stigma that it’s an “old” person’s disease, Early-Onset Alzheimer’s strikes individuals under the age of 65, and symptoms can even present in people in their thirties. For Cole, this makes the need for enhanced treatment, and ultimately a cure, all the more urgent.

“Imagine being in the prime of your career, but unable to do your Page 22 • March 2017

job. Imagine not being able to enjoy your kids growing up and going to college,” said Cole. “Imagine having a parent with the disease and not being able to go to college because there is nobody else to take care of your loved one. These are all very real scenarios that play out every day.”

Cole says that although Alzheimer’s advocates have potentially secured $350 million for research from Congress this year, an unpassed budget has left this funding in limbo.

Meanwhile his organization, Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles, is always raising money for research and to fund its program. The organization provides a variety of free services including care consultations, community education, caregiver training and support groups for people and families navigating the disease’s difficult road. There is also a 24-hour helpline (844.HELP.ALZ), where people can get information and emotional support.

Educating the community is the goal of the Wednesday, March 8, Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Forum held at the Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. The event will run from 6 to 8 p.m. There attendees will learn about the signs and signals of dementia and Alzheimer’s and hear from Dr. Edmond Teng who will discuss memory loss and what people can do to keep their brains healthy.

“If you have ever had any questions about Alzheimer’s, perhaps you have a family history or you suspect that you or a loved one might be showing signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia, and you want to learn more, this forum is for you,” said Cole.

To RSVP or for more info, please visit westchesteralzforum.eventbrite. com.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles, visit alzgla.org/ get-involved.

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

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Westchester • Playa del Rey • Marina del Rey • Playa Vista HomeTown News

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