LOCALmotion – Jozelle Smith

From Culver City Rotary Club President Carmela Raack comes the announcement that the club’s Wednesday, January 6 meeting will really be a Hump Day – halfway through the Rotary year. Everyone is invited to roast a member (all in good fun), share a joke and laugh through the meeting, plus bring a holiday gift that was weird or silly that someone else might get a kick out of. Don Trepany and Phil Tangalakis will be the Presidents of the Day to kick off the second half of the year. The meeting begins with lunch at 12:15 p.m., followed by the meeting, 12:30p.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the historic Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd.
This year’s 11th Annual City of Culver City Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration event theme has been selected: L.O.V.E., a theme that was often expressed by Dr. King in his inspirational messages. The 2016 Celebration will start at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 16 at the Culver City Senior Center, 4095 Overland Avenue. The day-long celebration of Dr. King’s life is free and open to the public. The event will feature a screening of the film “Dare Not Walk Alone” directed by Jeremy Dean. “Dare Not Walk Alone” has been described as one of the greatest civil rights stories ever told; then an intergenerational panel discussion about youth’s view of current and past social and civil rights issues, featuring Robert C. Farrell, former Los Angeles City Councilmember; a dramatic rendition of Dr. King’s “I have a Dream Speech” by actor Gerald C. Rivers; and a special performance by 7th and 8th graders from Ocean Charter School playing authentic djembe drums from West Africa as a tribute to Dr. King, and will also feature a dramatic performance with Singer/Actress Windy Barnes Farrell and Actor Darryl Alan Reed. For more information on Culver City’s 2016 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, call (310) 253-6675 or visit www.culvercity.org.
An Autism Works Now! Work Readiness Workshop is now enrolling participants for a new Saturday afternoon session beginning January 9, 2016 in partnership with Culver City Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department. The program is tailored specifically for young adults on the autism spectrum ages 17 years or older who want to learn the skills necessary to get and keep a job. Career options, effective email communication, time management, appropriate workplace attire, interview essentials, connecting to co-workers & supervisors, and self-advocating in the workplace are just a few of the important workplace topics covered. Each session focuses on an important workplace topic which is covered in the four meetings. Three meetings are scheduled in the classroom, lasting two hours, and one meeting is a field trip at the workplace of a potential employer. Field trips location, dates and times vary. Starting on January 9th, Saturday workshops meet from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Culver City Senior Center located at 4095 Overland Avenue. To register or get additional information contact: [email protected], or [email protected].
Coming up pretty soon (Wednesday, January 20 to be exact) is the Culver City Historical Society’s Winter General Meeting and Installation of Officers. The meeting will run from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. in the Lethbridge Garden Room of the Veterans Memorial Building. This will feature the installation of Michelle Bernardin in her second term as President and incoming 2016 – 2018 board members, including Stu Freeman, Immediate Past President; Janet Chabola, VP Development; Ellen and Arthur Litman, co-VP Museum/Archives; Hope Parrish, VP Programs; Adrienne Bernardin, Secretary; and Tami Eskridge, Treasurer. Kevin Lachoff, Chair of the Culver City Planning Commission, will serve as Installing Officer. Reservations are a must due to limited seating (and the hors d’oeuvres reception!). Cost is $25.00 per member; $30.00/non-member. Checks should be made payable to the Culver City Historical Society, P. O. Box 3428, Culver City, CA 90231-3428, and must be pre-paid by January 15 – no walk-ins, please.
The Culver City Julian Dixon Library may be closed for renovation, but there’s still Storytime, a special time to make new friends and share stories, songs, play and more. This program is for children 0-5 years of age, and babies, toddlers, and preschoolers are all welcome. No registration is required. Winter session will begin Wednesday, January 6 and end on Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Space for Storytime during the Library closure is being provided by the Veterans Memorial Building. For more information contact www.colapublib.org/libs/culvercity
“Sweet 16” (2016, that is) birthday celebrants this week include Diane Miller, Robert Condinus, Brendan O’Brien, Sherry Hutson, Dolores Johnson, Judith Maass, Flavia Winston, Neil Rubinstein, Desmond LeStyles, Peter Stern, Aaron Gonzales, and Judah Winston . If you’d like your (or a friend or neighbor’s) birthday mentioned here, send the information to [email protected] and we’ll be happy to post it!