L.A. Works Thanks it's Project Leaders

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

We Salute our Project Leaders
September, 2005

Project Leaders of the Month

Kat & Jesse Perez-Fraga

Kat & Jesse Perez-Fraga had only been dating a short time back in 2003 when they decided to find a volunteer project to get involved in together. Kat searched the laworks.com website and found "Angel's Flight", a program for runaway and homeless teens in the Macarthur Park area, which sounded like a good fit. The first time the two arrived at the shelter, it was obviously meant to be. When Jesse took a look around, he realized that it was the same shelter where he had lived for a short time as a kid. The residents of Angel's Flight were shocked to hear that this pulled-together guy had been one of them 15 years earlier! His ability to relate to the kids made him a valuable volunteer, and the two attended the project regularly. Kat, a Michigan native, and Jesse, a lifelong Angeleno, were married in September of 2004.

When given the opportunity early this year to take over as Project Leaders, they jumped at the chance. They tried to develop strategies to get new and enthusiastic volunteers, spreading the word among friends and planning fun projects to encourage volunteers to return. (Like September's AF dance competition!) Luckily, it's working, because the project always has a full load of volunteers. Their advice to other PL's? Just have good time with it, because a little lighthearted fun can work miracles with those who have hit a rough patch in the road.

When not spending time at Angel's Flight, Kat works for Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., and Jesse is an industrial electrician with Morrow-Meadows, Inc.. They live in Westwood with their beagle, Conchita. Both are avid music fans, and can frequently be found at concerts or music events, or just playing around with the keyboards or guitars that clutter their living room. Kat is a singer as well, and works regularly as a professional vocalist. Aside from music, Jesse plays softball, and loves any kind of water sport.

The Perez-Fragas feel very honored to have the opportunity to be involved with Angel's Flight, as they know firsthand how large an impact it can have on the life of the teens who find themselves there, and how much the volunteers are rewarded by allowing the great kids at AF to touch their lives for a while.

The Perez-Fragas lead the project at Angel's Flight on the first Wednesday of every month. The project is also available on the third Wednesday of every month. You'll find it on our Project Calendar as "Lift Teen Hearts and Spirits (Angel's Flight)."

Thanks to Kat and Jesse for their continued support of this project and L.A. Works!

This Month's Project Leaders

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

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!

Adrienne Briggs
Andrew Abeyesinghe
Bobbi Marin
Bryan Kadatani
Clarence Smith
Colleen Gately
Connie Leonard
Cynde Knerr
David Trilling
Duyen Nguyen
Ed Simon
Emily Barclay
Gil Gerstein
Hal Christensen
Heidi Pickman
Helga Hung
Henry Meyer
Howard Weiner
Jane Rockwood
Jesse Perez-Fraga
Joan Bang
Karen Helms
Karsten Loose
Kathryn Perez-Fraga
Kristen Yolas
Luis De Avila
Mark Kimura
Russell Ali
Sandy Boscarino
Teresa Castelli
Timothy Dickey
Veronica Cruz
Veronica Hernandez

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 Project Calendar section of the website and sign up for Project Leader Training or email Larry Deckel to find out the date of the next session.

Past Project Leaders Of the Month

August, 2005 - Bryan Kadatoni

July, 2005 - Ken Hagopian

June, 2005 - Laura Bonilla

May, 2005 - Alexa Benson

April, 2005 - April Fields

March, 2005 - Mia Farrell

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