by Milo Anderson | Dec 4, 2014 | CULTURE, FALL 2014, FEATURED
Volunteer in the Valley is a weekly Internet radio show/podcast on KPCRadio.com, Pierce College’s student-run online radio station. Host Milo Anderson invites organizations in and around the San Fernando Valley to tell listeners about the work that they do and the help that they need to do it. This episode’s guests are:
Northeast Valley Health Corporation Employment & Volunteer Coordinator Maria Elena Lane and Governmental and Community Relations Officer Helen Arriola. To volunteer, e-mail [email protected] or call 818-898-1388, extension 41614. NEVHC Facebook page / Twitter: @NEVHC
The Sandwich Project San Fernando Valley Founder & Director Czarina Barrios. To volunteer, e-mail [email protected] or call 818-621-4317. Sandwich Project SFV Facebook page
San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center and San Fernando Valley Arts Alliance President Carolyn Uhri and Director of Education and Performance Willard Simms. To volunteer, e-mail [email protected] or call 818-784-8796. SFVAA on Facebook / Twitter: @SFVArtsAlliance
Also check out the Volunteer in the Valley Facebook page and Volunteer in the Valley on Twitter: @VolunteerSFV.
Thank you for your interest in Volunteering! Enjoy the show!
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | Dec 14, 2011 | Fall 2011
“Parks Make Life Better” is the newest slogan from the California Parks and Recreation Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the benefit of parks, and the professions associated with park and recreation departments. Patty Ham, Supervisor for the Borchard Park Community Center in Conejo Valley, CA, spoke about how parks build community, provide leisure and recreation opportunities, and even help with community conflict resolution.
For more information visit:
Borchard Park Community Center
California Parks and Recreation Society
National Recreation and Parks Association
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | Jun 3, 2011 | Spring 2011
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky joined me via phone today to discuss her research on happiness, her book “The How of Happiness”, her upcoming book “The Prepared Mind” and her “Live Happy” and “Gratitude Stream” apps. Sonja shared why it’s important to study happiness, how we measure happiness, the different happiness activities we can engage in, and how we have the power to be happy!
For more information about the topics or people on today’s show visit:
The How of Happiness
Dr. Lyubomirsky UCRiverside website
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | Jun 1, 2011 | Spring 2011
Representatives from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) came to share information about how they are helping veteran’s thrive! Sandra Robertson, Patient Centered Care Coordinator, talked about Patient Centered Care, the new focus that the DVA has taken to provide veterans with the health related support they need, and a variety of healing modalities that compliment western medicine, such as Tai Chi Classes, pet therapy, mindfulness based stress reduction, yoga, drum circles etc. Alisa Donner, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Manager discussed Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT), a new health care delivery system that provides veterans with their own “team” for health promotion. Callie Wight, Women Veterans Program Manager highlighted the issues that women vets experience and the services offered to this fast growing population of veterans.
When it comes to the health of veterans, it has never been more important than it is now. Transitioning from the military back to normal, everyday life can wreak havoc on their mental wellbeing. But the possibility of them coming across financial hardships along the way is also very likely, and without receiving the relevant support, their health is only going to continue to suffer. They shouldn’t worry though. By visiting sites similar to https://www.gofundme.com/c/blog/financial-help-for-veterans, you can find out what types of financial support are on offer for veterans returning from combat, and this is based on whether they have been wounded, are disabled, or if they’re homeless, amongst other things. This type of help can take the pressure off them when returning to civilian life, and if this is controlled, it could improve their health as a result. But sometimes this is not the case, and learning about what type of services are offered to returning veterans is a step in the right direction.
For more information about today’s topics visit:
Greater Los Angeles Health Care System (DVA)
Patient Centered Care
Patient Aligned Care Teams
VA Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Women Veteran’s Issues
Planetree
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | May 19, 2011 | FEATURED, Spring 2011
I love to take Art out into the world and see how it can impact people’s lives” says John Paul Thornton, author of “Art and Courage: Stories to Inspire the Artist-Warrior Within”. Thornton has travelled around the world bringing opportunities for creative expression with him. As an art historian John Paul understands the influence art has had on society through the ages and discusses on Thrive!, where art may be going in terms of “social art” – or art that speaks about the social issues that plague communities around the globe. Thornton takes us on a journey to Nepal, Mexico, Haiti and then brings us home to the US where he talks about work done by local students in Canoga Park, and about his Missing Children’s paintings and his Guardian Angel project.
Missing Children’s Day is MAY 25th – John Paul Thornton has painted hundreds of missing children, and now sends those paintings to Guardian Angels throughout the US who in turn do something creative with the painting and their local community.
Also in studio today, prolific artist, Toni Scott, creator of “Bloodlines” now at the California African American Museum. Bloodlines, a masterful installation, reminds viewers that up until the 1940’s there were still freed slaves living and breathing in the US. The show tastefully points out that America thrives today because of 400 years of free labor. One of Toni’s points is to breath life into the ancestors who were slaves – she does this amazingly well with plaster faces of slave descendants hung on planks of wood. Larger than life images of children who are first generation freed peoples illuminates the impact slavery had on individuals, communities and in society today.
For more information on the topics or individuals discussed on today’s show visit:
John Paul Thornton
Toni Scott
Friends of Taxco – Canoga Park Sister City
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
California African American Museum
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | May 17, 2011 | Spring 2011
Barent Roth, Executive Director of Sustainable Works (SW) explains what it means to live sustainably, and discusses how the non-profit he leads is teaching individuals and businesses to lessen their environmental impact. SW Student Program Coordinator, Holli Fajack, describes what students do when they participate in a sustainability workshop, and Raphael DiFebo shares his experience as a student workshop leader.
We end the program with George Leddy PhD, the Sustainability Curriculum Coordinator for the Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) Sustainability Institute. Dr. Leddy discusses “environmental literacy” and how teachers embed sustainability into their classes, “green” careers, and the abundant opportunities that exist within LACCD’s commitment to sustainability education.
For more information about the topics and organizations discussed today, visit:
Sustainable Works
LACCD Sustainability Institute
LA Green Drinks
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | May 4, 2011 | Spring 2011
Today’s show focused on alternative fitness modalities for those who can’t do conventional fitness – those with limited mobility; whether that be because they are senior, they haven’t exercised in a while, they are living with injuries, or because of a disability. Living with limited mobility is difficult and whilst some things, like an accessible bathroom (visit the Absolute Mobility for more information) are a necessity, exercise if often not seen the same. This means that these people aren’t getting the exercise they require, which has a negative impact on their health. Mai Jara, Director of Adapted Aquatics at Cal State Northridge (CSUN), spoke about what adapted aquatics are, who benefits from them, and the marvelous resources available to the public at CSUN. She also talked about where else to find services, and how the programs at CSUN are training others to teach adapted aquatics.
Exercise is important for all of us. However, exercise doesn’t have to be extremely active, as long as the correct muscles are being exercised, people should be fine. For seniors and those with limited mobility, it can seem like exercise is out of the question. However, it isn’t. There are multiple ways for these people to have a more active lifestyle without putting too much pressure on themselves. By contacting a local physical therapist, like those at Luna (https://www.getluna.com/locations/palo-alto-physical-therapy), these people can learn how to relieve any pain that they might be experiencing, allowing them to have a more active life. It’s important to contact a physical therapist if you’re experiencing some pain, it’s not worth making any existing pain worse. Once pain is cleared, seniors and those with limited mobility can start looking into simple exercise techniques.
Susan Winter Ward, an internationally acclaimed yoga instructor who offers resources for seniors, boomers, and new beginners, spoke about “seated chair yoga”. Susan conducted several yoga exercises that listeners can do at work, when in front of the computer, or if they are limited to a chair. Susan offers award-winning DVDs and MP3’s through her company, “Sitting Fit” – if you’re interested she’s offering a 20% discount when you enter the code KPCRADIO in the discount code box. Super cool!
If you would like more information about the people or programs on this show please visit:
CSUN’s Center for Achievement
Yoga for the Young at Heart – Sitting Fit
Receive a 20% DISCOUNT on Sitting Fit products because you are a KPCRadio.com listener! Just enter KPCRADIO when you check out!
by Mareo-Ahmir Lawson | May 2, 2011 | Spring 2011
Today we heard from Registered Art Therapist, Kat Kirby, about Expressive Arts and Art Therapy. We discussed the importance of both to our well being, and Kat gave examples of exercises that one does with expressive arts. To demonstrate one modality of expressive art therapy, Stella Davies, a NakedVoice teacher and founder of The Heart of Voice in Thousand Oaks, sang and chanted in studio, offering marvelous examples of NakedVoice exercises. Many of us have critical voices that make us feel like we aren’t creative, both Kat and Stella talked about overcoming these beliefs.
For more information about the topics and people covered today please visit:
www.2KatStudios.com
www.TheHeartofVoice.com
www.TheNakedVoice.com
American Art Therapy Association
International Expressive Arts Association
