Winter 2011 Volume 2 / Issue 1

JACLYN SMITHFrom the heart

SHANE GRAYWilling and confident

SARAH HIGLEYHeaded for the future

I I

For special needs kids and adults, AbilityFirst Camp Paivika is an oasis of possibility.

It is a place where lifelong friendships are made, and where campers blossom and thrive.

It is a place of safety and compassion.

Campers experience the wonders and fun of camp including horseback riding, swimming,

adaptive sports and recreation, and more. The rewards are great. Families gain a much

needed respite.

Camp Paivika Memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

friend

CAMP PAIVIKA

Camp Paivika is an equal opportunity provider and operates under special use permit with the San Bernardino National Forest.

Camp Paivika

600 Playground Drive

Crestline, California 92325

909.338.1102

camppaivika@abilityfirst.org

www.abilityfirst.org/camppaivika

waiting to meet you!

There’s a new

1

In this issue

Our missionAbilityFirst provides programs and services to help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities realize their full potential throughout their lives.

www.abilityfirst.org

Editor Carolyn Aguayo

Writing Lynne Heffley

Design FreeAssociates

Photography Jim Douglass, Ed Krieger and Nancy Newman

7PROFILE

Jim and Blanka DouglassLegacy Society members

provide financial and

creative support

8PROFILE

Headed for the Future Sarah Higley has a lot

to offer the world

10PROFILE

More Than a JobBuilding love and family at

Camp Paivika

2PROFILE

Jaclyn SmithFrom the heart, as an

AbilityFirst Honorary

Chairperson

4FEATURE

Superior Press AbilityFirst provides

consistent reliability

5 FEATURE

Comerica Bank Passionate about the

community

6FEATURE

Big EventsHundreds of AbilityFirst

friends show their support

12PROFILE

Jey GiulianoVolunteer helps program

participants take a deeper

interest in music

13PROFILE

Shane GrayWilling and

confident because

of the Harry A.

Mier Center

14GALLERY

Around AbilityFirst

17CONNECTION

Directory and Leadership

Dear Readers,

This is the most exciting time of year at AbilityFirst. We are in the middle of our largest fundraising activity, the Marathon Campaign, presented by Comerica Bank! Through May 13, our families, board members, employees and corporate teams will be eagerly collecting dollars for our quality programs. Cheer them on by visiting our website and making a pledge of support. We welcome Skechers as our Gold Medal Sponsor and thank them, and all our corporate sponsor partners, for their involvement with, and commitment to AbilityFirst. Partnerships are critical to AbilityFirst. In this edition of AbilityFirst Magazine, you will learn about two of them.

Sarah Higley, the vivacious “cover girl” from our Newport-Mesa Center, has blossomed from a quiet 12-year-old to a poised young adult able to make friends and work in the community. Socialization activities through AbilityFirst have enhanced Sarah’s life and set the foundation for her success.

With summer approaching, the staff at Camp Paivika is planning for the arrival of hundreds of campers. For Camp Director Kelly Kunsek and her family, running camp is not just a job — it’s a labor of love that gives families additional peace of mind.

Thank you for your philanthropic gifts that sustain our mission and help us provide high quality services. California state budget cuts are continuing, impacting the future of children and adults with disabilities, our most vulnerable population. If it is within your means, please consider increasing your support of AbilityFirst. Every gift is meaningful and appreciated.

Best regards,

Lori GangemiPresident and CEO

heartfrom2

JACLYN SMITH

THE

heart3PROFILEJACLYN SMITH / HONORARY CHAIRPERSON

campaign to build a much-needed and

expanded facility.

“It was a delightful day,” Jaclyn notes, and

meeting the young program participants

“makes you say, O.K., I need to stand

strong for these beautiful children who are

fighting so hard. Their parents are heroes

to me, too,” she adds. “Their lives are

turned upside down and they give, give

and give.”

Born in Houston, Jaclyn originally pursued

a career in dancing, but her striking beauty

caught the attention of casting directors,

and in 1976 she became part of TV history

as Kelly on “Charlie’s Angels.” Multiple

screen appearances and miniseries

followed, as did a star on the Hollywood

Walk of Fame and a Golden Globe

nomination for her portrayal of Jacqueline

Kennedy. In recent years, Jaclyn co-starred

in the CBS drama, “The District” and was

celebrity host of Bravo’s competitive reality

series, “Shear Genius.”

Jaclyn’s entrepreneurial interests led to

her first collection of women’s apparel and

accessories for Kmart in 1985 and a best-

selling signature fragrance for Max Factor,

California, launched in 1989.

A continuing relationship with Kmart

includes Jaclyn’s bed and bath collection

and outdoor living, home décor and home

furnishings. With noted stylist Jose Eber,

Jaclyn has created STYLE, a line of wigs

“During my long relationship

with AbilityFirst,” observes

former “Charlie’s Angel” and

long-time AbilityFirst supporter Jaclyn

Smith, “there have been many changes

over the years, but change means progress

when your heart’s in the right place—and

theirs is.”

Learning too much about the real person

behind an admired public persona can be a

disappointment. Not so with Jaclyn, whose

grace and beauty are more than skin deep.

This wife and mom, actor, designer and

entrepreneur, who has been on the “Most

Beautiful People” lists of Harper’s Bazaar,

US, TV Guide and People Magazine,

believes in giving back.

Her involvement with AbilityFirst began

some 30 years ago when Jaclyn was one of

several celebrities who signed autographs

at a Christmas party given by the then-

Crippled Children’s Society.

“It was a beautiful party,” she says, “and

I was very touched by the love that went

into it and by the effort on the part of so

many people to make it something special

for the children.”

Jaclyn was especially moved by Julie, a

little girl in a wheelchair, who was close in

age to Jaclyn’s own son and daughter. “Her

mother had abandoned her and she was

there with her dad. She was so open and

loving and I was just so moved by her.”

Julie would become a regular visitor to

Jaclyn’s home for many years afterward,

celebrating special occasions with Jaclyn

and her family.

“Of course, she’s grown up now and I

haven’t seen her for many years, but

from elementary until middle school,

she came to my children’s birthday parties

and many of our Christmases. She was

always part of the fun, enjoying herself

just as much as anyone else. I credit her

dad, who made her feel that she could do

anything and that nothing was going to

stand in her way.”

After her introduction to AbilityFirst,

Jaclyn set out to learn more, visiting its

offices and meeting with representatives.

When she was invited to become an

Honorary Chairperson, she agreed.

“Although when they first approached me, I

was sort of emotional and I said no, I was

brought to tears at that Christmas party.

But they said just try it, you’ll get stronger.”

“I still cry when anything moves me,” she

says wryly. “It’s a fact of life for me. But

that’s just who I am and I’ve learned that

where there are tears, there can be laughter

on the other side.”

Recently, Jaclyn, along with fellow

actor Jane Kaczmarek, another staunch

AbilityFirst supporter, visited the Harry

A. Mier Center in Inglewood, which

is the focus of the agency’s capital

Continued on page 16

This multi-talented “Angel” finds strength and hope through her work with, and support of, AbilityFirst.

4

Superiorpress

What makes

AbilityFirst

Business Services

the problem-solving solution

for its many satisfied corporate

clients? Just ask Robert Traut,

President and CEO of Superior

Press in Santa Fe Springs,

California.

“AbilityFirst is cost-competitive,”

Traut says, “and when you

consider their level of service

and professionalism, we think

they’re the best in the industry.

They’re certainly the best

we’ve ever encountered.”

Superior Press came to

AbilityFirst in 2009, looking

for a new vendor to safely and

securely shred documents and

plastic printing plates used

to print security documents.

The company requested that

the service be conducted on-

site and in the presence of a

Superior Press supervisor. Its

previous vendor was not able

to meet this need.

“We were shredding the plastic

plates ourselves, but we were

hoping to find a company that

could shred printing plates

and documents at our site

under our supervision,”

Traut says.

Not just any service would do.

Established in 1931, Superior

Press is a tier one security

company with a long-standing

reputation to uphold as a

trusted organization dealing

with highly confidential

material. Its facility, including

all cyber and electronics

operations, is secured.

AbilityFirst’s Mobile

Shredding service could

accommodate both plates and

documents. And possessing

its own valued reputation

for reliability, AbilityFirst fit

the bill.

The relationship has been

“outstanding,” Traut says.

“AbilityFirst is a large

improvement over our

previous vendor in a number

of ways. First, they have given

us the service that we require

and they have accommodated

our timelines. Second, they

are flexible on those occasions

when we need them to be;

when schedules or volumes

have to be altered.”

In addition, AbilityFirst

staff “both in the office and

in the field are always very

professional and helpful. We

know that we can count on

them to do what they say they

are going to do.”

“AbilityFirst has maintained a

record of consistent reliability,”

Traut says. “They never

promise something they

can’t deliver. It’s very rare,

but if their truck is delayed

on route, we always get a

phone call with an estimated

time of arrival. They are very

proactive. Should anything

disrupt scheduling, we never

have to guess or wonder. They

are well-managed.”

Traut is also appreciative that

AbilityFirst “gives individuals

who are challenged real jobs

and a sense of purpose. It’s

a great company,” he says.

“We’re proud to recommend

AbilityFirst to any business or

organization.”

5FEATURECOMERICA BANK 5

Sponsorships and personal, hands-on involvement with locally based organizations are typical of Comerica Bank. A Presenting Sponsor of the AbilityFirst Marathon Campaign since 2007, it is part of the valued family of corporate partners that are critical to AbilityFirst’s fundraising success.

With offices near many AbilityFirst locations, Comerica encourages its employees to support the AbilityFirst center in their community. Many give their time, gathering donations of support, volunteering at special events, or contributing professional advice. This commitment is also demonstrated at Comerica’s executive level too. Rick Arcaro, Comerica’s Vice President Middle Market, sits on AbilityFirst’s Board of Directors.

“We stress not just contributing dollars, but having our people out and involved in the community as part of our culture,” said Mike Dokmanovich, Comerica’s Executive Vice President Middle Market Lending Manager. “We specifically wanted to find an organization that was a good partner and fit our footprint. AbilityFirst has been great. It’s a positive relationship.”

At Comerica, “they are genuine about wanting to give back,” said AbilityFirst Newport-Mesa Center Director Joy Thomas. It shows, she

said, in her Center’s relationship with the banking institution that began in 2009 with a call from Steven Smyth, Assistant Vice President at Comerica in Costa Mesa.

“He sought us out,” Thomas said. “He was interested in learning what we were all about.”

Smyth personally participated in AbilityFirst’s Marathon Campaign, joining the Newport-Mesa Center team and walking alongside other AbilityFirst supporters at the Santa Anita Derby Day 5K Run/Walk in 2010.

This year, Smyth is putting together a team of employees from his office for the 5K and has pledged to raise $1,500 of the Center’s total $4,700 fundraising goal for 2011.

“We are very excited that Steven is so passionate about being involved with his community—and that we can tap into that passion,” Thomas said.

The AbilityFirst Marathon Campaign consists of two events, the Los Angeles Marathon on March 20 and the Santa Anita Derby Day 5K on April 9, 2011.

For more information, visit www.abilityfirst.org/marathoncampaign.

(first left) AbilityFirst Newport-Mesa Center Director Joy Thomas with Comerica Bank Assistant Vice President Steven Smyth at the 2010 Santa Anita Derby Day 5K.

(left) The Comerica Bank Marathon Campaign Team at Derby Day 2010.

CORPORATE PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: COMERICA BANK

CANDLELIGHT PAVILION PRESENTS SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

BENEFITTING THE CLAREMONT CENTER. SILENT AUCTION • DINNER • SHOWSunday, May 1, 4 p.m.Tickets and information: 909.621.4727 or jmartin@abilityfirst.org

6

Rainbows for Children,

the Long Beach Center

Guild of AbilityFirst’s

luncheon, fashion show,

boutique and silent auction

was held at The Grand in Long

Beach. The Guild raises funds

to augment and enrich the

services offered at the Long

Beach Center. This year, the

Guild’s fund raising focus was

the renovation of the center’s

fitness room.

October is a busy month at AbilityFirst as two long-time annual events draw hundreds of people who support our mission.

Big events BRING FAMILIAR AND NEW FRIENDS TOGETHER

The Gourmet Festival

of Fall, presented by

Union Bank, took

place at the home of Mark

and Phaedra Ledbetter,

the historic Laurabelle A.

Robinson House in Pasadena.

Proceeds from the food and

wine-tasting event, and silent

and live auctions, benefited the

Lawrence L. Frank Center and

Pasadena Work Center.

Children’s Benefit League Members (l-r) Hannah Gough and Arlene Fillius with Long Beach Center Director Barbara Schlosser.

(l-r) Guild Board Member/2010 Ways & Means Chair Iris Schutz, Guild Board Member Wanda Sewak, AbilityFirst Honorary Chair Lee Meriwether, Guild President Annemarie Forster, Lori Gangemi and Barbara Schlosser.

(l-r) AbilityFirst Board Member Jay Henneberry, Lee Meriwether, Guild Member Liz Minor, Lori Gangemi and Roberta Manshel.

Enjoying good food and company are (l-r) Board Members Ray Cherry and Steve Brockmeyer, and Chief Development Officer Reggie Ingram.

With the beautiful Arroyo as a backdrop are (l-r) Board Member Richard R. Frank, Lori Gangemi, Honorary Chair Jane Kaczmarek, Steering Committee Member Gale Kohl, Homeowners Phaedra Ledbetter and Mark Ledbetter, and Board Member Mark Fedde.

About to take a tour of the Robinson House are (l-r) Mary Alice Frank, Honorary Board Member Richard N. Frank, Kathleen Schaefer, Richard R. Frank and Lori Gangemi.

PROFILE

Honorary Board member. He donates

his photographic services to the

organization in collaboration with Blanka,

who is also his creative partner.

“It was my experience that brought Blanka

into it and she became an enthusiast, too,”

he said, laughing.

Through their company, DEUXGLASS

Productions, the couple has found yet

another way to benefit AbilityFirst, with an

innovative and eco-friendly new greeting

card and wall art venture, combining

original photography and digital design.

The venture, at www.deuxglass.com, is

set to launch officially at the National

Stationery Show in New York in May 2011.

AbilityFirst will receive 10% of the profits.

For information on how you can help

AbilityFirst by making a planned gift,

contact Juliana Otis, AbilityFirst

Development Manager, at 626.639.1734 or

visit www.abilityfirst.org/plannedgiving.

Legacy Society Members Jim and Blanka Douglass

Busy photography professionals

Jim and Blanka Douglass became

AbilityFirst Legacy Society

members three years ago. It was a

comfortable decision.

“We feel particularly blessed in the ways

that life has been kind to us,” said Jim

Douglass, speaking by phone from his

Santa Monica studio. “And while there are

lots of mainstream causes that get plenty

of attention and funding, AbilityFirst is a

great cause and a local organization that

we can participate in directly,” he said,

“not only with money, but with our time.”

“We can be more involved than we could

with a larger organization and that’s

an important distinction: AbilityFirst

is something that you can be more

personally connected with because it is

community oriented.”

The couple’s relationship with AbilityFirst

began when Douglass was hired in the

late 1990s to create a photographic record

of all of the various centers and services

that AbilityFirst—formerly the Crippled

Children’s Society—had to offer.

Because AbilityFirst operates programs

in multiple Southern California locations,

“it was difficult for them to describe their

facilities and services to visitors without

having some visual support,” Douglass

said. “So over a period of a year or two,

we worked on this project. I went to all

the properties, met with the staff and

observed kids and adults participating in

the programs.”

“It impressed me to see so many people

dedicated to providing care for those who

in the past were on the fringes of society

and given no opportunities to develop

their skills.”

It affected him deeply. Douglass had

observed first-hand how bad things could

be for the most vulnerable members of

society. While in college, he had once

had a summer job in an institution for

the disabled, he said. “It was a time

when many children with developmental

disabilities were just warehoused. At the

time, I guess it was the only alternative

that families could see, because there was

no support for them in the community.”

“AbilityFirst helps families,” he said simply.

“They answer a great need by providing a

great service.”

Douglass has also served on the

AbilityFirst Board and is now an

7J IM AND BLANKA DOUGLASS/LEGACY SOCIETY

givingDesign FOR

Jim and Blanka Douglass portrayed in a photo illustration, a trademark image used in their greeting card line.

headedfutureSarah Higley, AbilityFirst Newport-Mesa Center

“Sarah, you’re going to be on

the cover of a magazine!”

AbilityFirst program participant

Sarah Higley, who had arrived at the

AbilityFirst Newport-Mesa Center to be

photographed for this story, met Director

Joy Thomas’ enthusiastic observation with

airy aplomb.

After all, being the center of attention

doesn’t bother 19-year-old Sarah a

bit. Using her favorite teen magazines

as inspiration, the bouncy brunette

with gray-green eyes and an infectious

smile took direction like a pro, patiently

submitted to hair touch-ups and chatted

with the photographer during breaks.

“What kind of camera is that? My sister has

a camera.”

A typical teenager in many ways, Sarah

plays video games, loves shopping and

makes jewelry to wear and give to her

friends, and adores trendy clothes and

having her hair done—“we call her our

fashionista,” Thomas says.

SARAH HIGLEY

8

9PROFILESARAH HIGLEY/PROGRAM PARTICIPANT

community four hours a day, four days a

week, rotating through several working

environments, Higley explained. So far,

Sarah has worked at a pizza restaurant,

stocked shelves at stores and has helped

serve meals at a senior center.

“Everybody considers Sarah to be very

capable,” her mother said proudly. “And

she’s become a kind of leader at the Center.

She has developed a good sense about

who likes to do what and who may be at

risk doing something that isn’t safe. Sarah

likes helping the staff, too,” Higley added.

“And they are great peer role models for

her because they’re just a little older than

she is.”

“Sarah is funny, she loves to joke, she’s

enjoyable company and she’s a good

person who brings out the best in others,”

said Thomas. “She’s got a lot to offer the

world and the potential to do many things

above her current development level.”

“Our kids are no different than other

kids,” Thomas added. “We can hinder

or encourage their growth by the things

we do and say around them. If you give

Sarah a chance, she just opens up like a

flower. That is what happened at the photo

shoot—Sarah was totally in her element

and she loved it.”

Sarah took another step toward

independence when she gave AbilityFirst’s

A casual observer might not even notice

that Sarah is challenged by cerebral palsy

and acute developmental delay.

This vivacious teen has come a long way

since she first came to the after school

program at the AbilityFirst Newport-Mesa

Center as a quiet 12-year-old with limited

social skills.

Before joining the program, Sarah was in

a good private in-home care situation, said

her mother, Cathy Higley, a transportation

engineer. “But when I found AbilityFirst,

I was excited because it gave Sarah

the chance to do things with kids her

own age.”

Now she has “lots of friends,” and the

skill sets that Sarah has acquired through

AbilityFirst are key to her chances for

future independence, Higley said. In

addition to helping her daughter to

learn how to function in the broader

community—from crossing streets

to using the bus—AbilityFirst “has

helped Sarah develop tremendous social

skills,” that compensate for her limited

academic ability.

So much so, that Sarah was able to join the

Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s

work transition program after graduating

from her high school in June. There she

receives job coaching and works in the

headedCamp Paivika a try for the first time

last summer. Previously, she had been

to Camp Paivika for day trips with her

Newport-Mesa peers and for a two-night

Winter Camp Weekend.

“I was so nervous the first time Sarah

went,” Higley said. “But it turned out to be

such a great program in a beautiful setting.

Everything is adapted for accessibility and

the staff are very friendly and outgoing.”

Sarah’s five-night stay at summer camp

proved challenging when homesickness

set in after four nights. “But when I picked

her up,” Higley said, “she was jabbering

all the way down the mountain about

everything she had done and what a great

time she had.”

“I like Camp Paivika,” Sarah chimed in.

“They do shows and stuff. I like riding the

horses and dancing.”

Because Sarah is going to live

independently one day, programs like

Camp Paivika—“where they get to be

away and find out how much they are

able to do without Mom right there—are

extremely helpful,” Higley said. “I will be

encouraging her to try it again now that

she is a year older.”

Transitioning out of school is difficult

“even for unchallenged kids. So things like

futureFOR THE

Continued on page 16

10

jobSeveral years later she left the Crippled

Children’s Society to join the Peace Corps

to work with impoverished special needs

children and their families in Paraguay.

When Kelly returned home in 1995, “it just

so happened that they needed a director

up at Camp Paivika,” she said. “I figured

I’d do that for a year. I never left.”

In 1999, Kelly married Camp Paivika

Facilities Manager Kenny Kunsek. He had

begun doing repair work at the camp right

out of high school, returning after college

to work there on a weekly basis as an

independent contractor.

“The first time I met him he was up on a

roof,” said Kelly, laughing.

“I’d be here at 8 a.m., rain or shine, to get

to my list of projects,” Kenny said. “I got

to be a regular around here. The reward of

doing that was that I got to see what I was

doing it for. Being in construction, you go

on a job, do the job and walk away. Camp

Paivika was completely different.”

The Kunseks aren’t the only ones who

have found soul mates at Camp Paivika.

There have been more than 20 marriages

among staff “over the last 10 or 12 years as

a result of this place,” Kenny noted.

The couple’s 8-year-old daughter Sydney,

born at the end of one of the camp’s

summer sessions, is a true Paivikan. “So

many of the campers feel that she partially

belongs to them because they have

watched her grow up,” Kelly said.

At AbilityFirst’s picturesque Camp

Paivika in the San Bernardino

Mountains, morning-to-evening

fun is warmed and shaped by a sense of

family among campers and staff who come

together in mutual fellowship and form

long-lasting bonds of friendship.

For Director Kelly Kunsek, Camp Paivika

is family, in more ways than one.

“As a young AbilityFirst camp counselor, I

did a lot of my growing up at camp and

I remember a couple of very defining

moments when I was overwhelmed with a

spirit of joy and love and acceptance from

the campers. It was where I felt the best, I

think. And I still feel that way.”

Kelly came to AbilityFirst in 1980 as a

17-year-old counselor at the then-Crippled

Children’s Society’s former Camp Joan

Mier. During off-season, she was a special

education assistant for the Los Angeles

Unified School District. In 1988, as she

was working on her special education

teaching credential, Kelly became director

of Camp Joan Mier and then went on

to become the director of the Crippled

Children’s Society Camp Programs,

overseeing both Camp Joan Mier and

Camp Paivika.

“She’s just figured out that not every

kid gets to sit around the campfire with

100 people every night and do skits and

sing songs.”

Sydney is happy to help out, too.

One long-time adult camper, who uses

a wheelchair and is unable to speak,

can become upset in her struggle to

communicate a need, “but when Sydney

comes and stands beside her and holds her

hand,” Kelly said, “she calms down so that

we can communicate better.”

“Sydney is very in tune with the campers.

She’s grown up in this environment so

she’s very comfortable with people of

all different backgrounds and levels of

disability and ability.”

Camp Paivika “is really fun,” Sydney

enthused, “because you get to do all of

these things, and it’s really fun to help the

kids learn and do stuff.”

Mentoring staff through the daily

challenges of camp life and giving them

the sense that they are part of the Paivika

family is of paramount importance to

Kelly, too.

In-depth staff training encompasses

learning to deal with behavioral problems

and “completely caring for another human

being,” Kelly said. “Everything from

lifting them in and out of their wheelchair

to shaving and toileting them.”

Building Love and Family at Camp Paivika

more

11PROFILEKUNSEK FAMILY / MORE THAN A JOB

jobTHAN A

The Kunsek family (l-r), Kelly, Sydney and Kenny inside the lodge at Camp Paivika.

Homesickness among campers is another

major challenge that is comprehensively

addressed by the entire Paivika staff.

Many campers have never been away from

home before. Helping them successfully

take that “huge, huge step,” Kelly said, is

a priority.

“And it’s not just campers,” she added.

“Sometimes they do just fine and it’s mom

and dad who have the problem.”

If separation is a concern, Kelly

encourages families to let their loved

one spend a night away from home with

a relative. Camp Paivika’s two-night

weekend program is geared to help with

the transition, as is an Open House

orientation held at the start of each

summer, offering a sampling of camp

activities, a barbecue, a camp tour and

a question-and-answer session.

“Our training is very intense with

staff. We do a whole section on just

the homesickness issue, on putting the

campers to bed at night and reading a

story and tucking them in. We spend a

lot of time trying to make it work and we

work with parents every step of the way.”

“Yes, Camp Paivika is our work,”

Kelly observed thoughtfully, “but being

here 24/7, it’s really our life—and our

extended family.”

12

bandLeaderOF THE

AbilityFirst Volunteer Jey Giuliano Shares His Love for Music

Volunteers—whether long-term or short-

term—are a valued part of the AbilityFirst

family.

New volunteers are often surprised

to learn of the varied ways that their

individual skills, talents and life

experiences can contribute to the

enrichment of AbilityFirst program

participants of all ages.

“celebrities.” Watching the excitement and

fun that attendees experienced, touched

Giuliano so deeply—“I was blown away”—

that he filled out a volunteer form.

Giuliano started coming to the Center

once a week, making snacks and joining

in other activities. “At first, when I’d sit

with kids, it didn’t seem like they needed

me. Then I realized that just by being there

and talking and interacting, you are doing

something.”

Within a few months, after “I got

comfortable with them and they got

comfortable with me,” Giuliano brought

movies and TV. “I tell them a little bit about

what jazz is, they learn how to be a good

audience and they clap when I’m done.”

The enthusiastic audience then lines up

for a turn on the cymbals, bass drum,

high hat, snare drum and tom-toms. To

accommodate those in wheelchairs or

those with little upper body strength,

Giuliano adjusts the height and angle of

the instruments.

“Joy just comes across their faces,” Giuliano

said. “People that I have never seen smile

will get up there and, whack!—and this

big smile comes.”

Jey Giuliano, a financial administrator

at Caltech in Pasadena and a part-time

professional musician, was hesitant about

becoming a volunteer at first. The idea of

volunteering “was not even on my radar,”

he said. “I had thought about working

with special needs kids, but I didn’t think

emotionally I could take it. So it was a leap

for me.”

Giuliano took that leap two years ago after

he accompanied his wife, Abby Delman,

a psychology professor at Pasadena City

College, to “Hooray for Hollywood,” an

annual event at AbilityFirst’s Lawrence L.

Frank Center in Pasadena.

Recreating a Hollywood premiere, adult

program participants in evening attire

arrive in limousines to cheering crowds,

walk the red carpet and mingle with

his musical skills into the mix. A drummer

and flute player, Giuliano thought the kids

might enjoy seeing him perform and want

to take a deeper interest in music.

Aware that many participants are dealing

with autism and can be sensitive to loud

noises, however, Giuliano first checked

with the staff, who said, “Do it. The

fascination with what you’re doing will

override any negative reaction that they

may have.”

He took care to play lightly at first, he said.

His delighted audience, however, “wanted

it louder and faster—they wanted it all.”

Every few months—in addition to his

weekly volunteer service—Giuliano

performs short programs of jazz pieces,

familiar show tunes and themes from

“We’re thankful that he comes,” said

Program Supervisor Delia Valenzuela.“We

know that like most people Jey has a lot of

things going on, but he makes it a priority

to be here as often as possible.”

“Basically, I feel like I should pay them,”

Giuliano said, laughing. “My family

doesn’t ask me how my day at work was,

they say “How was AbilityFirst?’”

His 14-year-old daughter Roxi began

volunteering, too. “We go and play

basketball with the kids, run with them,

help with a craft. Whatever activity they’re

involved in,” Giuliano said. “Now when

they see me, they say, ‘Jey’s here!’ And

then, ‘when’s Roxi coming back?’ ”

If you are interested in becoming an

AbilityFirst volunteer, contact Chris Otero at

626.243.4841 or cotero@abilityfirst.org.

A confident Shane Gray enjoys reading aloud to other children at the Harry A. Mier Center.

13PROFILESHANE GRAY / WILLING AND CONFIDENT

confidentWillingAND

Shane Gray Thrives at the Harry A. Mier Center

Shane Gray has come a long

way since 2008, the year he

became a program participant

at AbilityFirst’s Harry A. Mier

Center in Inglewood.

Shane, who is autistic, was

a shy and withdrawn little

boy when he entered the

AbilityFirst After School

Program.

That Shane bears little

resemblance to the social,

helpful 11-year-old he is today.

“If you’re not familiar with

autism, you wouldn’t know

that Shane has it now,” said

Hattie Bell, the Center’s

veteran After School Program

supervisor. “He interacts with

the other children and they

love him. He’s a very kind-

hearted young man.”

“And he used to have a stutter

that he doesn’t have anymore,”

noted Angela McLeod,

Shane’s mother. “He’s much

more confident now.”

A great deal of that confidence

blossomed when Shane

discovered swimming. A key

component in the Center’s

After School Program, swim

time provides participants

with supervised and

supported therapy, exercise—

and fun—in an indoor warm

water pool. (Aquatics at the

Center are also available to

residents in the community.)

“Swimming has really helped

Shane,” McLeod said. “It

keeps him calm and relaxed.

He talks about it a lot!”

Swimming has proved to

be a powerful incentive to

help Shane learn and focus,

too, Bell said. “Like any

typical child, he might have

a behavioral problem now

and then, but all you have to

say to him is ‘you may lose

your swim time’ and he will

comply.”

Other activities at the Center

are helping Shane function in

the community at large as he

grows. Program participants

take frequent local field trips

to gain everyday skills and

Shane is doing well with his

latest objective, Bell said:

learning the value of money.

“He is able now to go into the

community with staff and

make a purchase by himself.”

Shane’s growing confidence

and real-world skills are

already a big help to his

mother. (Shane, his mother

and twin sister live in

AbilityFirst’s Pacific Rim

Apartments, in Inglewood).

Her son is “learning about

money and he’s good in math,”

said McLeod, adding proudly,

“I had a parent’s conference at

his school and his aides said

he was outstanding in math.

He also helps me at the store

by picking out groceries.”

Shane will be able to acquire

additional skills when

construction on the new Joan

and Harry A. Mier Center

is completed. Thanks to the

ongoing $5 million capital

campaign, launched in 2007,

the new Center will more than

double the capacity of the

existing facility.

Expanded services for

participants will include job

training and other programs

that can help Shane “reach his

highest potential,” Bell said.

“The new center will mean a

lot to Shane,” his mother said,

“because now he is saying that

he wants to get a job when he

finishes school. I am surprised

by the big progress Shane has

made since he has been going

to AbilityFirst,” she added.

“Surprised and happy.”

around14

1 AbilityFirst Honorary Chairs Jane

Kaczmarek and Jaclyn Smith, with After

School Program Participants (l-r) Jason

Gayfield, Corinthia Brown and Khadiya

Walker, recently toured the Harry A. Mier

Center, and enjoyed a tea party prepared

by program participants and staff.

2 Anaheim Program After School

Participant Mark Wolffer (center)

reaches new heights on a roller coaster at

Adventure City in Anaheim.

3 Campers from Camp Paivika

attended the United States Adaptive

Recreation Center at Bear Mountain for a

day of skiing. Camper David Bermingham

(left) receives direction from instructor

Lee Aaker.

4 Staff from the Irvine Ranch Outdoor

Education Center suit-up and secure

Long Beach Center After School Program

Participant Molly Herman for an

afternoon of zip lining.

5 Residents and staff from Crown

House and Sierra Rose pose in front of the

iconic Universal Studios globe on a recent

visit to Universal Studios Hollywood.

6 The Paul Weston Work Center

in Woodland Hills provides business

services for companies in the San

Fernando Valley. Work Center Employee

Paul Cooke packages hair accessories

for di PRIMA hair products based in

Sherman Oaks.

1

6

3

AbilityFirst2

5

4

around 15GALLERYFACES & PLACES

7 Participants from the Claremont

Center’s Saturday Recreation and Leisure

Program traveled to Norco for a day of

horseback riding. Program Participant

Julie Hayes rides a horse with support

from an event volunteer.

8 Louis Jones from the Pasadena

Work Center proudly shows off his job

offer letter from STAPLES Center/

NOKIA Theatre/L.A. LIVE. Through

Employment Services, Louis received

the training and guidance he needed to

successfully interview for his new job.

9 AbilityFirst Long Beach Center Guild

Member Mary Alice Braly attended the

taping of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” an a

cappella singing competition series, at the

Long Beach Center. Jerry Lawson (left)

and the Talk of the Town, series finalists,

performed at the Center for excited adult

program participants and cameras. The

segment aired during the series’ season

finale and can be seen on the AbilityFirst

website.

10 Children from the Lawrence L.

Frank Center present AbilityFirst Legacy

Society Members John and Diane Mullin

(center) with a thank you card for creating

a spectacular holiday party for them. In

addition to providing designer décor, toy

train and giant gingerbread hosue, the

Mullins gave each child a giant stocking

filled with gifts.

11 The 2011 AbilityFirst Marathon

Campaign, presented by Comerica

Bank, was kicked off at a luncheon at

Santa Anita Park. Attendees included

board members, donors, sponsors,

corporate teams, program participants

and employees. AbilityFirst Honorary

Chair Jane Kaczmarek emceed the event.

Pictured (l-r) from the L. L. Frank Work

Center are Josie Garcia, Gabriela Funes,

Jadon Benjamin, Jane Kaczmarek, Angel

Ubrina and Sammy Garcia.

12 The CarMax Foundation awarded

AbilityFirst a $5,000 grant as part of the

Foundation’s Regional Giving Program.

The grant will be utilized to enhance

AbilityFirst’s After School Programs.

1110

13

8

9

7

12

CarMax Chief Development Officer

Dennis Hayes presents Lori Gangemi

with the check.

13 Comerica Bank Assistant Vice

President for Los Angeles Shelly Guan

(right) is supporting the East Los Angeles

Center’s Marathon Campaign team.

Shelly joined (l-r) East Los Angeles

Center Parent Isela Tiznado and son Luis

Ibarra, and Center Program Supervisor

Claudia Galicia, at the Marathon

Campaign Kick-Off Luncheon at Santa

Anita Park.

16

Continued from page 3

FROM THE HEARTContinued from page 9

HEADED FOR THE FUTURE

DID YOU KNOW THAT ABILITYFIRST HAS FOUR POOLS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY?Aquatic programs include warm water exercise, open swim, and group and private swim lessons.

Check locations and schedules at www.abilityfirst.org/aquatics

and hairpieces for Paula Young; and she

is now working on an exclusive fabric and

trimming program with textile wholesaler

Trend/Fabricut.

Jaclyn also lends her support to many

organizations, among them the American

Heart Association (her husband, Bradley

Allen, is a pediatric cardiac surgeon) and

the John Wayne Cancer Institute. A breast

cancer survivor, Jaclyn supports Susan

G. Komen for the Cure and she designed

a special collection of apparel and home

products for Kmart for Breast Cancer

Awareness Month this year. A dollar from

each item sold went to the Breast Cancer

Research Foundation.

“Kmart is as much a part of my history as

Charlie’s Angels,” says Jaclyn of her 25-

year collaboration with the retail company,

“and it means a lot to me to be associated

with a company that believes in giving

back. My grandfather was a Methodist

minister—he lived to be 101—and it was

always about giving back,” she said.

“My parents, too, encouraged giving and

living by the golden rule. So, I was raised

in a family where at Christmas we would

do for people less fortunate—presents

for needy children, cooking meals for

families.” Smith’s own children grew up

with the same values, she says, “and my

husband is constantly giving back through

his medical research.”

Yet, despite her many other commitments,

Jaclyn is glad to contribute her time, as

well as financial support, to AbilityFirst.

“Sometimes, when you’re invited to

different functions to help raise money, it’s

a red carpet this or that, but AbilityFirst

is not about the fanfare of celebrity

appearances. It truly is about going there

and seeing people giving for all the right

reasons. It’s real and genuine and their

desire to make things better for others

comes from the heart.”

Camp Paivika—where they can socialize

with a peer group and with counselors,

and where they do things that are

challenging but fun—I want them to be

part of Sarah’s life forever.”

Higley is pleased that the Newport-

Mesa Center has grown steadily since

Sarah started there, and that it is adding

activities for older participants, with more

community-based activities “like shopping

trips, the movies and Friday night socials

where the kids can come back and hang

like any teenager would like to do.

“They ride the city buses a lot, they take

vans on outings and go on field trips to

the larger AbilityFirst Long Beach Center.

They had a big Halloween dance and twice

now a boy has asked Sarah to dance. And

they went to Disneyland and were out

until midnight,” Higley said.

“It’s so great. It’s what you’re supposed to

be doing when you’re a teenager.”

Higley and other Newport-Mesa Center

parents are hoping to see services expand

even further as older children grow

into adults. “It’s important. Providing

opportunities for socialization will help

enable our kids ultimately to be integrated

in society. If Sarah can approach a group

with poise and carry on a conversation

that is appropriate and behave as a young

adult,” Higley said, “that’s what’s going to

make a successful life for her.”

“AbilityFirst is a huge program for Sarah.

Even if I had to relocate, I’d hope to have

her involved with AbilityFirst for the rest

of her life.”

17CONNECTIONLOCATIONS AND LEADERSHIP

HeadquartersHeadquarters1300 East Green StreetPasadena CA 91106-2606626.396.1010626.396.1021 faxinfo@abilityfirst.orgwww.abilityfirst.org

Department ManagersCarolyn Aguayo, Director of Communications

Laura Beck, Director of Human Resources

Joel Bronson, Director of Information Technology

Dan Detwiler, Facilities Manager

Syed Kazmi, Controller

Isis McDonald, Director of Business and Employment Services

Neomia Phillips, Director of Housing

Kelly Privitt, Director of Programs

CampCAMP PAIVIKAKelly Kunsek, Directormail:PO Box 3367Crestline CA 92325location:600 Playground DriveCrestline CA 92322909.338.1102

Community CentersANAHEIM PROGRAMCindy Valencia, Director2660 West BroadwayAnaheim CA 92804714.821.7448

DirectoryCLAREMONT CENTERJulie Martin, Director480 South Indian Hill BoulevardClaremont CA 91711909.621.4727

EAST LOS ANGELES CENTERMonica Alcantar, Director154 North Gage AvenueLos Angeles CA 90063323.268.8178

HARRY A. MIER CENTERMonique Watts, Director8090 Crenshaw BoulevardInglewood CA 90305323.753.3101

LAWRENCE L. FRANK CENTERMichael Barkyoumb, Director201 South Kinneloa AvenuePasadena CA 91107626.449.5661

LONG BEACH CENTERBarbara Schlosser, Director3770 East Willow StreetLong Beach CA 90815562.426.6161

NEWPORT-MESA CENTERJoy Thomas, Directormail:PO Box 3985Costa Mesa, CA 92628location:1060 Paularino Avenue Room ACosta Mesa CA 92626714.546.6727

Employment ServicesEddie Zhang, Supported Employment Manager3447 Atlantic Avenue, 3rd floorLong Beach, CA 90807562.570.3667

HousingABILITYFIRST APARTMENTS HEMET1360 East Acacia StreetHemet CA 92544951.766.7089

ABILITYFIRST APARTMENTS IRVINE14501 Harvard AvenueIrvine, CA 92606949.559.5902

CROWN HOUSE3055 East Del Mar BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.440.9090

IVY GLEN APARTMENTS133 North Cedar StreetGlendale, CA 91206818.241.3888

LAKELAND MANOR APARTMENTS13331 Lakeland RoadSanta Fe Springs, CA 90605562.944.9650

MAPLE PARK APARTMENTS711 East Maple StreetGlendale, CA 91205818.507.1969

MORENO VALLEY APARTMENTS24545 Bay AvenueMoreno Valley, CA 92553951.247.0230

PACIFIC RIM APARTMENTS230 South Grevillea AvenueInglewood, CA 90301310.672.7221

RANCHO DEL VALLE APARTMENTS6560 Winnetka AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91367818.347.1440

SEA BREEZE MANOR APARTMENTS2067 Alamitos AvenueSignal Hill, CA 90755562.494.9086

SIERRA ROSE3053 ½ East Del Mar BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.578.0118

VILLA MALAGA APARTMENTS4704 East Dozier StreetLos Angeles, CA 90022323.980.8402

Work CentersL.L. FRANK WORK CENTERFennie Washington, Director3812 South Grand AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90037213.748.7309

PASADENA WORK CENTERPeter Yoou, Director2570 East Foothill BoulevardPasadena, CA 91107626.449.5662

PAUL WESTON WORK CENTERRichard Briseño, Director 6530 Winnetka AvenueWoodland Hills, CA 91367818.884.5112

Board of DirectorsEXECUTIVE COMMITTEECarol Llewellyn, ChairRichard R. Frank, Vice ChairBerlinda Fontenot-Jamerson, SecretaryDavid W. King, TreasurerSteve Brockmeyer

MEMBERS

Rick M. ArcaroCharles F. Axelson, HonoraryRussell Burkett, HonoraryRay C. CherryMarshal Chuang, HonoraryJim Douglass, Honorary

LeadershipMark FeddeMaria French, Ph.D.Richard N. Frank, HonoraryJay R. HenneberryJohn KellyJohn Kmett, HonoraryRalph Laster, HonoraryMordena MooreAndrew Peterson, Esq., HonoraryAngela J. Reddock, Esq.Randy Repp David M. SeastromKenneth Simon, HonorarySanford “Sandy” L. SmithPatricia Vick, Esq.

Honorary ChairpersonsJane KaczmarekLee MeriwetherJaclyn Smith

Housing Governance BoardJose Marquez, ChairAlbert Y.M. Huang, Vice ChairJohn Elizalde, TreasurerDavid Oesterreich, Secretary

MEMBERS

Barbara FeigaEstabrook “Skip” GlosserLuis M. GonzalezDarrin LyonsMichael PrabhuHerbert H. SimmonsMark TrabingBetty R. Wilson

CORPORATE OFFICERS

Lori E. Gangemi, President and CEOReginald K. Ingram, Jr., Chief Development Officer

Steven Schultz, CFO

17

1300 East Green StreetPasadena, California 91106-2606

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PAIDPasadena, CA

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Follow AbilityFirst on

LOS ANGELES MARATHONSUNDAY, MARCH 20

Join us! Become a Marathon Campaign team member and/or sponsor a team member as we cross the finish line together at these events:

AND INSPIRED.GET INVOLVED

SANTA ANITA DERBY DAY 5K RUN/WALKSATURDAY, APRIL 9

Visit www.abilityfirst.org/marathoncampaign for more information.

We thank the Forest Lawn Foundation for their challenge grant. Funds that we raise above $130,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $60,000!

CAMPAIGN RUNS THROUGH MAY 13TH!