October 2023

An Angel with a Purpose

Written by Sue Murray, Volunteer Spotlight Writer 

Many of the invaluable volunteers who come to Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) want to contribute to improving the health and well-being of Beach Cities residents but are not exactly sure where to start. Some are drawn to help spread the word about Blue Zones principles, others want to bring bright smiles and efficiency to the support of our various front desks. Some want to interact with older or disabled adults to offer companionship and errand support. However, Ellen Gillman came to BCHD knowing exactly what she wanted to do. 

After growing up in Denver and pursuing a career as a Speech Language Pathologist, Ellen moved to the Beach Cities 20 years ago.  During her time in Denver, she was involved in the local urban gardens initiative, a community garden project. Despite loving the move to the South Bay, Ellen missed her garden-related volunteering and couldn’t find anything similar locally. Then one day, in 2017, while she was at BCHD’s Center for Health and Fitness, she spotted a flyer about the LiveWell Kids Garden Angels program; she’d finally found what she was looking for.  

Ellen, and the other Garden Angels rotate through elementary schools in Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach, caring for the gardens by weeding, transplanting and ensuring they continue to provide a rich treasured learning resource for the students. The gardens are part of a comprehensive school well-being program called LiveWell Kids that includes both garden and nutrition education. It is comprised of six interactive lessons focused on educating students about the process and benefits of growing their own food, improving nutritional knowledge and making healthy eating choices. All lessons are delivered in the fresh air of the school gardens which are maintained by the Garden Angels.  

Despite still working part-time as a Speech Language Pathology Assistant, over the years Ellen has contributed more and more time to the Garden Angels. She has earned the role of “Garden Angels Communications Coordinator,” where she sends the other volunteers schedules, announcements, and reminders, to ensure their time is focused where needed. Each email is full of information with Ellen’s humorous angle added! Whether it’s a meme or cartoon, the volunteers all look forward to reading the fun emails. Ellen also commits an additional hour a week as the caretaker of the LiveWell Kids Demonstration Garden, designed to help the parent volunteers mirror the lessons delivered in the schools. She has enjoyed her time so much with the District, Ellen has joined the BCHD team as a part-time employee assisting the communications department as an Administrative Assistant.  

Ellen comments, “The Garden Angels support the community’s health and it’s also been invaluable for me too! Being out in the sunshine and working with the most wonderful group of volunteers is my perfect social outlet. It’s not just the school children who benefit from the gardens. At harvest time, we donate any excess fruit and vegetables to the local Salvation Army Kitchen, and Meals on Wheels. I get a lot of satisfaction from this additional contribution to the community.” 

Ellen’s supervisor, Mishell Balzer said, “Ellen has been hard-working from the start. She has always given 101 percent to ensure the Garden Angels thrive. She keeps me on track, reminding me about the various school holidays, parking restrictions, and events. Ellen is incredibly organized, thorough, and reliable but it is probably her great sense of humor that we all love the most. She keeps us all chuckling! We have come to rely on Ellen to keep us connected, and with her fun, likable personality. I can’t imagine a better person for the job. I am so grateful for her, as is the rest of the group.” 

Ellen sums up by adding, “My advice to anyone considering volunteering is ‘do it’! It’s so good for the soul.” 

Get your Flu Shot Today!

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated every year. Most flu activity occurs between October and May, peaking between December and February in the United States. The flu vaccine protects against the flu after two weeks, so it is recommended to get vaccinated early in fall, by the end of October.

Why the flu vaccine is important:

• It’s the best way to prevent the flu
• It’s safe and effective
• It protects you against the harmful effects of flu
• You can protect others who are too young or unable to get vaccinated

Who should get the flu vaccine:

Beach Cities Health District advises residents to follow flu vaccination guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season with rare exceptions.

For more information, visit bchd.org/flu. 

Volunteer Impact in FY 22-23

Last fiscal year (July 2022 – June 2023), 810 volunteers contributed 23,588 hours of service, which equates to a monetary value of $880,306!

We are deeply grateful for the invaluable contributions of our volunteers. Your dedicated efforts empower BCHD to expand our programs and reach a wider audience, creating a more significant impact than we could achieve on our own.

Below, you'll find more volunteer statistics highlighting how your time and commitment have made a substantial difference. Thank you for being an essential part of our mission! 

• 60% of volunteers provided direct service to the community, and 40% provided support (e.g., admin, committees).  
• Of the programmatic departments, Community Services accounted for the greatest number of volunteer hours (6,126) followed by Youth Services (3,308) and allcove Beach Cities (2,324). 
• Of the support departments, Volunteer Services accounted for the greatest number of volunteer hours largely due to the CAPS Knitting program (6,560). 
• The greatest number of individuals volunteered with Health Promotions & Communications which was largely due to events (29%), Community Services (27%) and Youth Services (21%). 
• 86 volunteers participated in more than one volunteer role (with 31 participating in three or more roles). 
• 52 volunteers donated more than 100 hours of service, deriving the most health benefits to achieve through volunteering. 
• This year’s volunteer service represents the full-time equivalent (FTE) of 11 employees.  

Department Highlight

Youth Services 

Last month, BCHD highlighted all the great work and programming taking place by this department. To learn more about this program, watch the Youth Services Team present at the September Board of Directors meeting or view the presentation slides. 

Youth Services Talking Points & Upcoming Events: 

October 18: Beach Cities Partnership for Youth Coalition Meeting  

As part of the Drug-Free Communities grant, Youth Services will be convening various stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, school administrators, law enforcement, substance use and mental health professionals) to brainstorm further ideas and initiatives around the Coalition’s goals: 

1. Decrease prevalence of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use in teens.  
2. Decrease stress and bullying and improve social-emotional well-being of youth.  
3. Increase the number of parents having conversations with their children about alcohol and drugs, social media, mental health and bullying. 

The Youth Advisory Council summer workgroup will present their project around social media and its effects on mental health. 

JOIN THE BCHD TEAM: Pier to Pier Friendship Walk  

Let's walk together! Beach Cities Health District is sponsoring a walk team at the Friendship Walk. We have 50 walking spots that include receiving an event t-shirt and swag bag.  

To join Team BCHD, please complete our signup form and we’ll handle the rest of the registration process for you. The payment is covered by BCHD and is a donation to the Friendship Foundation. The Walk starts at the Manhattan Beach Pier. Participants walk south towards Hermosa Beach, turn around at the Hermosa Beach Pier, then return to the Manhattan Beach Pier, a total of 3.5 miles. 

Sunday, October 29  

Check-in will be at 8 a.m. at Manhattan Beach Pier  

To learn more about the 2023 SKECHERS Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, please visit the FAQ page here.   

Join us at the next BCHD Board Meeting 

All volunteers are welcome to attend Board meetings held on the 4th Wednesday of each month. 

Get information on upcoming meetings and leave public comments on agendas here: https://www.bchd.org/public-meetings.  

Interested in volunteering (getting back to it or taking the next step to volunteer) with BCHD?  See below for what’s currently available and please stay tuned to our newsletters and website as new opportunities arise! If you are or have been a BCHD volunteer or if you have questions, you’re invited to email us at Volunteers@bchd.org.

allcove Peer Assistant – High Need

allcove Beach Cities is a place for young people to take a moment of pause and access a range of services. Volunteers (ages 14+) will support allcove staff at the front desk by greeting guests and tenants, providing tours of the facility as needed, and assist with administrative tasks including filing, supply inventory, data entry, pantry restocking, event preparation and more.

Weekly 3-hour shift commitment for at least 6 months is required.

Brain Buddy: Support Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities 

Volunteers (18+) are matched with older adults and/or adults with memory loss and conduct weekly in-home visits to lead structured activities such as art, music, or games, providing socialization and engagement. Weekly 1-1.5 hour shift commitment. 

Errand Volunteer: Support Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities  

Errand Volunteers (18+) are matched with one of our Care Management clients and do weekly shopping for basic needs like groceries and prescriptions. Weekly 1-1.5 hour shift commitment for at least 3 months required.  

Conversation Companion: Support Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities 

Volunteers (18+) are matched with older adults and/or adults with disabilities to visit and engage in socialization activities such as life review, watching movies at home or in the theater, playing card or board games, taking walks, going for lunch, etc. Weekly 1-1.5 hour commitment. 

Administrative Office Front Desk Volunteer 

Our Admin and Community Services departments are looking for volunteers (18+) to help with telephone coverage; front desk screening of staff and visitors; periodic disinfection of shared spaces; mail and package distribution; badge making; supplies inventory; assembling marketing packets; assisting with Help Desk Ticket tasks and projects. A weekly 4-hour shift commitment regularly is required.   

Campus Greeter  

Volunteers (14+) greet all guests who enter the 514 Prospect Avenue building while also providing general support and customer service duties for the full BCHD campus. Duties include greeting guests and tenants, providing information and referrals to the public, walking visitors to/from medical appointments or allcove Beach Cities upon request, maintaining a clean and orderly area and tracking volunteer hours worked. Must be friendly, helpful and able to push wheelchairs and walk around the campus. Weekly 2- or 3-hour shifts required for one year; scheduling available Monday – Saturday.

*Expected commitment for High School students is a semester or over the summer. 

Center for Health & Fitness Front Desk Volunteer 

Are you outgoing and friendly and want to make a difference in your community? Volunteer at the front desk of our Center for Health and Fitness. Volunteers check in and greet members as they arrive at the gym as well as provide additional assistance to front desk staff. Basic computer skills and comfort with speaking on the phone are required. Must be at least 18+ and commit to 2 hours a week. Shift available: Sunday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Event Volunteer Opportunities

It is important for Beach Cities Health District to be out in the community sharing our programs and resources with our residents.  

A Word From Our Community Partner – South Bay Parkland Conservancy 

If you are interested in volunteering directly with the Conservancy, please check out our opportunities here: https://www.southbayparks.org/volunteer-opportunities (Only Wilderness Park and Hermosa Greenbelt are active right now) 

Additionally, the Conservancy hosts guided Nature Walks in Wilderness Park every month. The sign-up is here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4ba5a829a7facf8-wilderness15#/

Please note that BCHD is not involved with these programs and will not be participating onsite. Should you have any questions please contact the SBPC directly at info@southbayparks.org. 

Volunteer Hours



We appreciate the commitment of our community to help others in 2022. We are grateful for the 18,239 reported hours of BCHD volunteer service in 2022. This number includes groceries shopped for, prescriptions picked up, calls made, visits to our older adult clients, Center for Health & Fitness front desk check-ins, committees met, administrative support, intern projects, gardens kept, and more. Thank you all! We know BCHD volunteers will continue doing remarkable things in 2023.  

Volunteer Hours to date are:

January: 2,333.42

February: 1,535.42

March: 2,169.42

April: 2,185.33

May: 2,524.53

June: 1,811.25

July: 2,166.75

August: 2,284.10

September: 2,044.50

Total: 19,262.97 Hours

Volunteer Anniversaries



Thank you to these fabulous volunteers for their years of service! We’re so fortunate to have volunteers who are so committed to making this a healthy beach community! Congrats on your anniversary!  

October 

Claudia Lindwall, 21 

Andrea Hughes,14 

Carolyn Jurk, 12 

Don Luke, 8 

Debbie Martin, 5 

April Diedrich, 4 

Linnea Bucher, 2 

Colleen O'Neill, 2 

Heidi Barnett,1 

Jason Tejeda, 1 

Kimiko Fujisaki,1 

Laura White,1 

Mark Korsmo,1 

Paula Steinhoff, 1 

*Official years of service in BCHD system.

First & Third Tuesday of the Month, Virtual 

(October 17 & November 7) 

10 – 11 a.m. 

Zoom link: https://bchd-org.zoom.us/j/87651635014 

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2nd Mondays, In person  

(October 16) 

2 – 3 p.m.  

Manhattan Beach Joslyn Center, Sunset Room  

1601 N Valley Dr., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 

Virtual Families Connected Parent Chat

Second Tuesday of the Month

(November 14)

10 - 11 a.m.

Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87374623578

The Families Connected Parent Chat is a free monthly support group open to all South Bay parents and caregivers. Provided in partnership between BCHD, South Bay Families Connected and Thelma McMillen Center, the Parent Chat offers its participants a confidential and supportive space to share their parenting challenges and successes. Please note that the Parent Chat is not a therapeutic program, but rather a peer-to-peer support group with educational guidance from a mental health professional. 

 Mental Health First Aid Training 



BCHD will host Mental Health First Aid trainings from the National Council for Mental Health. Similar to CPR training, individuals will learn how to provide support to people experiencing mental health challenges. It is an eight-hour training that requires two hours of pre-work and six hours of in-person instruction. At this training, you'll learn how to assess risk factors, provide initial support and connect individuals to professional resources, when needed.   

Friday, December 1 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)  

Beach Cities Health District  

514 N. Prospect Ave.  

Beach Cities Room, Lower Level  

Redondo Beach, CA 90277 

QPR Suicide Prevention Training 



During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, BCHD is hosting a QPR Suicide Prevention training to help individuals recognize warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to Question, Persuade and Refer someone to help. The training is aimed at equipping people with the knowledge and skills necessary to intervene and support someone who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts or behaviors.



Learn skills to engage someone in crisis to discuss their distress, provide hope and refer them to someone who can formally assess and intervene.

This training session (in-Person) is open to the community.

Monday, November 6 

4 – 6 p.m. 

Beach Cities Health District 

514 N. Prospect Ave.  

Lower Level, Beach Cities Room 

Redondo Beach, CA 90277 

Board of Directors Meeting



BCHD holds public board meetings on the fourth Wednesday of every month (except August and December). Residents are encouraged to attend board meetings either via Zoom or in BCHD’s Beach Cities Room - Lower Level, 514 N. Prospect Ave. in Redondo Beach. You may also contact board members directly with questions or comments, or call 310-374-3426, ext. 8213.

Regular Board Meeting

Wednesday, October 25

6:30 p.m.

Virtual Mindfulness Drop-In

Take 30 minutes to downshift and practice mindfulness techniques. The guided session will be led by a trained Beach Cities Health District instructor.



First Wednesday of the Month

(November 1)

4 – 4:30 p.m.