Voice for children.

Shima 0 comments 24.05.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s WCW title belongs to longtime South Bay native, Jessica LaBray, who is working as an Applied Behavior Analysis therapist, helping children with autism reduce behaviors like aggression and self-injury.

LaBray, 27, was born and raised in Torrance, CA. In 2007, she graduated from North High school and says it is where she first became interested in psychology.

Upon graduating, she attended Cal State University of Dominguez Hills and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in sociology, in 2012. After taking a year off of school to work and pursue a career in behavioral therapy, she was accepted into Hawaii Pacific University’s school of social work graduate program.

 In 2014, she moved to Oahu, Hawaii to attend Hawaii Pacific University and fulfill her dream of living on the islands. Her grandfather worked for Delta airlines for over 40 years so her family was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Hawaii every year for vacation and I was blessed with the opportunity to tag along, visiting so many beautiful places. I fell in love with the islands of Maui and Kauai at a young age and have wanted to live here for as far back as I can remember.

She is currently about half-way through the program in hopes of receiving a master’s degree in social work. She does not recall a specific time where she realized she had an interest in psychology or social work, however, always knew she wanted to be a social worker and work for CPS (Child Protective Services).

Today, LaBray is working in ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy. She says, “I had some knowledge about it but had only taken one behavior modification course during my undergrad program.” It wasn’t until she saw openings on craigslist that she decided to apply, and once she was given the privilege of working with children that have special needs and learning the field of ABA, she fell in love.

Her current position as an ABA therapist teaches replacement behaviors to children with autism to reduce harmful behaviors like aggression and self-injury. In short, they also teach vocal language, sign language, self-care and independent living skills, and social skills.

She says this  is important because these skills can improve their quality of life and open up a wider range of opportunities available to them, as well as lower their risk for incarceration or homelessness as adults. “These kids are my world!” she says.

In five years, she hopes to have her MSW and work with CPS, adoptions, or as a court-appointed child advocate. She says her current job as a behavior therapist is absolutely amazing and the company she currently works for, Easter Seals, has given her the best position she has ever had.

Unfortunately, advancement in her field requires that she becomes a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and since she is already invested in the social work program, she has decided not to pursue that certification quite yet.

Despite loving her major, she says challenges in her study include not having enough time to not only complete assignments, but read and actually learn the material. “Most of the time it feels like I’m just rushing to turn something in or quickly cram for an exam. I work full time from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, so I don’t feel like I’m getting my money’s worth of the program, as I can barely make it to class on time.”

Some of the challenges she faces at work include not having enough energy to keep the kids motivated and happy. “It’s hard to keep a big smile or goofy character voice when you’re exhausted from lack of sleep or anxious about a paper that’s due after work. Personally, those are my biggest challenges,” she says.

LaBray feels grateful to have grown up in the South Bay for its diversity. She says, “In all of the cities I have lived in, I have never had to grow up in a place where everyone looked the same. I love that I was exposed to so many different cultures (and food!) at such a young age. I also love the unity and close-knit ties that friends and families maintained over generations.”

She says that almost everyone has each other’s back. “From being students at NHS and losing our dear friend Hyatt, to national tragedies like the shooting at Sandy Hook, the community came together to support one another,” she says.

She misses many of friends, including those from North High. She says she didn’t realize how valuable friendships were until everyone grew up, moved away and had children.

LaBray hopes that one day the academic system will teach unbiased and historically accurate material and to be accessible (not just free) for everyone. She also hopes that teachers will be paid more in the future.

Thank you, Jessica, for continuing to be a wonderful member of the South Bay, even while away pursuing your academic goals to help others.

“I want to be an advocate, or a voice, for children in dangerous situations. I’ve been in a lot of complicated situations involving my own family throughout my life so I think I can bring the understanding and awareness needed in that field.”

-Jessica LaBray

Doing more than just treating.

Shima 0 comments 17.05.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

In honor of Nurse's Week last week, this week's WCW title belongs to South Bay resident, Jessica Darling, who has been working actively in the South Bay across several medical departments to improve the lives of many as a Nurse Practitioner.

Darling, 31, grew up in Lomita, CA. Early on, she knew exactly what she wanted to do as her mother and grandmother are both Registered Nurses. In result, she immediately began her educational studies at Harbor College in Wilmington which took a total of four years.

Upon completion, she began working at Torrance Memorial Hospital and while there, decided to go back to school to get her BSN from Cal State University Dominguez Hills. She spent 2 ½ years at CSUDH before transferring to CSULB for another three years, where she received her MSN.

In total, Darling completed nearly 10 years of academics. She says she is often asked why she didn’t just become a doctor. She says she simply wanted to contribute to a field close to her heart, and believes in the nursing model and the science of medicine. As a Nurse Practitioner, she is able to blend both.

Darling worked at Torrance Memorial for eight years in several departments including: Telemetry (1 1/2 yrs), ICU (1 yr), Cardiac ICU (4 years), Case management (1 yr), and OR recovery (1 yr). She moved around as much as she could, and once she felt she learned enough, she’d request to move to another department. Despite exploring many departments, she knew her real passion was critical care, specifically the cardiac ICU.

Throughout the years, she has found the most enjoyable part of her career to be her patients. “I see mostly geriatric patients; they are to me the most fascinating people. I really get excited when I get to hear their stories,” she says. Just a few days before, she had a patient yesterday who was in the battle of the bulge and she says that they have all seen so much & most love to share.

Today, she is not directly saving lives anymore like she helped to do in the ICU but she is improving the quality of life for people in her community working as a Nurse Practitioner. Most of her patients who come to see her are in a lot of pain, so she tries to get a strong history on all her patients.

Darling does not just list their illness & medication history like some do, instead, she asks them about their family, hobbies and goals. “Together, we come up with a plan to palliate their discomfort & get them back to living,” she says.

Transitioning from an RN to a NP was a huge change for Darling since she no longer works in the hospital. Instead, she works alone and no longer has a team of nurses that she sees weekly. She also no longer has MD orders to follow, but if she needs labs, an x-ray, medication orders- it is all on her. That difference alone was a huge adjustmentfor her.

The most difficult part for her has been balancing work with her personal life and remembering to take time out for herself. She says that because medicine is always evolving, it can be a lot to keep up with-- especially for her because she has moved through lots of different specialties through the years (Icu, primary care, rheumatology etc) while most MDs pick one in school & stick with it for life.

In five years, Darling sees herself continuing working as a NP, mastering salsa dancing, running a half marathon as she hates running, vacationing more, and possibly purchasing another home. She also recently began volunteering with a Medical Mission Clinic that meets at various churches in the South Bay. She says they meet together once every six weeks and will be meeting next on June 18 at Calvary church in Lomita.

She says that they begin at 8 a.m. and it is on a first come, first serve. Basis. “I encourage anyone who needs dental or medical services and who does not have insurance to come,” she says.
Darling also teach geriatrics as an adjunct clinical instructor at Harbor College for a few weeks out of the year.

Darling loves living in the South Bay for its proximity to the ocean.  “Like most of us who grew up here, it is a special place for me. It's a place I go to run off the day, mediate, & sometimes just bask in the sun while wearing my spf 80 of course,” she says.

She also loves the small town feel of the South Bay and says there is nowhere she’s gone without running into someone she knows and loves being able to see old friends.

Darling would like others who are struggling to find a career path to know that nursing is an amazing profession to be a part of with limitless opportunities all over the world. “There is still a huge need for nurses-- at the same time I believe it is not a job, it really is a calling. Many people get into it for the money or the 3 days a week schedule. You can tell very quickly & so can patients,” she says.

She says that if you feel your calling is to care for others & you live in the South Bay, she recommends checking out Harbor College or El Camino- since both are affordable, local, and tough, but excellent programs. She says that you can work with your associates degree, but would also make sure that getting your bachelors afterwards is part of your career plan since more and more hospitals are now requiring it.

Thank you, Jessica Darling, for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community by doing more than just treating patients, but truly listening, caring and guiding each person as uniquely as possible to the best of their circumstances.

Taking the Plunge.

Shima 0 comments 17.05.2016

Often times I am asked, “Should I consider a home that is a short sale or simply walk away?"

That ultimatum often leads to buyers feeling stuck- debating whether they should take the plunge or not. In order to best understand a short sale, I want to illustrate this as simply as possible

So imagine a man named Mike. Mike purchases a home with the assistance of a loan from Sarah.

After two years, Mike realizes he cannot make payments towards his loan. This results in a lien on the property- giving Sarah a right to keep possession of the property until the debt owed by him is discharged.

Since he is financially unable to pay, Sarah agrees to accept a mortgage payoff from Mike that is LESS than what he initially owed in order to enable the sell of his home.

This is called a short sale.

A bank may or may not approve the short sale since it brings less money than owed, which results in the sale to typically have some contingencies that must be removed prior to beginning escrow.

However, when the home is sold, Mike is not ecstatic like a typical seller would be. This is because he does not walk away with any money, as it goes directly towards paying off his mortgage. 

Also, Mike’s credit is impaired for up to 4 years now and may have difficulty qualifying for another loan for that length of time. A mortgage relief can be classified as taxable as Sarah (the lender) can issue a 1099, writing off her loss.  Mike should consult his tax adviser for possibly doing the same.

Fortunately for the buyer of Mike’s home- they got his property at a reduced price.

If you or your friend need further expertise on this topic, my team and I are very adept in providing solutions. We will advise you of the advantages and disadvantages so you can avoid legal and financial issues when deciding if you should take the leap.

Stars and Stripes

Shima 0 comments 16.05.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s MCM title belongs to Sergeant Ng, who is a Military Police Sergeant in the Army Reserves.

Sergeant Ng, 27, was born and raised in Torrance, CA. Upon graduating from North High school in 2007, he joined the army reserves and completed Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO in 2008.

He was deployed to Basra, Iraq as a Specialist in spring of 2010. He was attached to an infantry company with a platoon of Military Police reservist. His job was to conduct combat patrols, counter IED patrols, quick reaction force, train the Iraqi police force, and other various task that was given to him and his team. He left Iraq in the summer of 2011 and later, was promoted to a Sergeant and was assigned as a team leader. In addition, he attained his bachelor’s degree from CSU Northridge after returning to the states.

Today, Sergeant Ng is a Military Police Sergeant in the Army Reserves. He currently is in charge of a 3-man team. His job is to ensure the soldiers are trained physically, mentally, and proficient in their job as a Military Police soldier.
Jeffrey plans to continue serving in the Army Reserves with hopes of one-day retiring. He says he was inspired to enlist after September 11th, 2001.” It wasn't until I met a high school teacher who was in the Army, where my decision was final. I decided to join to help better myself and help out my family,” he says.

When he is not busy working, he likes to spend my time with his girlfriend of 7 years and working out.
Despite his many accomplishments thus far, Jeffrey wanted to serve in both the military and the community. After the military confirmed his decision to give the police academy a shot, he went forward and is currently in the police academy for the Los Angeles Police Department. He says, “Hopefully I can do both as a reservist and a police officer! It's slightly different based on a community policing scale and going to another country/environment in the military. I just hope to make a difference in both lines of work.”

In five years, he hopes to be working in the law enforcement field and still serving in the military. Outside of serving the country, he likes to donate to charities such as, the Help Me See charity, to give children who cannot see well a chance to see again in life.

Sergeant Ng would like anyone who’s thought about joining to know that he encourages it. “If they want to make a difference, better themselves or serve, the experiences people have are not forgettable,” he says.

He enjoys the South Bay and believes it’s a great place to live. “Everything is around in the South Bay like the beach, great food, and there's always something to do,” he says.

Thank you,Sergeant Ng, for being a positive influence in the South Bay community and continuing your legacy as a person who devotes his time to making our country a safer place.

Moving for military families.

Shima 0 comments 12.05.2016

In honor of Armed Forces Day this month, I wanted to share some moving tips for military families.

Military families often struggle with relocating and children need to know that their concerns are heard. They must feel loved and cared for and this can simply be done by listening to their concerns and finding ways to achieve emotional stability. Sit down with your child and give 100% of your attention to their worries, such as making new friends, starting a new school, etc. Sometimes we get caught up in our own struggles that we forget about the most vulnerable ones.

Children want to feel "special." By giving children a special job on moving “out” and moving “in” day, they will feel a valuable part of the process and realize that their role in the family is just as important to adjusting.

Also, reading positive children's books that explain the moving process will ease their concerns. Possibly set aside time each evening for the child to read a book with you. Make sure to discuss after reading what they thought, felt, liked and disliked.

Sometimes parents think that it is best to tell children last when moving. However, it is critical that your children have the enough time to say good-bye to the family members and friends they're leaving behind. You can make the process easier by purchasing a notepad and asking them to collect addresses, phone numbers and email so they can remain pen-pals.

 

Lastly, remember to be understanding, compassionate and thoughtful every step of the way.

Flying high with Gallo + Hen

Shima 0 comments 11.05.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s WCW title belongs to South Bay native, Vanessa Scouton who on top of being a flight attendant for Virgin America, is the owner and creator behind Etsy’s GALLO+HEN products.

Scouton, 30, grew up in Redondo Beach and is currently residing in Oakland. She moved to RB in the 2nd grade and went to Beryl Heights and went to high school at Redondo Union High School.  During her time at RUHS, she was in the Health and Fitness Academy and was on the Surf Team.

She says that she practically lived at the beach as a kid and could always be found surfing at Topaz or hanging with her friends at Ave A. Upon graduating high school, she went to El Camino for two years and studied Fashion Design before transferring to San Francisco State.

During her last year at state, she was enrolled in just a few classes and was seeking a new part-time job. She says, “I never panned on becoming a flight attendant, it sort of just happened.” Her friend was working at SFO (San Francisco Airport) as a gate agent for an international carrier and helped her get a job there to.

Her training consisted of 6 weeks and says that service was the shortest lesson and probably what most people think they go to training for.  They learned to evacuate an aircraft in 90 seconds, how to fight a fire at 35,000 feet, what to do with a bomb, how to handle crazy people, how to help a pregnant women give birth, and more!

She even says that there's a day that they just show you plane crashes, one after the next. After watching, they talk about each one, why did it happen, what new procedures were put into place because of it, what would one have done, etc. “In a way, it teaches you to separate your emotions from your actions,” she says.

Her favorite day of training was when she got to jump down the emergency exit slide.  She says that a lot of people don't make it through the training and that the instructors are very strict. She says that being on time is considered late, they must receive 90% on all tests, 1 redo for evacuation drills and emergency equipment preflight and procedure verbatim.

 Vanessa personally loves red eyes and does 7-8 two day redeyes.  A typical day for her is report to SFO at 10:05pm and a flies sfo-bos at 11:05pm.  She lands at bos around 7:30 a.m., goes to a hotel and sleeps. A van picks up the flight attendants at 5:30pm and the flight from sfo-bos is 7pm.  She arrives at sfo around 10:30pm and goes home.

Although technically only gone 24 hrs, they are still called a 2-day trip.  She prefers this schedule because it allows her to have enough time with her husband, Carlos, and stepson, Vigo , and also allows for her to work on her Etsy shop.

Overall Scouton feels blessed to have had safe, easy flights with an occasional demanding client on board.

When asked what she’d tell someone who is afraid of flying, she said: “I think the fear of flying really comes from the fear of being in a new space that you don't feel comfortable with and feel out of control.  I have massive control issues!  Before I became a flight attendant, I was super afraid of flying.  My dad and step mom thought I was crazy when I applied.  But, I know I'm in control if something were to happen, I'd be the first to know, and I'm trained to deal with it.  I also go into the flight deck and see the pilots at work and know how professional and serious they are about safety.  Obviously, all flyers won't go through my training.  So, I think the next best thing is to introduce yourself to the gate agent working your flight.  Ask them if they would introduce you to the captain.  My pilots will let you go in the flight deck and show you around a little, help you feel comfortable and give you a little knowledge.  The flight attendants should be your best friend.  Let us know if you'd love an update on weather or turbulence. Getting to know everyone working the flight you are on helps make you feel part of the team and in turn a little bit more in control.”

She says the best part of her job would have to be all the days she gets off and when she does go to work, she feels like she is just hanging out with her friends ...on a plane.  “It’s so nice to not take work home with me.  I might have a bad day, dealt with a crazy person, or bad turbulence... but when I get home, it’s all over!” she says. Scouton also enjoys the time away from home as it helps her not feel caged up.

On top of comforting flyers and being an all-star flight attendant, Scouton is very passionate about her Etsy business.  About four years ago, Vanessa and her then boyfriend moved into their Oakland apartment and had very minimal furniture that did not match.  She says, “We were dead broke and can't afford new stuff.  So, I started refinishing and painting all our things to match.”

Carlos, her husband, loves what she is doing and wants to join.  So, together, they began finding dumped furniture and as a team make them new.  Soon after, people would come over and ask to buy the furniture they were making.  In result, they began creating chests, coffee tables, bars, and a bench.

Scouton says she would paint them bright with fun patterns and would sell them at flea markets or custom orders.  During this time, she also started making pillows and upcycling vintage goods that needed TLC.

What made the beginning of the business so special was that it developed at a time when she was feeling lost and unhappy. “I was starting to be a real bitch to people at work and a total jack ass all around.  Once we started our creative business, my whole attitude changed and a felt a weight lifted off me.  I needed so badly to have something creative for me to enjoy. As much as I enjoy my "day job,” flying wears you out and can feel endless,” she says.

Scouton and her husband named the business GALLO+HEN because she says he walks around like a “giant Mexican Rooster.” (Gallo is Spanish for rooster.  And she is nicknamed Hen, since many years ago she DJed at a few bars as Mama Hen.) You can purchase her products from her website here.

Currently due to their landlord’s request, they put furniture building on hold, however, they have continued selling serape pillow covers.  The pillow colors come in all the different colors and she says they brighten up n living space and add an adventurous vibe.

 Scouton genuinely enjoys waking up on days off and sewing for a few hours.  She also enjoys the process of taking trips to SD to get more blankets and even getting orders packaged and sending emails back and forth with customers.

When Scouton is not flying or sewing pillow covers, she pays it forward by donating clothes her family no longer wears or her step-son Vigo grows out of, all his toys or movies that he becomes to "old" for are donated and never resold.  In addition, her friend Jenette and her are trying to lessen the amount of street cats in their neighborhoods and in the meantime, care and nurture them.

In 5 years, she hopes to continue doing things that make her happy. She sees herself flying, in a home, and doing what she loves.  When Scouton visits the South Bay, she enjoys spending time with many of her life-long friends, going to the beach and enjoying a drink at Old Tony’s.

Thank you, Vanessa, for reminding us that it’s important to chase our passions and make time for those and what matters most.

 

“The fun, annoying, stressful thing about life is you can plan all day long but it doesn't mean shit.  Maybe that's not the mindset of a powerful super successful businessperson, but I'd never envision being that type in a 1,000,000 years.”

-Vanessa Scouton

Living.

Shima 0 comments 09.05.2016

Every Monday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs to Sam Itani who made a bold decision early this year to follow his passion of pursuing music.

Itani, 26, grew up in Beirut, Lebanon for the first 10 years of his life and then moved to Los Angeles, CA. Upon graduating from North High School in 2007, he went to El Camino College for two years and got an AA in Arts. Soon after, he went to National University to get his undergrad in Psychology.

For four years, he worked as a behavior therapist before realizing he was not following his true passion. He says, “I then decided to quit my job and pursue a career in music” When Itani told his boss he was going to quit, he says, “It was surreal. I thought about it for a long time before actually going through with my decision to quit my job and pursue my dream of playing music.” He found that it felt strange at first, but he loved his decision in the end.

“It's my passion and I would never go back to working as a behavior therapist,” he says.  He told his boss that he found something that he enjoyed doing for the rest of his life and that the job wasn't for him. He says they highly respected him for his decision

He describes his music style as Acoustic-pop. He wants people to feel motivated and happy when listening to his music. “I just want to spread positivity and display a clean image. I don't want to be a rock star. I want to be that musician that moms take their kids to see and will feel safe doing so,” he says.

Itani uses the acoustic guitar, piano, bass, vocals and electric guitar when creating music. He says that his feelings are the inspiration behind his lyrics. “Music is my way of telling people about my feelings, since I don't like talking about them,” he says.

He says a typical day for him is very busy as he is constantly recording, meeting with videographers and photographers, networking and doing photo shoots.

You can learn more about Itani on all forms of social media.

YouTube: 

www.youtube.com/samitanimusic

Instagram: www.instagram.com/samitanimusic or @samitanimusic

Twitter:

Www.twitter.com/samitanimusic

Facebook:

Www.facebook.com/samitanimusic

Snapchat:

@samitanimusic

Website:

Www.samitanimusic.com

Email: For Buisness Inquiry
SamitaniMusic@gmail.com

\When Itani is not playing music, he enjoys helping people in need whenever he can. He donates money overseas at least once a year and also expresses his hopes for humanity and such things in his music. “My music is medicine for those that are suffering. It gives them a sense of hope,” he says.  He also enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Thank you, Sam, for reminding our youth that it’s ok to follow your passions. Check out Itani's latest song dedicated to mother's on his YouTube page.

“If you don't follow your dream, you will feel as if you haven't lived.”

– Sam Itani

Touching others through the essence of nature.

Shima 0 comments 04.05.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s WCW title belongs to Ferial Itani who at 54 years old bravely decided that it was time to pursue her heart’s greatest passion and begin a fragrance and soap line after styling hair for over 18 years.

Ferial, 54, moved to the U.S. when she was just 12 years old from Beruit. Her family moved with hopes of building a better life in the “Land of opportunity.” For her early life, she grew up in the South Bay and later graduated from Hawthorne high school.

After marrying her husband, Ferial owned several businesses including owning Aladin Café restaurant. She was the cook and says that she enjoyed creating dishes with passion. Upon closing the restaurant, she cut, dyed and styled hair for 18 years at her brother’s hair salon in Redondo Beach, Zouhair Salon.

No matter what business, hobby or passion she followed, she took her heart fully in it and she says, “It showed.”

For many years, Ferial began mixing her favorite perfumes with natural essences such as orange blossom. She says that wherever she went, whether the grocery store, airplane, or just walking past a stranger, she was stopped and asked, “What perfume is that?” After informing them that she made the perfume herself, she found it comical that many would beg to buy the already used bottles from her.

She says that she would freely give them away just because it brought her so much joy to see others happy with her products. Often times while at her brother’s salon, her clients would complement her as well and ask her where they could purchase the perfume.

She was constantly asked, “Why don’t you sell them?” At the time, she felt she was too busy to pursue a business in creating the perfumes so she dismissed the idea for a long time. That all changed three years ago when she became severely ill from headaches and was rushed to the hospital.

After being released, her brother insisted that maybe she was exhausting herself from the salon and that it may be time for her to follow a new passion or just simply take a break. Ferial says that she loves to embark on new journeys, such as one day hoping to move to Tuscany. Yet, she says that no matter what new phase she enters in her life, she remains herself…honest and true to her most authentic self.

While home recovering, she found that she wanted to reach more people. She says that so many people have helped her throughout her life and she has helped so many as well, yet knew there was more for her. She was entering a phase in her life where she wanted to be able to “touch” others. So over the course of three years, she quit her job as a stylist and began creating soap products.

Growing up, she would store and save hand soaps she’d receive from Lebanon. She says they were very precious to her for they looked rigid and smelt good. She wanted to use the soaps as a way to connect with others and share the same love and passion she had in her heart through them.

She began mixing ingredients such as peppermint oil with other natural essential oils. After making only one batch and distributing them amongst her five children and their friends, she was surprised to find them so pleased with the products.

“My kids and their friends would beg me to make more and so I did,” she says. She says that although physically she created the products, she finds that the emotional support of her loved ones was what made it possible to create the products. “A smile on a loved one’s face alone was my inspiration,” Ferial says.

Soon after, she decided to begin creating the products for others to also purchase and designed Ferial Essence. The perfumes and soaps can be bought directly from her Etsy website here.

On her website she says, "I began making perfumes and soaps wanting a product that doesn’t exist these days, because of the impurities and toxins added into them. Ferial Essence products are kept in their original state, starting from the ingredients used to the way they are crafted. Each product is unique, different than the rest, blossoming into its own character. Like a jewel in the rough, they are not buffed and do not contain any chemicals or fillers. When you close your eyes, you will be transported to a different time, where the fields were free and pure. You can smell the essence of nature that soothes your body, mind and soul. An honest, good product – that’s what I wanted to make."

. She says her personal favorite product is the orange blossom scents as it takes her back to a place in time where things felt innocent. “I like how it reminds me orange fields where what you see is what you get. Not many things are organic anymore, but orange fields are real,” she says.

When Ferial is not spending time with her family or creating perfumes, she enjoys gardening and spending as much time with nature as possible. She enjoys calligraphy and often draws beautiful symbolic letters, images and creations with them. She pays it forward by knitting beanies for premature babies and children in Lebanon. In her room, she has a wide range of beanies in different sizes and colors in a storage container waiting to ship.

Ferial is enjoying creating perfume and soaps for her clients and says that she can’t wait to see where the next phase of her life takes her. Thank you, Ferial, for reminding us that it is never too late to follow our dreams and reach our destiny and as you say, “Tomorrow is not promised, so do it today.”

“I don’t believe I have talent, I have passion…everything I do is from the heart and it shows.”

-Ferial Itani

Parks make life better.

Shima 0 comments 30.04.2016

Every Monday I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place. Today’s MCM title belongs to David Ibarra who has worked for the City of Manhattan Beach as the Youth Program’s Supervisor for the past 17 years.

Ibarra was born and raised in Manhattan Beach and currently resides only a block away in Redondo Beach. When Ibarra was only six years old, he used to attend the afterschool program and camps.  At 12, he decided he loved it so much that he wanted to be a volunteer and help the staff.  Finally, at 18, he knew that he wanted to work there and the age of 22 I became the supervisor of the program.

His main responsibility is to offer residents of the community a place where their children can go, that is safe, clean and green. In addition, he hosts several events throughout the year within the city.  He says that his favorite part of his job is that it is very easy!  He says the difficult part is having to be more enticing to the youth, whom are so in love with their electronics and gadgets.

David oversees many special events in the city. Below are several events:

Family Camp out.

“We have 250 participants sleep in the field, have some family activities such as arts and crafts, ice block bowling, inflatable hamster balls, BBQ dinner then a movie.  In the morning we have a fishing derby and breakfast.”

Sand Castle Design contest:

“On the Sunday of the international surf festival my staff come down and make way for the sand castle contest, we offer prizes for the winner of the best sculpture, dribble and castle.”

Halloween carnival:

“This is my favorite event, we have homemade booths from the children of the REC program and staff and we charge 25 cents to play.  We have a costume contest, haunted house and a jumpy.  Best off all, win or lose, everyone gets a prize.  This is a good old fashion family fun event and easy on the wallet.”

The Pumpkin Race:

“This event is silly and good clean family fun.  We race over 1000 pumpkin on MB blvd.  I am the head official and anyone caught cheating, such as racing a watermen and not a pumpkin- they get smashed by the mallet of justice.  This event is a MB tradition and trophies are given out to the 1-2-3-4 place winners.”

Pier lighting ceremony:

“During the Holidays, the City lights up the pier and downtown MB.  There is live music, a small ceremony with city officials and singing for the local middle and high school.”

The REC program is full of activities.  David says, “When the kids arrive, staff assist them with homework, then after that is done we offer recreation games like foosball, soccer, Jedi master, knock the blocks, pony express.  We also offer arts and crafts, lanyards, friendship beads and fuse beads.”

When is he not working, he enjoys spending time with his family.  He has a large family and 2 children of his own.  He says, “There is never enough time, so we make it quality time.”

David pays it forward to the community by mentoring young recreation leaders.  He says that they will become the new professionals one day.  He teaches what they will one day be able to do. “It’s rewarding to see them grow up before my eyes,” he says.

He enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for the community, the schools and the local feel.  “This is the one stop shop for all of my family’s needs,” he says.

David says that the City of Manhattan Beach is always looking for great new individuals looking to make differences.  “We are always hiring,” he says.  In the next five years, he would love to be the manager of Parks and Recreation.

To learn more how you can work for the city, please contact David here: dibarra@citymb.info or visit the City of Manhattan beach website at www.citymb.info and click the jobs link.

“Our Branding statement for Parks and Recreation is: “Parks Make Life Better!” I can personally say, it made mine so much better.”

– David Ibarra

The Patriots’ Angel.

Shima 0 comments 27.04.2016

Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.

Today’s WCW title belongs to Patty Williams who created a non-profit organization five years ago and has sent over 3,000 packages for our troops overseas since.

Patty was born in Mexico and later moved to the South Bay where she was raised when she was just seven years old. In 2010, Patty’s daughter inspired her to create a non-profit organization called Patriot Angels. She says at the time, her daughter was dating a Marine and remembers hearing stories of the need of support the young men needed. “My daughter ended up marrying the Marine and having my first granddaughter a few years after,” she says.

Patriot Angels is a non-profit organization that works with those in the committee who volunteer their time to raise money for items and shipping of care packages for our military overseas. Their mission is to demonstrate gratitude to deployed service personnel for their personal sacrifice by extending to them the comforts of home through care packages.

Below are some of their objectives:

To create and maintain a care package acquisition and delivery system for deployed service personnel throughout the world.

To demonstrate the Judeo-Christian value of giving and generate good will to deployed service personnel.

To cultivate personal value and increase morale within deployed service personnel that provides for a less stressful posture while away from home.

To express personal gratitude from citizens to deployed service personnel for their personal sacrifice and service to country.

To enhance the quality of life in America’s deployed service personnel while in faraway lands.

To reduce stress levels and stimulate moral effectiveness in the performance of duty to the United States of America and its citizens.

Since beginning, Patriots Angels have sent out over 3,000 care packages in the last five years and are hoping to send out 1,500 this year alone. ​Patty says people can help out by donating and logging into their website at patriotangels.org for any monetary donation or item donation drop off location.

In addition, each year they host an event at USS IOWA in the City of San Pedro, in effort to package the items and raise awareness of the need for our support by writing letters that are included in the care packages.

Patty hopes not to only raise awareness of the need for items, but also the raising of moral for our military. “They need our encouragement, they feel lonely and forgotten, letters and something from home makes them feel that what they do is worth it.  They are as young as 18 years old, and need our love and encouragement,” she says.

 

When she is not creating packages for those overseas or raising awareness, she enjoys spending her free time with family and loves nature walks.

Thank you, Patty, for being an advocate for our troops overseas and reminding others the importance of giving back and being their angel on earth.