Aiding our Troops back to Health

Shima 0 comments 24.02.2016

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 Sarah Tuflija who is a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) at the Veteran Affairs Hospital in Long Beach.

Sarah, 26, grew up in North Torrance and graduated from North High school in 2007.   Upon graduating from North High, Sarah spent some time in community college where she realized she needed a change.

She found that she had an interest in the medical field, but dove straight into the surgery department because of her family’s history in the field. “My mom was a surgical tech and still works in the operating room at Harbor UCLA and my grandmother was a CRNA, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for Kaiser Permanente,” she says.

Her duties include assisting surgeons in the operating room from procedures that range from general surgery, urology, vascular, ENT, thoracic and so on. Sarah says, “There is no better feeling than every morning walking into the VA for work and seeing old war pictures, propaganda and memorials of all of our heroes and knowing that I am here to care for them.”

Sarah says that the veterans have served their time and duty and feels it is her job to make them better again. “The stories and personalities of some of the older veterans always make me smile. We are starting to get a shift as younger generation of veterans come in for care and an increase in women veterans,” she says.

The VA’s mission statement is to fulfill Lincoln’s promise: “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans.” Sarah feels grateful to be on the team of helpers who aid veterans.

Today, Sarah resides in Gardena and is the proud wife of a veteran. When she is not busy assisting veterans as a surgical technologist, she enjoys being outdoors at the beach, walking her dogs, being with friends and a having a good dinner and movie date with her husband. She loves the South Bay mostly for the, “beautiful weather, beaches and Mexican food.”

In five years, Sarah sees herself still working for the veterans in Long Beach and starting a family. She is proud to say that all of the men in her family are military veterans and the women work in operating rooms.

Thank you Sarah for aiding and assisting our heroes every day!

 “Being bed side, serving care for our veterans who have served and sacrificed so much for us is a job that I leave everyday feeling amazing about.”

– Sarah Tuflija

S.H.I.M.A

Shima 0 comments 16.02.2016

Often times I am asked, “Shima, how can I sell my home the quickest?”

My most common response is, “Well, what is fast?”

A home is not something many of us can let go of easily. It is a place where we’ve lived, made memories and held many gatherings in. It’s a part of a chapter of our lives and we tend to grow an emotional bond with our homes. In result, we also tend to idolize our homes anf view them as far more magnificent than others will see them.

Because of our perceptions, we idolize the home and overvalue it at times. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how much a seller loves the property – because it is only worth what the buyer is WILLING to pay for it.

So, I know it’s hard to let go of our homes when we’ve made so many memories, but look at it this way- You’re leaving behind the old, 1.0 version of you and starting over. This is a new start, a new life, a new opportunity, a new luxury.

So, how can you get rid of the old quickest so that you can get the new? Well, it’s all about selling your home in a marketable area.
You may be wondering, “What is a marketable area?”

MARKETABLE is defined simply as: able to be sold, wanted by buyers.

So the ultimate goal is to make YOUR home a marketable place so that it attracts buyers. Of course, your home will not be for everyone, but it may possibly be for someone they know. If you’re able to present a home where anyone can see themselves living in it, you are far closer to selling your home. In order to do so, you must present a home that allows others to paint an image of themselves in it.

Here are some ways you can do that:

 Declutter: 

Your home will be open for viewing at times and if it is filled with too many of your belongings, it may be difficult for a potential buyer to not only see themselves living in the home, but to value it. When we have furniture, boxes, etc. lying around- rooms seem smaller, more crammed.

You only have one chance to make a good impression with buyers, so you want to make sure that they’re impressed enough to write an offer.

 Just as beautiful on the inside as the out:

Before even entering the home, potential buyers will see the outside and we want to make sure the outside looks as good as the inside. There are simple ways to do so- gardening, mowing the lawn, or even adding flowers. Also, it doesn’t hurt to do a pressure wash on exterior walls so that they’re clean and free of dust and dirt.

When your home looks welcoming and presentable on the outside, buyers will want to see what it looks like on the inside.

The price is right!

You don’t show up on the day of a test without studying- you prepare. Prior to pricing your home, you will want to be guided by your Realtor of most recent sales in the area where your home is. This prevents overpricing your home, causing it to sit on the market and going stale. The goal is to price your home to sell so that an offer is received in just a few weeks.

Ultimately, whether you want to move out of your house quickly or have time to relocate- you have to be strategic when it comes to attracting buyers.

You want your home to express to others that it is what they want and what we have to offer is the best!

Here’s to Selling YOUR Home In Marketable Areas.

Bringing Laughter to the South Bay

Shima 0 comments 15.02.2016

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 Todd Doram, who is a freelance television producer by day and comic by night, all while mentoring fatherless children and officiating weddings on his free time.

Todd, 34, was born in Torrance and grew up in Redondo Beach. Growing up, Todd knew he always had a desire to make an impact to a wide audience through media. In result, he majored in Communications and Mass Media while in college. For the past six years, Todd and his friends have been creating TV show concepts and pitching them to networks.

Three years ago, Todd was offered a producing role with Glassman Media and has worked with several production companies since. “The thing I enjoy the most is having an idea that starts in our head and eventually makes it on television,” he says.

Today, Todd is a freelance Television Producer for unscripted TV. His role entails casting, pre-production, acquiring permits, preparing storyline and ensuring the show is as entertaining as it can possibly be!

Just a few months ago, two friends and Todd sold their first show to Animal Planet called “Going Native.” Although they only aired one episode, Todd says, “It was a blast making it all happen.”  Together, they create a storyline and entertainment by having the right cast first, and then put them in scenarios where their personalities can shine.

Throughout the years, Todd has been mentored by numerous coaches and trainers who he claims helped him “to be a stand out college football player.” In return, he chose to Pay-It-Forward by coaching/mentoring young athletes or children in fatherless homes or in foster care.

 Every second Saturday, he mentors four young men in the LA Foster Care system through Royal Family Kids which is a worldwide organization. “We start the day with breakfast, then head to our formal “club” activities at church, then go and find something adventurous throughout Los Angeles to do, something they’ve never done before. It’s important for me because looking after fatherless children is one of the most fundamental things Jesus asked of his followers, but even better than that, it’s really a lot of fun and so rewarding,” he says.

When Todd is not producing television or mentoring young children, he is a stand-up comic at Comedy Clubs, Corporate Events, or even at his Church. He has found that the best part of performing comedy is creating entertainment. “Standup comedy is a huge passion of mine, it’s an incredibly unique challenge and distinct art form. To make perfect strangers laugh is incredible,” he says.

Todd believes that everyone always has some sort of challenge or problem in their lives at any given day.  “The way I see it is we all have some huge challenge or problem in our lives at any given day- cancer, dog died, lost a job, brother drank the last of the milk when you wanted Cinnamon Toast Crunch is really bad, so to get in a room and laugh for a few hours is just wonderful,” he says. He doesn’t know if he wants to make it a career, but it’s something he always wants to do.

Comedy in Los Angeles has the highest concentration of amazing comedians in the whole world. On any given night, you can enjoy a free show, and comedians are thankful for audience members. “Without an audience, we are nothing! So come laugh at us, not with us, I’m talkin’ right in your face,” he says.

One unexpected development in Todd’s life is being an Officiant of seven different weddings, with two more scheduled in 2016. “Years ago, one of my best friends since preschool, Randy Evans and his then fiance, Lisset, asked if I would perform their wedding,” he says.  Because he takes public speaking, entertainment, and the sanctity of marriage very seriously, he said yes. “I think what happened after that is people saw a bunch of Facebook photos from the wedding and more invitations kept coming. Every ceremony is fully customized and is as unique as the love story of the couple. It’s a huge honor and I am very humbled each time I get to do it,” he says.

It is clear that Todd’s humor is contagious on and off the stage, joking that when he is not working, he likes to “dominate burritos, emotionally & physically, so much so they advise their immediate family members of the dangers lurking in the dining hall.” He also enjoys a good Tom Hanks marathon on TNT, and out of respect for Tom Hanks, he watches it live, commercials and all.

He is also an active member at his church in Torrance. “I was invited to King’s Harbor Church around 2009 and have been a member ever since. They are a body of people focused on serving God’s purpose in the community and I am grateful to be a part of the mission,” he says.

Todd enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for its proximity to what he identifies as “World Class everything.” However, he values that it doesn’t feel “touristy”

Thank you, Todd,  for being a wonderful contribution to the South Bay community!

“One final thing you should know about me, is that I think YOU should appreciate the musical stylings of Phil Collins more than you currently do. Even if you’re at 100% appreciation, dig deeper. I believe you can do it.”

– Todd Doram`

 You can keep track of Todd’s shows and where he performs on his Twitter @todddoram.

Giving hope with Jewels

Shima 0 comments 10.02.2016

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 Bonnie Orona who uses her jewelry business to spread awareness and raise money to rescue and aid young children who are facing human trafficking.

Bonnie Orona, grew up in the South Bay and lived in Torrance all of her childhood life. She later graduated from South High and currently lives in Harbor City. Today, Bonnie is a personal stylist and leader for ViVi formerly Cookie Lee Jewelry.

Her duties include selling fashion jewelry, sunglasses, and scarves as well as building a team. “But my biggest passion is fundraising throughout the community and globally. I have a huge heart to give,” she says. A huge heart indeed, as she likes to help many organizations.

Bonnie uses her ViVI business as a way to help different causes. “I set up my jewelry at events or do catalog fundraisers,” she says. At the end of the event, she donates 50% of her sales to the cause. She has found that this is the best way that she can help a cause.

For over three years, Bonnie had a dream to pay for a house to be built on the Thailand/Burma border by Life Impact International. She says her friend has missionaries in Thailand and has been there for over 14 years rescuing kids that are being human trafficked. “I’ve helped on a smaller monetary scale, but when I heard about this land they purchased and how they wanted to build 17 houses…light bulbs went off,” she says.

She knew she had to be a part of building one of the homes. In result, she pasted a picture of the kids and their needs on her vision board. Today, there are only 3 houses left to build. With the help of Bonnie raising money towards these homes, 14 homes have been built.

Once the money is raised, they will be able to build a house where the children can live and know what it is like to live in a more traditional smaller scale family home. “When all of this started, the kids would be rescued and then they would all live in one massive house. Tons of people in one home…like an orphanage. Lana’s vision was for the kids to live more as a family,” she says. 

She was inspired to help largely in part to her friend, Lana Vasquez. “It’s crazy to think a gal from the valley of Southern California would give up everything and sacrifice her life to be over there in Thailand, Burma, and China rescuing kids from a life of prostitution and slavery,” she says. She realized she was living a comfortable life with her husband, kids, pool, and beaches. Yet, there are kids afraid for their lives and a young brave woman over there risking it all…giving kids a hope and a dream.

She ultimately decided that if she can be connected to something like that, then she would feel like she has received the ultimate gift. She thought if she can sow into those kids lives, then she can help them to bloom into something pretty amazing. Such as, helping them heal from a scary life.

There are two ways others can help the cause:

They can shop for some jewelry and 50% of their total purchase price will be donated to Life Impact International. Her website is www.bevivi.com/bonnieorona.

They can make a tax deductible check out to Life Impact International and drop it in the mail to:

Bonnie Orona: 26315 President Avenue, Harbor City, Ca 90710.

Bonnie explains that the goal is to raise $21,000 by the last day of February. As of this morning, they’ve raised $800.00.

Bonnie would like people to know that Child Trafficking is not just happening on the other side of the world. She says, “It is happening right here in our own backyard. Kids as well as adults are being purchased for sex acts as well as slavery. It is so sad and disgusting.”

She is often asked why she is helping children overseas and not here in the United States. She says, “Why not raise $21,000 for children locally? Honestly, I do help children locally. Anytime I can help a child here…I will. But there is just something inside of me that has been telling me to be a part of this.”

She follows what she calls “a small voice.” She is open to see who she can help by following the voice she hears. “For me, that still small voice is God. And I desire to please Him. Today I believe a community will come together for a group of children on the other side of the country and God will honor us for that. A bigger blessing will come for some kids or even for someone here in our town that decided to sow into this movement,” she says.

When she is not working or finding ways to raise money for the children, she is a huge supporter for Community’s Child- a nonprofit organization in Lomita that houses women and their children as well as feeds 1000’s of children every week in the Lomita, Harbor City, and Torrance area. In addition, Bonnie is a member of The Harbor City, Lomita Kiwanis an organization that supports the kids in the community as well as globally.

Her duties include reading and fundraising for the kids at Lomita Magnet. She says, “I help anyone that I find needs help and wants my help and honestly anytime I hear someone needs to raise money, I offer to help.” In addition, she is involved with a group of women via Social Media called The Company of Women.

She says that they are a group of women that promote Faith in the field. The “field” could be their home, community, or market place. She has found that the Company of Women has helped her to have the faith and courage to raise this $21,000.00. 

Bonnie loves the South Bay mostly for its beaches. “I love beaches so much! I could stay near the coast all day long,” she says. She makes a constant effort to live each day full of Joy and says in the midst of chaos, she chooses joy.

Bonnie, thank you for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and giving young children hope again through jewels!

“Something has always drawn me into the inner city of the South Bay. I have a huge heart for the homeless community and those that are down and out. Honestly, I just want to make a difference in the community and globally.”

– Bonnie Orona

Raising High

Shima 0 comments 08.02.2016

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 Aaron Ware who is bringing his discipline and success as an athlete into the workforce all while inspiring kids from the inner city to stick to education.

Aaron Ware, 26, was born in Gardena and raised in Los Angeles. Upon graduating from Bishop Montgomery in 2008, Aaron attended George Washington University on a basketball scholarship from 2008-2012. He chose GW amongst the others because it was the most well-known basketball school and first school that recruited him.

Although initially apprehensive about leaving L.A. to attend college, Aaron’s mother always encouraged him to spend time in another city as well as meet new people. GW began recruiting Aaron in July of 2007 and they stuck with him until he signed his letter of intent to attend the university.  “I attended GWU because it was an opportunity for me to attend college in the nation’s capital, as well as grow as a young adult,” he says.

Playing basketball has given Aaron many opportunities that he says he would have never fathomed. “Traveling around the country, staying in 5-star hotels and getting television exposure is something not too many people that come from my neighborhood get to experience,” he says. Furthermore, he was able to learn the business side of college basketball such as, coaching staff changes, early morning film sessions/practices while balancing it with schoolwork allowed him to prepare for life after basketball, in the workforce.

Going to school in Washington, DC gave Aaron many memorable experiences that he will never forget, such as: taking a white house tour, attending President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009, GW basketball’s marketing campaign and an opportunity to play a basketball game in front of the First Family.

Today, Aaron works as an Order Management Specialist, in which he places orders for K-Swiss Sales Representatives from around the country.  However, in five years, he hopes to be the Sales Representative for the brand for the Southern California and Arizona area.

Aaron’s passion for shoes led him to K-Swiss when his mom’s best friend, John Porter, saw an opportunity for him to have a career in a business he was knowledgeable in. According to Aaron, Porter has been a sales rep for K-Swiss for over 20 years and is responsible for the Southern California and Arizona territory. He finds that the best part of his job is seeing how each department operates, between operations, product, sales & marketing, etc.

K-Swiss has been in existence since 1996 and is best known for producing tennis shoes and a wide range of apparel including shirts, shorts, and bags. Working at K-Swiss and understanding their “Assembly Line” has helped Aaron realize that when everyone commits time to their assignments, the brand will be successful. Aaron believes that what makes K-Swiss so uniqu

e is that it has remained true to court fitness and style, and will continue to influence young consumers with trends for many years to come.

Transitioning from the sports world into the shoe industry is right up Aaron’s alley, since he knows trends and styles that people love on the west coast. “K-Swiss is a brand that was very popular among our parent’s generation. However, the goal within the next 3-5 years is to sell shoes and apparel that resonate more so with people 13-35 years old,” he says.

Aaron’s plan to do so by being a “walking billboard.” He says that people he is around often are always curious as to what shoes he is wearing. He explains that once they realize he is wearing K-Swiss, they are shocked because the shoes are typically known to be basic, all white and black shoes.

Today, Aaron enjoys playing basketball sparingly, sometimes 3-4 times a month. “I have a few friends that play professionally so when they come home in the summer, I play with them on weekends,” he says. However, he remains very active participating in cardio 4-5 times/week.

Aaron pays it forward to his community by speaking to young boys and girls, especially those who come from the inner city. When given the opportunity, Aaron speaks at basketball camps to children aged 7-12 about the game of basketball, but more importantly, life lessons.

When Aaron is not playing basketball or working, he enjoys watching sports and attending games, mainly basketball, baseball and football. He genuinely loves music of all genres, but mainly listens to hip-hop, R&B and Pop. An interesting fact about Aaron is that he owns over 70 pairs of shoes. He still owns some of his shoes from when he was just two-years-old and still wears shoes from over 10+ years ago.

Aaron looks up to his mother, Shirley Warren and her best friend/his Godfather, John Porter who are both of his greatest mentors.  In addition, he admires Doug Mitchell, his high school basketball coach at Bishop Montgomery in Torrance.

Aaron enjoys living in the South Bay mostly for the beach culture, restaurants, beaches, and bars/lounges which he says make it very hip and one of the most underrated areas in the city. He also enjoys going to restaurants around the L.A. area and claims himself to be a huge “foodie.” In addition, he enjoys shopping time to time in the Beverly/Fairfax area of L.A.

Thank you, Aaron, for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and finding ways to inspire the youth to reach their academic and sport goals.

 “I believe I can inspire young people to achieve their goals and encourage them that school is very important. I have been very fortunate thus far with some of my experiences, and I think if I can share my story with the youth, they can visualize themselves becoming successful.”

– Aaron Ware

Working Hard to Stay in The Room

Shima 0 comments 01.02.2016

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 Sean Boling, who has turned his love for football into a career at the NFL Network with hopes of only working harder than he did the day before.

Sean, 26, was born in Torrance, CA and raised in the South Bay. Upon graduating from South High School in 2007, he went to El Camino College and then transferred to U.C. San Diego soon after.

Today, Sean is a Production Assistant at NFL Network. Sean’s primary roles include graphics in which he writes, produces and operates the side ticker on live shows. In addition, he works on highlights where he assists the highlight producer and editor in producing a highlight. “I mark shots throughout the game and keep track of the entire game and press conferences,” he says.

A typical day for Sean depends on what he is assigned. “If I’m doing graphics, I will check which shows I’m assigned and prep for shows. This includes talking to show producers to gauge what they want on the show and how they want it written,” he says.

Sean has found that different producers want different ways of presenting their shows. When breaking news occurs, Sean must make decisions on the fly with everyone else since plans can be discarded at any moment for certain levels of breaking news. “If I’m doing highlights. I will check which game or sometimes games I’m assigned for the day,” he says.

Prior to creating content, Sean will do pre-game research which includes knowing story lines/injuries/producer guidelines. He calls this “purely teamwork.”  The Highlight producer, Editor and Sean all have to be on the same page so that they know what to look for and also communicate if they notice anything that has a potential to contribute to the main story line of a highlight. This could entail an injury, arguments on the field or the sidelines, reoccurring themes or chasing a record.

Sean’s role is to essentially be the constant eyes and ears on the game. “It’s a lot of multitasking for all of us because the highlights are built on the fly and edited ASAP,” he says. Despite the fast pace, Sean finds the most enjoyment out of his job doing highlights.

“The process of creating a highlight is a mix of crazy and fun. Most of all it truly is a team effort building the highlights and I have been fortunate to bond and work some of our most talented producers and editors,” he says. He says his team and him have  handled some of the craziest NFL highlights in the year that would often rattle the inexperienced, but they handled it in full stride.

Sean is most proud when his team’s work gets praised because he says it can be a real challenge. He became employed by the NFL Network with what he calls “a lot of luck and coincidence.” His high school friend works at NFL Network on the PR-side and he had met a producer golfing shortly after graduating. He made his interest known in the field and exchanged contact info and got interviewed and hired that fall after graduating.

“I’d love to say that I worked my ass off and got rewarded for it to pursue this career, but that wouldn’t be the truth. Networking is everything in this field to get your foot in the door, but it’s working hard that keeps you in the room,” he says.  It is evident how much pride and commitment Sean has in being a wonderful contribution to the NFL network. Just last year, Sean worked every holiday including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

When asked how one can become a member of the NFL Network team, Sean explains that there are intern spots and entry-level positions that are usually in the fall for the season (applications start in the summer). “This line of work has a lot of jumping ship to other companies and ties with each other. Somebody always knows somebody here or there and build the right reputation for yourself there will always be an opportunity opened for you likely,” he says.

He says to also make yourself noticeable and be willing to learn new things and take criticism in stride. However, he says one must have a passion in sports or football to survive because that is what is going to fuel you to grind out the long and hard days you will encounter. “Everyone here has grinded out overnight shifts, super long OT shifts, getting up at all hours of the day for work, working sick etc. Times are different. Jobs are hard to come by and it’s highly competitive especially in this field so networking is the key to success,” he says.

When Sean is not working at the NFL Network, he enjoys watching Kings games and golfing during his off time. He has always been a huge hockey fan and says he loved the Kings through the great times winning the cup to the horrible times when they were a bottom feeder team continually floundering year after year.

Golf is something he picked up as a kid and never let go of. Playing golf is the best getaway for him no matter how good or bad the day is. “I could spend a day on the course just enjoy myself and the sights,” he says.

“If there was one thing I want to point out about NFL Network is the ridiculous amount of talent we have working here. There are a lot of men and women that work hard to create an awesome product day in and day out,” he says.

The NFL also engages and gives back to communities in many ways. “Whether it’s having employees volunteer at the Special Olympics, making a family’s dream come true with player’s events or games, highlighting players’ charitable ventures, holding clothing drives or school drives those are just a few ways our company gives back,” he says.

Thank you, Sean, for being a wonderful member of the South Bay community and inspiring others to pursue their greatest passions.

“Ultimately, if I didn’t take pride in work I contributed to, I was either not trying or wasting my time. I give myself goals every day to keep myself motivated and enjoy the process of the work I put in. I’ll admit it’s not a flawless process for me, but it keeps me grinding on the road of achieving even greater work.”  -Sean Boling

Chasing the light at the end of the tunnel

Shima 0 comments 25.01.2016

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 Nick Ekbatani, who has found a way to bring inspiration to those struggling to find acceptance in loss after losing a part of his leg in an accident in 2012.

Nick, 28, grew up in Torrance, CA. During his youth, Nick didn’t have many friends and was often bullied for being “chubby.” When Nick was 11, his mom decided that she would sign him up for Pop Warner Youth Football in hopes of getting him out of the house and active. Soon after signing up, Nick thought he hated the sport and wanted to quit.

Despite his frustrations with the sport, his mom did not let him quit. “We didn’t have a lot of money, so she wasn’t going to just waste it,” Nick says. In order to get through the season, Nick often cracked jokes about himself and found that laughing at himself helped him surpass the bullying too.

After making a conscious decision to work harder in football, Nick continued to get better and better. By the 8^th grade, he was one of the best linemen on his team and by his senior year in high school, Nick had been nominated as an All-CIF football player.

Nick participated in nearly every play of the game and owes a lot of his success to his mom, Tracy Ekbatani. “My mom was at every game and practice. She was the one who’d bring pizza, orange slices, Gatorade,” he says.

After graduating high school, Nick joined LA Harbor college. After one semester, he transferred to UCLA with a full scholarship and graduated with a major in Political Science.

In July of 2012, Nick’s life would be forever changed. He was involved in a catastrophic auto accident in which a van collided with his motorcycle. He woke up in the hospital and was delivered the news that doctors had to amputate his left leg.

Though highly drugged, Nick was able to laugh at himself like he did when he was younger. He explains that he went through several stages of grief, such as denial. However, in hopes of lightening an extremely difficult situation, he cracked jokes and tried to make the best of the situation.

Fortunately for Nick, he had been working out tremendously prior to the event, which ultimately is why he is still alive. Doctors explained to Nick his cardiovascular fitness helped to prevent him from bleeding to death. Despite being healthy, Nick remained in bed for 4 weeks while heavily drugged on painkillers.

Nick recalls the first two years after the accident as very challenging. He often fell in the process of recovering due to his eagerness to improve. Since he was visiting the doctor’s office at least once a week, he even moved to Santa Monica so that he was closer.

Nearly four years and a dozen surgeries later, Nick is still recovering. One of his greatest challenges has been battling a stubborn infection in his femur. He uses a prosthetic leg which he has to carefully clean and take care of, which also can be tiring to wear for a long time as it is tight on his skin. Being the joker that he is, Nick explains that he has benefitted by learning a lot about skin care in result.

When asked how Nick has been able to remain so positive during such a difficult time in his life, he explains that he is always seeking ways to chase the light at the end of the tunnel. “It only gets dark when you stop chasing it,” he says.

The accident has definitely had an impact on how Nick lives his life today. At times, he finds himself reacting overzealously in realizing that life is short. Other times, his fear/anxiety holds him back and scares him. Despite it all, he finds himself to be very grateful and has a changed perspective on life.

Nick genuinely feels blessed to have grown up playing football. He explains that he has become very disciplined due to the sport, which has helped him remain persistent to succeed. He loves football most for the virtues he has gained, relationships and mentors he’s found and how he is able to continuously improve his craft like an artist would.

Today, Nick remains as disciplined as ever. He remains very active, waking up at 4 a.m. to train clients and instruct classes at Orangetheory Fitness in Brentwood and West Hollywood. During times where he finds himself frustrated, he remembers that there are others out there who have it worse and no matter how bad it gets, he feels blessed to be alive.

Nick is currently pursuing his MBA from USC. He genuinely loves technology companies like Apple and athletic apparel brands like Nike and he hopes to establish his own business in the next five years where he can lead a team and inspire others.

When Nick is not studying, working or improving his recovery process, he is visiting patients of the doctors who’ve operated on his leg. It is very easy to see why Nick’s doctors value his presence, as he is able to present a positive, welcoming and high energy to others.

Nick spends time with patients who are in the premature stages of recovery and shows them that despite his loss, he is able to still do a lot for being in the position he is in. Helping new amputees throughout their recovery motivates Nick and gives him a deeper sense of purpose.

Thank you, Nick, for being a wonderful member of the south bay community and an inspiring and positive ray of light for those who still need help finding their way in a dark tunnel.

“Adversity has the way to advance us if we allow it. A setback is really a setup for us to come back.” – Nick Ekbatani

The City with a Hometown Feel

Shima 0 comments 20.01.2016

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 resident, Kelsie Winders, who is a Human Resources Technician, assuring that all testing procedures are conducted accurately and oversees all potential employees for the City of Torrance.

Kelsie, 26, was born in Torrance and has lived in several cities in the South Bay including Hawthorne and Gardena. Despite having moved several times, she explains that her parents always kept her sister and her in Torrance school to make sure they could maintain their established friendships.

 When Kelsie was 15, she started working part-time for the City of Torrance.  She began in the Youth Sports program; and over time, was able to take on greater responsibility to where she was eventually working directly with the supervisor to help run the programs.

 She graduated from CSULB in 2012, and like many, wasn’t sure when or how she would “start” her life.  When she was given the opportunity for temporary work in Human Resources with the City in 2013, she took it almost immediately.

Today, Kelsie is working as a Human Resources Technician for the City of Torrance. She is responsible for coordinating & conducting all of the testing for any job with the City.  Some of her duties include planning, organizing & overseeing all examination processes for routine and recurrent classifications.  Dependent on the position, she is also involved in some recruitment and outreach, as well.

​Kelsie explains that each position has some sort of testing component – whether it is a written exam, performance test or an interview, or both. She is responsible for proctoring the written/performance exams ​and scheduling the interviews.  In addition, she does testing for the Torrance Fire Department & Torrance Police Department, Public Works, Torrance Transit, etc. Lastly, she also deals with employee relations​, including gathering information for employees and ensuring that Department needs are met.

Kelsie’s position of overseeing the testing process for the City requires for her to follow certain rules & guidelines. “Our processes, not just for testing but throughout the City, are in place to keep a standard across the board and to ensure that all are treated equally,” she explains.

 Kelsie genuinely enjoys feeling like she is able to help individuals in some sort of way.  “I’ve always known that I wanted to be able to help others, and I feel like in my position, I’m able to do that a little bit more,” she says. One of my Kelsie’s favorite parts of her job is being connected with applicants/candidates throughout the testing process.  When a person applies for a position in the City, Kelsie is involved in their “journey” until the end, whether they are hired or not.

​She enjoys being connected ​not only with applicants/candidates, but building relationships with employees, as well.  It makes her feel like she is truly connected with her job & the City.

he enjoys working with the candidates by being able to answer their questions and keeping them informed of each step in the process.  She explains that this also leads to one of the more difficult parts of her job – the unhappy applicants.  Whether it is someone who did not make it past the screening process or someone who failed a testing component, delivering bad news does not always go over well.

In result, getting those calls with complaints on the other end aren’t usually very pleasant.  In a City as large as Torrance, Kelsie has found that every day be different. “HR supports all of the City’s Departments, and with as big as Torrance is, anything can happen,” she says.

 When asked how residents can help make the City of Torrance greater, Kelsie explains that one of the easiest ways residents can help contribute to the city is through their Volunteer Program.  There are numerous opportunities for those willing to volunteer all over the City – at the multiple libraries, through the Youth Sports program, with Seniors or docents for various programs.

One can simply fill out an application on the City’s website here:www.TorranceCA.Gov/VolunteerProgram.htm

 Residents can also stay informed on C​ity happenings by attending or watching the live stream of City Council meetings here.

​Furthermore, the Torrance City Council meets every Tuesday in Council Chambers at City Hall, 3031 Torrance Boulevard, at 7:00 p.m.

Kelsie pays it forward to her community by donating blood to the American Red Cross as often as she is allowed to. “I try to help out as much as I can, whether it’s giving waters to the homeless that I see around town or donating to others in need.  I feel that it is extremely important to give back – if you don’t, then who will?” she says.

When she is not working, she enjoys spending her time with her boyfriend, Dylan, and their adopted dog, Apache (lab/shepherd mix).  They also both like to spend any free time with both of their families.  Kelsie enjoys attempting to recreate what she finds on Pinterest – food recipes, baking recipes, decorating, cutesy projects. Since her workweek is busy, she finds enjoyment in being home and enjoying a good book, movie, or spending time with good company.

Kelsie feels lucky to not only work in the South Bay, but to also live here because everything is so accessible. She has found that Torrance is close enough to everything that nothing ever feels out of reach.

“It was always my goal to work in HR and to work in HR in my City was everything that I had gone to school and worked for! Human Resources is the hub of all things Torrance and I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity which I was able to turn into my career!” she says.

hank you, Kelsie, for being a wonderful community member of the city of Torrance and assuring that employees are carefully chosen and all testing is conducted accurately, providing safety to all!

To learn more about the City of Torrance and how you can help or apply, please visit the following links:

City website: www.TorranceCA.Gov

Job Opportunities: www.torranceca.gov/516.htm

Fur-ever Saving Grace

Shima 0 comments 06.01.2016

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 resident, Daphne Ku’uleimealohaokalani Marie Garrett who is a veterinary technician at Country Hills Animal Clinic in Torrance.

Daphne, 28, has lived in Torrance her entire life and was inspired to pursue the animal care field after adopting her very first dog at the Carson Shelter.

Five years  after high school, Daphne received her certificate as a veterinary technician in June 2010. She describes her position as the Doctor’s, “right hand man.”

Daphne begins and ends each day by seeing in room appointments and checking on surgeries. Some of her duties include surgeries mostly of spay and neuters, dental cleanings, vaccinations, radiographs, lab work, placing IV catheters, dental radiographs and blood draws.

Due to the unpredictability of her work field, Daphne feels some days are harder than others and there is no “typical” day at work. “We see so many different types of dogs and cats with similar and different issues. We do our best to exceed beyond everyone’s expectations for themselves and of course for the pet’s best interest,” she says.

When asked what is the most difficult part of her job, Daphne explains when “we have to send our furry friends to doggy heaven because we have done all we possibly could to help them.” This can be in result of many things such as diabetes, cancer, or old age.

“The only thing that gets me by is knowing the second they leave us, they are no longer in pain and are happy and free running around in heaven,” she explains. She says that even when the dog is not hers, it is the worst heartbreak she’s experienced.

Despite the difficulty of some aspects of her position, she believes the best days are when she can send the owners and their pets home happier and healthier than when they walked into the hospital.

Daphne wishes that pet owners understood that having pets is a lot of work. “They need to know it is just like having a kid, but sometimes even worse because dogs don’t have the ability to speak,” she says.

She also wishes pet owners realized that dogs have to be cared for, fed, walked daily and both dogs and cats need to be vaccinated yearly dependent on age. In addition, she urges that they pay attention to symptoms of being sick and take precaution immediately if necessary.

Daphne has found that animals have feelings, know when you are upset or happy. In result, she believes that owners should understand that pets become members of the family. She believes that residents should choose a Veterinarian based on referrals from family and friends. She does not believe in relying on internet sites such as yelp. She explains that people can be cruel and lie.

Daphne hopes to one day start her own business. She’d like to open a rescue or a doggy day care/grooming and dog bakery. However, she believes many can help animals by adopting those at high kill shelters or volunteering their time there.

When Daphne is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her own dogs, visiting the dog beach or traveling. Daphne is the furr-mom to Lucky, a mutt who was adopted at Carson Shelter and Winston who she got as a gift two years ago.

Lucky inspired Daphne to pursue the veterinary field after showering her in unconditional love. He is now going on 12 years old and she likes to call him her “grumpy old man.”

Daphne’s motto in life is, “Adopt, don’t shop and give pets the love they deserve. Give them a FURever home.” She has found that dogs give her a sense of saving grace that no one is able to give her.

Thank you, Daphne, for being a wonderful asset to our veterinary field in the South Bay and reminding us that it is possible to have a career doing what we love- like saving animal’s lives.

Corazon

Shima 0 comments 04.12.2015

For today’s “Tourist in my own city,” I visisted Rolling Hills Estates’ new restaurant, Corazon.

This may sound silly, but I typically judge a Mexican restaurant in the first few minutes based on their SALSA! I personally have no tolerance for spicy, but I do love a good salsa that is mild enough for me to eat and spicy enough for me to feel a kick.

Corazon did not disappoint.

Corazon Mexican Kitchen, located at 767 Deep Valley Dr., Rolling Hills Estates has a trendy, yet welcoming atmosphere.  The restaurant opened earlier this year in June, but I finally had some time to get in there and I wanted to share my experience.

I found that there are several areas designated for parties where groups can separate themselves from others to enjoy their privacy. In addition, the restaurant has an outdoor patio and a bar where individuals can enjoy their lunch or a drink.

What makes Corazon differ from other Mexican restaurants is that the ambiance and presentation of the food brings elegance to what many may consider a casual dinner. The restaurant is well-known for their cucumber margarita which Cucumber has cilantro, jalapeño, agave nectar with sweet and sour and Han Teq. Tajin Rim. Furthermore, there is a large selection of beer and Latin American Wines.

Based on my experience, I would rate the restaurant an A+ for their efficient service, friendliness and quality. The meals were brought on a timely manner and our waiter, Jacob,  checked on our large party of 12 often. It also didn’t hurt that our chips, salsa and water were refilled often without mentioning.

For a restaurant as elegant as Corazon, I was very surprised to find that prices were very affordable. Customers can mix and match from a variety of options that is perfect for someone who isn’t very hungry. Some options include a soup and salad, a taco and Mexican salad, or a tamale and salad.

Many of the meals are homemade recipes and as mentioned previously, the salsa is AMAZING! Only suggestion I have, don’t get too full off the fresh tortilla chips and salsa like I did.

To learn more about Corazon and to make reservations, please visit their website here.

For some of their specials, please refer to the photo below.