December 2023



Chase Your Passion, Not Your Pension

Written by Sue Murray, Volunteer Spotlight Writer 

Kim Neglia grew up in the San Fernando Valley and studied at UCLA. After moving to Manhattan Beach and teaching for a few years, she shifted to a career in market research and statistical data analysis in the retail sector.

Kim’s mother became ill and moved in with her in 1996. Each week when the home healthcare nurse visited, Kim noticed how her mother’s mood improved. It was then that Kim developed a compassion and appreciation for the older adult community.

Department Highlight

AdventurePlex

Department Highlight: AdventurePlex 

Each month, BCHD highlights all the great work and programming taking place from a department. Learn more about this program by watching the AdventurePlex team present at the November Board of Directors meeting or view the presentation slides.

What is AdventurePlex? 

AdventurePlex is where children can challenge themselves physically and intellectually in a safe, structured environment packed with mazes and tunnels, rope courses and outdoor rock-climbing walls, an indoor gymnasium and a new toddlers-only play zone. 

Our mission is to make healthy habits fun because healthy habits started early last a lifetime. AdventurePlex was created for families to play, learn and grow; to be a dynamic place to get physical, get silly and get healthy.  

Did you know? 

It's a perennial top pick for best indoor playground, best birthday and best camp! In August, AdventurePlex received the Daily Breeze and Beach Reporter's Reader's Choice Southbay's BEST: Favorite Kids Camp and Favorite Kids Entertainment. 

AdventurePlex Kids Club Membership is Back! 

There's so much fun inside the 16,000 square foot AdventurePlex facility that kids might not want to leave! 

Kids Club Membership* Includes:  

• Access to our 5-level indoor play structure for kids to climb, swing and explore, and ToddlerTown – a toddlers-only imaginative play zone where kids can discover The Farm, shop for fresh fruits and vegetables in The Market and cook in The Beach House—designed to make learning healthy habits fun!  
• Kids Club events and inflatable days  
• Two Buddy Passes for Drop-In-Play at joining 

Price Point: 

$49 First Child 

$39 Each added Sibling  

*All participants must complete a waiver prior to participating. Camp days are not available for Kids Club membership. Refer to the blackout calendar for closure information. Due to AdventurePlex Camp, membership is not available in June, July, and August. Buddy passes are issued annually and are valid Sept. 2023 – June 2024. AdventurePlex reserves the right to add, remove or modify access dates without prior notice. Other restrictions may apply.  

Join us at the next BCHD Board Meeting, Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. 

All volunteers are welcome to attend Board meetings held on the 4th Wednesday of each month. (except in August and December)

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 Assistant

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. 

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 2,337.75

August 2,337.35

September 2,154.50

October 2,272.48

November 2,652.67

Total: 2,4314.12 Hours

Total: 24,314.12 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!  

December

Melinda Turkolu, 21 

Patti Mahoney, 13 

Colleen Otash, 12 

Kathy Herbers,12 

Howard Darvey,11 

Jim Parkman, 8 

Julie Henderson, 7 

Megan Bowers, 7 

Ayusha Rajesh, 1 

Ryan Dulong, 1 

*Official years of service in BCHD system.

Social Hour with BCHD Care Manager Charlotte Barnett 

If you have a question regarding community resources, want to learn more about Beach Cities Health District or share and learn ways to keep busy, please join us! These meetings are for all, a place to connect and feel heard. 

First & Third Tuesday of the Month, Virtual 

 (January 2 & 16) 

10 – 11 a.m. 

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

2nd Mondays, In person  

(January 8) 

2 – 3 p.m.  

Manhattan Beach Joslyn Center, Sunset Room  

1601 N Valley Dr., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 

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

(January 3)

4 – 4:30 p.m.

Virtual Families Connected Parent Chat

Second Tuesday of the Month

(January 9)

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, January 12 (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)    

514 N Prospect Ave.,

Redondo Beach

Lower Level – Beach Cities Room

Redondo Beach, CA 90277