Cal Lutheran Honors Educators in the Valley Region

This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area business people and companies. In celebration of Educator Appreciation Week, California Lutheran University hosted a series of events honoring local teachers on March 26 through March 30. Events included breakfast and gifts for select schools in the area, along with special assemblies where teachers learned tips on successful grading systems. Assemblies were held at the Flory Academy of Science and Technology and the Campus Canyon Elementary School, where the CLU Cheer Team and Dance Club performed. A welcome address was given by CLU Graduate School of Education Dean George J. Petersen. Other schools involved in the festivities included Sinaloa Middle School in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks High School, Villanova Preparatory School in Ojai and Ventura College. Disney gives to Boys & Girls Club The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley received a $5,000 donation from the Walt Disney Company along with 50 theme park tickets to the Disneyland Resort. The gift was a part of Disney’s total donation to Boys & Girls Clubs throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties. In the last seven years, the Burbank-based company has given more than $10 million to the national organization, which offers after-school programs and activities for youth. Gary Thomas, chairman of the board of the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley in Canoga Park, said the organization was appreciative of Disney’s support. “The funds will help our facility continue to be a place in the West Valley where local children can come and participate in beneficial programs that help them prepare for productive adulthood,” Thomas said. The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley has operated for nearly 20 years and has more than 3,100 members. Goodwill Southern California Hosts Job Fair Goodwill Southern California hosted its first annual East Valley Job Fair at its Panorama Job Service Center in Panorama City on March 22. The event was open to all participants and offered free resume assistance, employer direct referrals, job preparation training and career guidance. Agency partners ResCare Van Nuys, Canoga Park WorkSource Centers, the Employment Development Department and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services were in attendance along with employers such as Vons/Pavillions, Time Warner Cable and Securitas Security Services U.S.A. Inc. The event was the first job fair to be hosted at the Valley campus since the facility’s renovation. K-Swiss Supports Cancer Research K-Swiss Inc., a Westlake Village-based footwear and apparel brand, has joined forces with Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), an organization which aims to accelerate cancer research, on a co-branded footwear and apparel collection. The co-branded collection, which will debut in May on the SU2C website, will include a line of SU2C/K-SWISS products featuring running and lifestyle shoes, along with performance and triathlon apparel. The line will hit retail shelves in August. K-Swiss plans to donate $5 from the each sale of the SU2C collection to the organization through the rest of the year. The company will also launch Team Stand Up To Cancer at various racing events throughout the year. Recruiting both participants and on-site buyers of the SU2C collection, K-Swiss will be present at Rock N’Roll Marathon, Life Time Fitness and the Ironman Triathlon. “Collaborating with Stand Up To Cancer gives us a valuable opportunity to support, and help inspire a movement to save lives,” said David Nichols, executive vice-president of K-Swiss. El Nido Offers Filmmaking Classes for At-Risk Youth Mission Hills nonprofit El Nido Family Centers teamed up with a Los Angeles production company to provide students from its Gang Reduction and Youth Development program the opportunity to learn about documentary filmmaking. Authentic Entertainment, which has provided programming for networks TLC, Bravo and Food Network, facilitated six classes in which students learned everything from camera operation, composition and visual storytelling and editing. Sylvan Grimm, director of tech operations for Authentic Entertainment, said the success of the class was due to a collective effort of El Nido’s staff and volunteers. “It was a two-way street of learning and growth and one that I was proud to be a contributor,” Grimm said. For nearly 90 years, El Nido Family Centers has provided support and programs for at-risk children, youth and families in Los Angeles County and serves more than 15,000 families each year.