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L.A.
Works Makes it Easy to Volunteer in Los Angeles |
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We
Salute our Project Leaders
September, 2003
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Thanks to all these Project Leaders
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!
| Laura
Bonilla
Teresa Castelli
Leigh Chang
Jennifer Cohen
Margaret Comstock
Luis de Avila
Michael Hicks
Bryan Kadotani
Mark Kimura
Cynde Knerr-Eftimiu
Lin Min Kong
Meghan Lee
Scott Lee
Genane Maalouf
Matt Magnuson
Dustin Manhart
Bobbi Marin
Henry Meyer
Ray Ng
Jay Ross
Will Salazar
Sarah Scheening
Kayo Shiraishi
Edward Simon
Jennifer Spencer
David Trilling
Jose Valencia
Ty Warren
Marc Weinberg
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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.
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Project
Leader of the Month
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we sadly say 'adieu' to one of our long-time Project
Leaders, Marc Weinberg, who is moving
eastward. We have lots of Project Leaders who work with
kids, pets, and the homeless, but Marc has been a leader
representing one of our more underserved constituencies
- Seniors.
Marc has led the Project at Country Villa West for longer
than we can recall - and reliably ensured that Seniors
have their day brightened at least once each month.
It's not an easy gig -- but Marc has stuck by this project
through thick and thin! He'll be truly missed by both
L.A. Works and the residents at CVW.
We asked Marc to tell us how he got involved in this
important project:
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Marc Weinberg
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"I'm a writer/screenwriting instructor. I was one
of those people who recite a familiar refrain: I want to give
to the community, but I just don't have the time. Finally,
during the summer of '99, I got up off my lazy keister and
attended an L.A. Works volunteer orientation. The Project
Leader made it sound easy -- "you can do as much or as
little as you want" -- and I thought, shoot, I can do
that. An hour maybe once a month, and I can feel good about
myself.
The thing was, as soon as I participated in the first activity,
I realized that I wanted to do more. I worked on arts and
crafts with children. Delivered food to the homeless. Talked
with troubled teens. Wrapped presents and gave gifts to the
disadvantaged. But the project I enjoyed most was visiting
with seniors at an assisted living home. I still remember
a conversation with one of the residents. When I said that
I would come back the following week, his response was a cynical
"Sure you will." He threw down the gauntlet; I had
to respond. Excepting visits to my family on the east coast,
I've been there every week since.
I've been fortunate to make a great number of friends at the
home. We go out to dinner, play games, and talk a lot. My
parents may live in Virginia, but I've been "adopted"
by several dozen Californians. They always say the kindest
things about me, but I don't think they realize that I'm the
one who has really benefited from the experience.
And now, teaching takes me back to the east coast (imagine
this -- there's a lot of writers in Los Angeles, making it
hard to find work here as a screenwriting professor). I will
miss my friends very, very much, and can only hope that the
person who takes over the project will get as much out of
it as I have.
I wish to thank L.A. Works for believing in me, and granting
me the privilege of being a project leader.
Best wishes,
Marc Weinberg"
L.A. Works will miss Marc and his long-term, ongoing commitment.
His unwavering loyalty to his project and the resident of
CVW is what makes L.A. Works the strong, caring, organization
that it is!
Best of luck back East, Marc. You'll be sorely missed.
Past Project Leaders Recognition Pages
Sept, 2003
Aug, 2003
July, 2003
June, 2003
May, 2003
April, 2003
March, 2003
February, 2003
January, 2003
December, 2002
November, 2002
October, 2002
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