March 29, 2024 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

It’s A New Day at the West LA VA: Party Time! Excellent!

By Marcie Polier Swartz

Indulge me while I take the time to look back to February and to tell you about this year’s Super Bowl Sunday 2018.

Welcome Center at the VA Campus: This was our third year and it was ‘the charm’. Corey Morris was there early getting the word out on campus and taking pictures. We served approximately 75-100 meals to Veterans. It was a mix of homeless, temporarily housed, and permanently housed Veterans with some Vets from campus dropping in to attend the event. Staff was welcomed and they were a big part of the day as well. This is where words fail, as it is so hard to describe the questioning approach some Veterans had to entering the building to ask if the party and free food was really there and were they indeed actually welcome to come in.

Huge and special thanks to Village for Vet’s Jeff Vernon and Pam Dawber. Pam brought the decorations, came early to set up the room along with Michelle from the Welcome Center so the room looked fun and festive. Pam also arranged for specially prepared lasagnas to be donated from Vincenti no less. Maureen Vincenti generously made three huge trays for us including one incredible vegetarian version. Maria’s Italian Kitchen delivered the rest of the hot meal which included trays of Chicken Marsala salad and bread.

But the real surprise of the day was supplied by Pam Dawber who brought 10 Coats that turn into sleeping bags. Carrie Gray, who runs the Welcome Center and who brought her two darling boys to volunteer with mom at the party, suggested we raffle the coats. As we were preparing to do that, a man approached us. He became fixated. He could not take his eyes off the coat. He gently asked if he could have one. As he and I got busy examining the coat and learning together how to assemble and disassemble it, the staff got busy checking his name in the system which indicated that indeed he had been noted and counted in the Homeless tally just a few weeks before. When they said “Yes, you can give him the coat” he took it from us with reverence. As a result we nixed the raffle. Carrie and staff at the WC will be giving the remaining coats out as Homeless Vets qualify.

If you want to see something special, look at the 90 second video of the party which is posted on our website and on our new YouTube channel. There are not many faces here as the VA requests to show faces only with written permission.

A note about the coats: Pam’s friend makes them in Detroit. I’m hoping we can create a program for them.  This is the letter I got from volunteer Marisa Miller the next day:

“…what you are doing for the vets is so special. Seeing their smiles and how happy they were to have such a wonderful meal brought them so much happiness. I have been thinking lately of how important it is to live a “purposeful life”. Today I felt that I was doing something “purposeful” and it sure felt good.

(From left to right) Marisa Miller, volunteer, Marcie Swartz and Pam Dawber, Village for Vets, Cory Morris, Ret Lt. Colonel US Army; Outreach, Community Engagement & Reintegration Services (CERS)
Related Posts

(Video) Series A Coffee Now Open in Beverly Hills at 8328 Wilshire Blvd

March 29, 2024

March 29, 2024

Located in the space that formerly housed a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Try the Black Pearl Iced Coffee. @culvercitywlanews...

Los Angeles Fire Department Responds to Multi-Vehicle Collision Involving MTA Bus

March 28, 2024

March 28, 2024

Firefighters and Paramedics Assess 14 Individuals, Transport Several to Hospital Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) firefighters and paramedics responded to...

Los Angeles County Braces for Heavy Rain, Snow, and Possible Thunderstorms Over Weekend

March 28, 2024

March 28, 2024

National Weather Service Issues Alerts for Flooding and Possible Tornado  According to the latest reports from the National Weather Service...

Two Men Charged in Murder of Sidney Barrett Morris at L.A. Live Restaurant

March 28, 2024

March 28, 2024

DA Gascón Announces Charges; LAPD Chief Choi Expresses Condolences.  Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced murder charges Tuesday...

Cantonese Dim Sum Master Chef Tony Opens Hollywood Dim Sum at TCL Chinese Theatre

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Experience Exquisite Dim Sum Creations in the Heart of Hollywood 97 years after its founding, the TCL Chinese Theatre will...

Fleurs et Sel Bakery Opens Storefront in West Adams, Welcomes Customers Three Days a Week

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Indulge in Freshly Baked Cookies at the New West Adams Location Fleurs et Sel Bakery, known for its delectable cookies...

Easter Specials Guide: Brunch Spots, Desserts, and More in West Los Angeles

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Discover the Best Easter Eats and Treats in LA for Your Holiday Celebration Easter is almost here, so here are...

(Video) Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE at the Beyond Fest Screening...

Attorney for Sean “Diddy” Combs Denounces Investigation as “Witch Hunt”

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

Legal Representative Criticizes Probe Amid Federal Sex Trafficking Inquiry An attorney representing Sean “Diddy” Combs criticized the investigation into the...

Culver City Police Department to Conduct High Visibility Traffic Enforcement Operation

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

Operation Targets Hazardous Traffic Violations on the West End The Culver City Police Department announced plans to conduct a high...

Historic Union Contract Ratified by Thousands of Hotel Workers At 34 Hotels

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

UNITE HERE Local 11 Negotiates Agreement Ensuring Wage Increases  Hotel workers, who spearheaded the largest hotel strike in modern U.S....

Human Rights Campaign’s Los Angeles Dinner Celebrates LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Unity

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

Notable Figures Gathered to Champion LGBTQ+ Rights and Combat Discrimination By Aneesha Pappy  The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s...

California Bars and Nightclubs Must Offer Drug Testing Devices Starting July 1

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

New Law Mandates License Holders to Provide Drug Testing Kits to Patrons Beginning July 1, establishments with Type 48 licenses...

Opinion: West Los Angeles Needs to Care about Veteran Homelessness

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

By Kelly Kravchuk  Veteran homelessness is a public health concern that impacts my West Los Angeles community. As a USC...

Culver City City Council Recap: Bruce Lee Alley, Historical Discrimination Study, Women’s History Month

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

Council Deliberates on Racial Equity, Infrastructure Upgrades, and Fire Department Strategic Plan The Culver City Council convened its latest session...