L.A. Works Thanks it's Project Leaders

L.A. Works Makes it Easy to Volunteer in Los Angeles

We Salute our Project Leaders
March, 2005

Project Leader of the Month

Mia Farrell

This month we salute a long-term project leader who has showed the capacity to direct her own special talents into service for the community. Mia made a long-term commitment to the Alliance Nursing Center in Echo Park before it closed its doors last year, bringing joy to seniors each month through her Arts and Crafts projects. Since then, she has made a similar commitment to the kids at the Aviva Center where she continues to lead a monthly project.

We asked Mia to tell us a bit about herself, and to shares her views on the power of volunteerism.

"My name is Mia Farrell and I was born and raised here in Los Angeles. I am an artist who comes from a family of creative people and I've always believed that art can have a powerfully healing affect as a means of expression and release. I've been involved with L.A. Works on and off for approximately 5 years. I started as a volunteer and really enjoyed it, but I also had so many ideas for fun art-related projects that I jumped at the chance to train as a project leader. At the time, I was living in Echo Park and wanted to do something in my immediate community, so I started leading a project at a skilled nursing facility, working with the elderly and disabled.

One of the most important things I've learned at L.A. Works came out of this experience. It's about patience and being open. Some days, you walk into a facility and the patients or residents or whoever you're helping may be in a bad mood or tired - and you wonder if what you're doing makes any difference at all. But it DOES. Through patience and persistence, I've seen a stroke victim draw a flower and watched a patient who started out pushing the paper away, soften her resolve and start to draw. I've also applied this to my work with the girls at Aviva and it works in any setting that one might go into. When you give of yourself openly, you always make a contribution. Whether that's giving someone their space, giving them support, talking, laughing or even just sitting quietly - it's all good. And it's not as serious as I make it sound - by all means, have fun.

At Aviva, we do all kinds of art activities - even making art out of food!! - and we basically just have a really good time, volunteers and residents together. I believe in making long-term commitments to my projects because I find that developing relationships with those that I'm visiting with makes the experience more enriching for all involved. But any amount of time that we can share has value and importance. The more of us out there being good to each other, the better. I've noticed that just giving a little of my time allows me to receive so much in return - and to me, that is the greatest value of L.A. Works because it offers that to everyone."

The Aviva Center cares for abused, neglected and emotionally disturbed adolescents in a variety of treatment programs. At each two-hour session of this project we lift their spirits by providing three different activities for the girls to participate in. Two of these are arts & craft projects, the third is a sports-related activity. Volunteers will be able to select which activity they wish to participate in and supervise. Two hours of your time on a Saturday will brighten the entire week for these kids. Click here to sign-up for an upcoming project date.

Mia is one more unsung hero who quietly facilitates our projects each month. Without committed people like Mia, the lives of these special kids would be a little emptier. We thank Mia for her continued leadership and creativity. Thanks Mia -- you really make a difference!

This Month's Project Leaders

Thanks to all of our Project Leaders who are leading projects during the month of March.

You are the real leaders in our community! The Staff & Board of Directors of L.A. Works thanks you for being the real superstars of our community!

Amanda Liu
Andrew Abeyesinghe
April Fields
Bobbi Marin
Bryan Kadatani
Cindy Finocchi
Cynde Knerr
David Trilling
Dustin Manhart
Ed Simon
Helga Hung
Henry Meyer
Hoa Truong
Jacquie Moreno
Jay Ross
Laura Bonilla
Lisa Barrow
Lori Kneser
Luis De Avila
Margaret Conway
Mark Kimura
Mary Lawler
Mia Farrell
Russell Ali
Sandy Boscarino
Suzanne Wiener
Teresa Castelli
Timothy Dickey
Veronica Cruz

Want to join the ranks of L.A.'s most involved citizens? Become an L.A. Works Project Leader.

It's easy, it's fun, and it doesn't require a huge amount of your time.

Go to the Courses section of the website and sign up for Project Leader Training or call Natalie at (323) 224-6510 to find out the date of the next session.

Past Project Leaders Of the Month

February, 2005 - Sandy Boscarino

January, 2005 - Andrew Anura Abeyesinghe

December, 2004 - Jacquie Moreno

November, 2004 - Timothy Dickey and Howard Weiner

October, 2004 - Russell Ali

September, 2004 - Suzanne Wiener

August, 2004 - Veronica Cruz

July, 2004 - Margaret Conway

June, 2004 - Ellen Dugas

May, 2004 - Luis de Avila

April, 2004 - Mandana Dayani

Mar, 2004 - Cindy Finocchi

Feb, 2004 - Viet Hoang