Message from the Assistant Director,
Alumni
Development
"Wine and friends are a great blend."
- Ernest Hemingway
May has seen lots of activity and change in the Foundation. The 36
th Annual Vikings Athletics Associates Golf Tournament was a sold-out success and plans for next year have already begun. We welcomed a new Interim Executive Director to support us as we actively seek a permanent replacement. Our Associate groups have hosted a variety of events for our students and our community, making the vision of our Foundation a reality.
The LAWinefest makes its Long Beach debut this coming weekend. The opportunity to be a part of this fun event comes to us from two of our amazing alumni. Read about how their time at LBCC inspired them to succeed and then join us on Saturday or Sunday as we help them to bring wine and people together in Long Beach. The tickets that you purchase through the Foundation are only $50, a $30 discount off of the retail price. One hundred percent of ticket proceeds will go to benefit the LBCC Foundation! Come out to support the Foundation at an event that balances fun, exploration and education about food and wine. I look forward to seeing you this weekend.
Go Vikings!
Paula Barrow
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Dear Vikings Alumni,
As many of you are aware, LBCC Foundation Executive Director, Elizabeth McCann, has left for a position at Saddleback College. It is my pleasure to serve as Interim Executive Director until a new Executive Director is hired. I have been with the Foundation for 11 years and have served in many different capacities, most recently as Associate Director.
I believe in the core mission of the Foundation "to raise funds to support the College's outstanding and evolving learning environment." There are many ways that the Foundation supports the College - through student and faculty scholarships, Foundation grants, Associate Group support, Alumni programming, academic program support and campus beautification. I am excited to continue the Foundation's work as we strive to build upon the College's excellence.
Go Vikings!
Nancy Yoho
Interim Executive Director
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Charles and Kisha Singleton are the kind of success stories we all love to hear about. Both are Long Beach natives, with Charles coming to Long Beach City College from Poly High School and Kisha from Lakewood High School. Both are self-made, having worked hard to earn the success they enjoy in life. Both are generous, diligently giving back to their community. Both are Vikings.
After he graduated from high school, Charles went to a local trade school to learn graphic design. Shortly after that, he met Kisha. "She always wanted us to further our education - she made a goal to complete an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice and inspired me to do the same." It was clear there was more to the story, but Charles was deferring to his wife - it was her story to share. "In 2001, shortly after we started at LBCC, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis." The National Multiple Sclerosis Society describes MS as an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body.
"We persevered. Both Charles and I were working full-time and raising our daughter, and the MS made class so much more difficult for me. But we each earned our Associates Degree in Criminal Justice, and it's one of our highest achievements."
Kisha is working on a book to share her story with MS to serve as a guide for those who are recently diagnosed and their loved ones. "Over the past 18 years, MS has effected just about every part of my body and my life. What I'm trying to give people is an understanding of what could happen, so if they wake up blind because the muscles in their eyes don't work, or unable to speak because their brain can't communicate with their tongue they already have a plan in place with their loved ones. Every time something new has happened, I try to keep track of the things I wish I'd known, so I could have been prepared."
Generosity runs in the family. Despite earning his degree in Criminal Justice, the courses Charles says most impacted his life were Library 1 and public speaking and debate courses. "They were all pieces of the puzzle that led me to develop TreImage into what it is now - I've built my career around the skills I learned at LBCC." TreImage is a marketing, public relations, fundraising and special events company that Charles founded to raise funds for the city he grew up in while putting on memorable events, performances, festivals and more for its residents. His most recent project? Bringing the LAWineFest to downtown Long Beach with the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and the Long Beach City College Foundation serving as beneficiaries.
To purchase tickets for the LAWineFest on June 1st and 2nd, click the button below. Be sure to use promo code LBCCF to ensure the Long Beach City College Foundation is the beneficiary of your purchase. It's the only way to get your tickets for $50 each - $30 in savings!
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Sip. Explore. Enjoy. LA's signature celebration of everything wine is coming to Long Beach this year, and the LBCC Foundation and Alumni Association invite you to join us for a weekend of wine, brews, boutiques, gourmet nibbles, artisan merchandise and live music in Downtown Long Beach.
Event Times:
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Saturday, June 1st
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Sunday, June 2nd |
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1-5 PM |
As a guest of the LBCC Foundation and Alumni Association, you get $20 off your tickets to this great event! Just enter promo code
LBCCF at checkout to receive your exclusive savings!
100% of the proceeds from tickets purchased with the LBCCF promo code will go towards the Long Beach City College Foundation and help support
students and programs here at LBCC.
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The family of longtime coach and professor Gillis Brown has asked us to invite the LBCC Alumni family to her memorial service, which will be held at:
11:00 AM on Saturday, June 15, 2019
Center for Spiritual Living
500 Marina Drive, Seal Beach, CA 90740
Flowers may be sent to the Center for Spiritual Living Sanctuary.
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About Gillis:
February 18, 1938 - Born in Irving, Texas to Clarence Loyd and Hannah Lenora (Nash) Brown.
Class of '56 - Irving Independent School District. Played Forward position three years, changing to Guard her senior year. Lettered three years in Basketball and made all-district team her senior year. Also played volleyball her junior and senior year.
May 30, 1958 - Weatherford College of Parker County, Texas, Associate in Arts. Voted Ag Club Sweetheart, played for the WC Cayettes Basketball team.
May 31, 1960 - North Texas State College, Bachelor of Science in Physical Education
July 30, 1965 - University of California at Santa Barbara, Master of Arts in Physical Education
1969-2000 - Professor and coach at Long Beach City College. Was the first intercollegiate Badminton Coach at LBCC, taught badminton, golf, bowling, and self-defense
Recognized as a member of Delta Phi Kappa for outstanding service as a Professor in Physical Education at Long Beach City College.
August 30, 2000 - Retired after thirty-one years of service to the Long Beach Community College District.
April 24, 2019 - Passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease and, more recently, breast cancer.
When she wasn't working to develop the knowledge and skills of young women at LBCC, Gillis's love of travel took her to the far corners of the world - Africa, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout North America, including Hawaii, Caribbean Islands, Canada and Mexico. She was an avid sports enthusiast, both as a spectator, as well as participating in basketball, volleyball, badminton, archery, downhill skiing and golf. She was a lifelong student who enjoyed trying new things, always staying active and engaged, and a kid at heart, who was playful and quick to smile and laugh.
Gillis' family requests that any donations in her memory be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation or the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
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Dr. Virginia Baxter, Lois Schneider, and Lois Smith have been involved in every Golf Tournament LBCC Athletics has hosted since its inception in 1983.
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Athletics
Our Athletics Associates hosted their 36
th Annual Golf Tournament, and it was a huge success! They sold out Recreation Park Golf Course 18 on May 16
th as they honored former LBCC Football head coach Wil Shaw. Title Sponsor Cordoba Corporation led the charge for a great day of fundraising as the tournament raised more than $30,000 for the Athletics Department to aid in the purchasing of equipment, assist student-athletes, and help with team travel expenses.
Friends of Languages
Our Friends of Languages Associates awarded $5,000 in scholarships at our Scholarship Reception on May 24
th. They awarded two scholarships to students participating in the college's Study Abroad Program in Paris this summer, and three scholarships each to students in the Foreign Language and ESL departments. In addition, they recently held their Spring Beat fundraiser which featured a live drum performance and history presentation by Kokoro Taiko as well as a cultural presentation by Audrey Yamagata-Noji.
Helping the Homeless Students
Our Helping the Homeless Students Associates were awarded a $2,500 grant and continue to bring in donations for our homeless and resource-insecure students. In addition to the housing assistance they provide LBCC students, they have been providing health and hygiene kits, food items, blankets, and free courses to help our homeless students learn essential skills to help them succeed both academically and in life.
Lifetime Learning Center Senior Studies
Our Lifetime Learning Center Senior Studies Associates recently held their Outstanding Seniors Luncheon honoring Harry Saltzgaver, Shirley Wild, and Joseph Prevratil for a lifetime of service to the community. The luncheon, sponsored by St. Mary's Medical Center, had 220 guests in attendance and raised $8,000 to support the Lifetime Learning Program's classes, events, and day tours to help older adults stay active mentally, physically, and socially.
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Hello Vikings!
It was great reconnecting with a few of you at the LBCC Golf Tournament honoring Wil Shaw. Reminiscing and sharing stories about the glory days, and how your lives have progressed since City College made for a very entertaining evening. The one thing I took away from us getting together that day is that many of you want to do it again. Some of you that gave me your email address and phone number told me that you know how to get in touch with others that we played ball with. I would appreciate getting those addresses and phone numbers from you so I can get the word out about future opportunities to get together. The LBCC Alumni Association would like to help us plan a get together for a football game this next season. Please contact me as soon as possible with any information that you might have. I'm looking forward to getting together with you all again soon.
GO VIKINGS!
Mark Cusator '75-'76
(559) 287-8408
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Click the image above to read about the latest news from LBCC - take a look at some of the fun events and groundbreaking initiatives happening on campus as the spring semester winds to a close.
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Be A Part of the "Walk of Honor"
The brick walkway in front of the LAC Auditorium provides you with an opportunity to make a unique and charitable imprint at LBCC. Your $150.00 tax-deductible gift will get your name and special message, major, graduation date, etc. etched in a brick, as well as support the LBCC Alumni Association. You can either download this form and return to the Foundation or select below to order online.
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Support the LBCC Alumni Association by joining, renewing your membership, or making a gift today!
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Moved? Changed your number? Started a new job and want us to use your new e-mail address? Send a message to
[email protected] and let us know the best way to keep in touch!
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