Civic Couch Feb. - March

An In-Depth Look At The Dig 4 Kids Founder

MIND - BODY - SPIRIT ISSUE

PLUS: The War That Must Be Won Jimmy Miller Foundations Battle Sand Dune Park Otto Preminger Centennial Get a Great Workout At Home FREE FILMS! The National Law Enforcement Museum at AFI Silver And More!

CIVIC COUCH South Bay

EricFonoimoana

February - March 2010

PLUS: The Battle That Must Be WonJimmy Miller Foundation Sand Dune Park The Controversy Continues“Gettin It Done” The Girl With The Ear To Ear GrinAnd More!

W H Y S O S E R I O U S ?

Mind - Body- Spirit

FEB / MARCH 2 CIVIC COUCH

38 Did You KnowGet to know your South Bay history

40 GearCool stuff we found around the South Bay for the Mind, Body and Spirt

25 The Journey of Meditation

In the age of cell phones, texts, instant messaging, and the con-tinuous flow of information, it is rare that people take a moment to unplug

ETC.

PEOPLE11Why So SeriousAn In-Depth Look At Dig 4 Kids Found-er Eric Fonoimoana

18 The War That Must Be WonThe Jimmy Miller Foundation battle against mental illness enlists the Ma-rine Corps

20 Relax-Recharge-RefocusPier To Peer: We ask six locals what they do to relax, recharge and refoucs

42 Gettin It DoneOur community rallies around one of their own.

PLACES

23 Flavor of the Month Healthy Eats: Tempt your tastebuds with six healthy eating options.

27 Sand Dune ParkThe controversy continues

30 Work Out At HomeInstant Expert: Step by step instruc-tions on how to release your back and strenghten your core.

EVENTS

32 CalendarWhat’s up with what’s going down.

34 The BubbleA look back at 2009 in pictures

11 27 34

CONTENTS

On The Cover:Eric Fonoimoana at the Hermosa Beach Volleyball Courts.

Photo Credit: Scott Gorski

{Contributors}_______________________Valerie BuckGetting the interview is always the most difficult part of the story. Facts are in stone, unchangeable. It’s the people, their opinions, thoughts, feel-ings and motivation that is the moving target. I want to thank both Jeff Miller and Eric Fonoimoana for taking time out of their busy schedules. But more importantly I want to thank them for their candor and honesty. “Everyone has heard it before” a friend told me when I said what our fea-tures were going to be. I really wanted to do something real and honest, not airbrushed. There is a very real story there, but its one that gets lost by putting it into a single blurb for a fundraising brochure. I wanted people to be able to really understand what created two of the most promienent charities in the South Bay, because the stories behind them are much deeper and compelling then a one sentence answer. Thank you to every-one who helped with my research. And to my doubting friend... I bet I found something you hadn’t heard before.

Scott Gorksi“There were a couple of shots that I wanted. I wanted something gritty, not a fashion shoot. I tried to create a more dramatic, hard lit, edgy and real look, something representing the work and discipline that being an elite athlete requires. I was worried that it was going to turn out with a bunch of people in the background on the beach jumping around smiling, but it was perfect, because it was raining. It was just him, me and my um-brella holder (wife Lisa). I was afraid that we would have to reschedule but he was game to try it, to my surprise, he was like “let’s do it”. I figured I had 10 minutes before he had to go or drowned, but we got it done. He was a good sport “rain doesn’t bother me, it’s just water” I am sure his train-ing was harder than a couple of sprinkles. I was excited to try the three shots I had planned, but was definitely aware of how much time I had and we didn’t have time to schedule a reshoot. You really have to rely on your knowledge, because he’s getting wet, you don’t have time, but we got a bunch of really good shots and we had a lot of fun.”

Allison SalzmanAllison Salzman is a full time student at Boston University and is pursuing a major in Journalism. Salzman was born and raised in Manhattan Beach. While in high school, she held a column in The Beach Reporter called “Stu-dent Viewpoint.” She continues to write freelance pieces in her spare time.


From The Editor:

On the eve of Civic Couch’s first birthday, we all gathered our heads and decided to launch an online magazine to supplement our fast growing multimedia website. The magazine format gives us a chance to delve a little deeper, featuring longer articles and photography, more people, and a

broader view of everything that makes our community great.

Civic Couch always strives to keep social responsibility in the forefront. That made the decision to launch exclusively in an online format very easy. Too many publications fail to find their way to the recycler, and why recycle a product (formerly known as a tree) when it is also available online. Begin conservation by eliminating waste.

But why does the South Bay need another publication? While there are a variety of lifestyle publications, and local newspapers out, none focus solely on the people, places, events and organizations that make the South Bay great. By shining a light on local non-profits and the very real people and stories behind them, we hope to lend a chance for people to find a cause that they can support passionately, either with time, funds, or positive word of mouth and support.

The people living, working and playing make up the face of the community. Every month we will be bringing you local politics and issues in the center feature of the magazine “The Roundhouse” tackling Sand Dune Park’s controversial closure. “The Bubble” is our “Society” page, showcasing all the great events that have taken place. “Couch Potato” hits local myths, trivia and answers any question that’s been se-cretly nagging you for years. “Peer to Pier” poses a question to folks enjoying a nice day on the Strand and our “Sixth Man” spotlights a local doing something amazing, interesting, fascinating or funny. All of our regular features tilt their hat back toward the community.

Making a difference even more, Civic Couch is donating a portion of its ad revenue to various charities and non-profits. So when a company buys an ad in the magazine, not only are they acting in an environ-mentally responsible way, but they are also lending a helping hand in the community. Let our advertisers know you respect their decision by clicking on any of our ads. They will take you directly to the source -great for making a dinner reservation or finding out store hours.

So, take a minute, pull up your laptop and check out our newest addition – let us know what you think!

Sincerely,

Brad Jacobson

Publisher

Valerie Buck

Editor In Chief

www.civiccouch.com


CIVIC COUCHExecutive Editor Brad Jacobson

[email protected]

Editor Valerie Buck

[email protected]

Executive Literary Editor Kathleen Paralusz

Photography Director Scott Gorski

Contributing Writers

Lauren Borden, Brooke Langston, Karin McDermott, Elizabeth Rosenberg, Allison Salzman

Contributing Photographers

Brent Broza, Scott Ferguson, Axel Koester , Ian Logan, Amy Theilig

Letters To The Editor

[email protected]

Advertising and Marketing

Brad Jacobson

[email protected] (310) 406.5998

Advisory Board

Valerie Buck, Portia Cohen, Jacob Dax, Carrie Fisher-Pascual, Kathleen Paralusz, Jonathan Pascual, Edward Myska, Elizabeth Rosenberg, Mitch Ward

RELAX, RECHARGE AND REFOCUS

Brooke LangstonAVP : Hermosa Beach

^ Being that my “office” is the beach as a professional volley-ball player on the AVP tour, I find that even the most serene loca-tion in the world can be a place of stress at times! The greatest way that I push the “reset” but-ton when life gets crazy and overwhelming is to throw on my running shoes and get out on the Strand. Whether it’s just an easy walk down to Marine or a stress-burning Pier-to-Pier sprint, I can count on feeling re-juvenated and ready to take on anything for the rest of the day!

What we do to relax, recharge and refocus:

Kirk Kelley-KahnFilm Actor / Producer: Manhattan Beach

^ When I want to really relax and get away from the Hustle of the Hollywood Studios.. I enjoy Riding my Bike to one of our beautiful Parks... Surf in the Mornings and Evenings.... But my more relaxing past time is going down to the Beach and taking a Script to read and i sit in the sand and enjoy the waves...Just the sound of the waves takes me away to a place of peace.

Ed MyskaExecutive VP Relationship Management Manhattan Beach

^ I am a gym rat and that is how I release stress. Going to the gym at 6 a.m. sometimes plays mind games with you and 5 a.m. is even worse. Do I really want to go or would I rather stay in bed. I have the ability always to get past that and get in there and work hard. Afterwards the endorphins really make you feel great. I compare it to a runner’s high.


Chris SorleyAttorney: Manhattan Beach

^ Although we reside in a re-markable paradise, the stresses of life can still take a toll on our mind, body and soul. Fortunate-ly, everything I’d want to reju-venate, refocus and de-stress is within arm’s reach. To open and focus the mind, I look forward to meditation classes – it can truly be a life changing experi-ence. To clear the mind and incite the body, you’ll often find me playing volleyball, running on the strand, catching waves, or taking a hike in the local mountains. Lastly, to replen-ish the soul, there’s nothing quite like spending time with great friends and the people you love...especially if it’s over a good brew or a tasty glass of wine.

Grace Leung HiskeyMarketing: Manhattan Beach

^ I walk outside my apartment and moments later have my bare feet in the sand ~ how else can I get a pedicure and exercise at the same time? The sound of waves crashing, smell of the ocean air with the sun gently warming my face and skin all provide me with exactly what I am looking for ~ ahhhh mo-ments ~ all within my reach.

RELAX, RECHARGE AND REFOCUS

Cindy WhiteheadSports Stylist : Hermosa Beach

^ I know most people might say the beach or walking the strand but What I really like to do to relax, recharge and refo-cus is to spend time visiting the merchants and friends I have at the various stores in down-town Manhattan Beach. Some of these people I have known almost all my life, others for the past 10 yrs or more. I am able to catch up with friends, hear whats been going on locally and with their families and be part of the community. The beach com-munity has such a small town feel - I travel a lot for work and I really look forward to connect-ing like this when I come home.


Sand Dune Park

After a contentious City Hall meeting on Jan. 19, 2010 that lasted for five hours, the Manhat-tan Beach City Council failed to reach a consensus regarding the future of Sand Dune Park.

The Council Chambers were filled to maximum capacity, and many conflicting voices were heard.

The park has been closed since Aug. 14, 2009 and since then, the city has hosted five com-munity meetings to discuss the future of the dune. These community meetings and the Jan. 19 City Council meeting revealed a deeply divided community with little room for compromise.

The dune has been fenced off throughout the summer and fall months. This has been a bless-ing for many local residents, who feel the relief of less traffic and noise, and a curse for many athletes, who miss the relief of a low-impact workout.

“The dune should be permanently closed,” said Linda LeRoy. Her husband, Lou, agrees. Linda and Lou LeRoy said they have lived peacefully near the park until the popularity of the dune as a free, optimal workout created a huge draw from commuters, who relentlessly scoured the area for parking. “I think the most important thing is the quality of life for the people of the city,” said Linda LeRoy.

Manhattan Beach City Council Member Richard Montgomery takes a different stance. “I’ve never believed that you go to the extreme of closing the dune. You try options first,” he argued. Montgomery agreed that local residents have legitimate complaints about traffic, litter, and noise, but does not favor permanent closure. “The city knows there’s a problem. The bigger problem would be to go to the extreme of closing the park,” he said.

Many in the fitness community want the park reopened. “The idea that the local residents can dictate what goes on there is unreasonable,” said Jeff Atkinson, owner of Olympian Fitness and a Manhattan Beach resident. Atkinson objected to closing this unique workout. “The dune improves the health of every single person that visits there,” he said. “It’s absurd to think that should be denied.”

In the last several years, dune use as a workout facility has exploded. The dune has been fea-tured in Men’s Health Magazine and has gained popularity through online forums like Yelp and YouTube. The new “duners” included celebrities, famous athletes, and workout enthusiasts who flocked to what some would consider a five-star gym with no monthly bills. In the last decade, park attendance peaked at 6,000 during the summer months. Last July, attendance rose to 9,000 visitors.

The inundation of new attendees caused problems for the city, which had to pay for ad-ditional sand grooming and redistribution, and for the residents, who voiced complaints

about everything from parking obstruction to discourteous “duners” urinating in front lawns.


by Allsion Salzman

A joint commission, consisting of Parks and Recreation and Parking and Public Improvement completed a three month survey and proposed four solutions to City Council. The first was to reopen the park with a residential permit parking system and metered parking. The second was to close or “repurpose” the dune.

A third proposal was to strictly limit the hours of operation. The fourth was to implement a reservation system that would limit the number of people using the dune at once.

The joint commission was too divided to propose a unified solution. Six commissioners fa-vored closing the dune, and five were in favor of keeping it open with some kind of reservation system.

The debate has been fueled by allegations that City Council and the residents are only inter-ested in keeping outsiders out. Many blogs from commuting duners suggest that xenophobia is at the heart of the issue. In addition, Sandy Mazza of The Daily Breeze suggested that the city’s intention is “to deter outside visitors.”

However, none of the proposed solutions to the park give preference to residents over non-residents. In fact, Los Angeles County has had jurisdiction over the issue ever since 1986,

when Manhattan Beach borrowed $800,000 for maintenance and aesthetic repairs. L.A. County provisions prohibit the city from banning non-residents.

As the city continues to delay voting on a final solution, dune users are becoming more vocal. According to Richard Gill, Director of Parks and Recreation for the city, early community meet-ings were dominated by residents in favor of restrictions. However, he noticed that at the Jan. 7, 2010 community meeting, the crowd was split evenly between dune supporters and those wanting restrictions.

“The city knows there’s a problem. The bigger problem would be to go to the extreme of closing the park,”

Upcoming Eventsfor February - March

Super Bowl 10k February 7, 2010

Redondo Beach

Join more than 10,000 race enthusiasts at Southern Califor-nia’s greatest Super Bowl Celebration! Now in its 32nd year, the Redondo Beach Super Bowl Sunday 10K/5K Run/Walk is a great way to celebrate the biggest day in sports and enjoy the picturesque sites of Redondo Beach.

Find more info at: www.redondo10k.com

Valentine’s DayFebruary 14th

It’s that time of year again men...PLAN early to secure your table at a nice restaurant or you will end up trying to explain why the McFlurry is romantic. Book dinner reserva-tions now while you are thinking about it...or google “romantic dinner recipes” and get busy reading! Trust me, you do not want to screw this one up.

FEB / MARCH10 CIVIC COUCH

2010 OlympicsFebruary 12 - 28

The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held on February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the resort town of Whistler and in Richmond, a Vancouver suburb. Didn’t get the HD t.v. you wanted for Christ-mas? Shoot over to your local sports bar, they will probably be showing it on a great screen (usually multiple screens).

South Bay Girl TalkFebruary 6, 2010

Torrance Marriott

Ladies, Grab your mothers, girlfriends, and daughters and join us for a day of fashion, beauty, free health screenings, and fun! Come and enjoy specialty exhibitors, product sampling, guest speakers, experts on women’s heart health, meal ideas and more! Experience some of the South Bay’s premiere shops and boutiques all in one place. Best of all, it’s FREE!

Get more info at: www.southbaygirltalk.com

Calendar

Saint Patrick’s Day ParadeMarch 13, 2010

Hermosa Beach

The parade steps off at 11 am on Satur-day and typically consists of eighty to one hundred and twenty units including marching bands, bagpipers, dignitaries, lo-cal organizations, floats and more. It starts at the intersection of Pier and Valley drive, marches west to Hermosa Avenue where it turns South on Hermosa, disbanding at 8th street.

TEDxManhattanBeachFebruary 27, 2010

Joslyn Center, Manhattan Beach

The volunteers at Leadership Manhattan Beach are orga-nizing a conference with 16 speakers who will be sharing “Ideas Worth Spreading” on the theme of “Building Stron-ger Communities” and during the day 12 speakers will give presentations lasting 18 minutes or less and 4 TED Talks will be shown The cost is $20 for the day and they are accepting applications on their website http://www.tedxmanhattanbeach.com.


BARK The MusicalFebruary 10-28

Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center

The next “longest-running show in Los Angeles” is going to have its first major stage debut on both coasts at the same time! It’s a dog lover’s dream come true! A laugh-out-loud musical comedy that will have you bringing your friends to see again and again! A super salute to everyone’s best friend! All new songs, all new fun!

Neptunian Woman’s Club BenefitFebruary 27, 2010

Corner of Highland and 10th St. in Manhattan Beach

The Neptunian Woman’s Club is hosting a fashion show to benefit the Life Rolls On Foundation and Christopher Reeve’s Spinal Cord Research. California Pizza Kitched will be providing food.

Contact Linda LeRoy for more information at: 310-545-8018

Tommy Lasorda at the Skech-ers Pier To Pier Friendship Walk

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair

Students Matter Now Rally

Gavin Rossdale performs at the White Light White Night Event

350 Human Wave For Climate Change

The Manhattan Beach Grand Prix

A look back at 2009

The Bubble

The Manhattan Beach Education Foundation Wine Auction

The Manhattan Beach AVP Open

Firefighter Training

Beach Culture Showcase

Manhattan Beach Pier LightingThe Manhattan Beach Pumpkin Races


VOLLEY

Finding Soul In The South BayTaking a Time Out - A Guide To Breathing Through A Busy Day

Civic Couch (CC): Considering kids, ToDo lists, work and always planning for tomorrow’s appointments…how do I stay in the now?

Karin McDermott (KM): The reality of “now” is ever chang-ing, so for starters…just breathe. Engaging the senses is truly the easiest and most soul-filling way to live in the present moment. Slow down a bit. Take a deep breath. Look around with an openness to discover something new…even if only a momentary cloud. Here’s a more tangible way of staying in the now…take photos and make plans. Then live in the middle.

CC: This is a tough economy right now…where can I feed my soul for free?

KM: We are fortuitous enough to live in the place of spectacu-lar sunsets…daily! The human soul craves beauty. Take a book, take a friend, take your camera…and just go. The energy charge from the prodigious Pacific is invitation enough; body and soul will reap the healing rewards. Enjoy.

CC: As a South Bay resident I am often caught in the laid back surf culture, where can I locate culture of a deeper kind?

KM: We love our surf and the inherent culture of soul that is ab-solute in our relationship with it. We also seek art, creativity and music…lucky for us, we have that here too. I can quickly think of thirteen local businesses where art (mixed media, photography, sculpture, glass) are displayed – from galleries to restaurants. A creative heart will find an outlet. Make a resolution to create time for art & culture this year. Your soul will be enticed by the pact, trust me. Let yourself be drawn into a local gallery and seduced by the pure pleasure of art.

Founder of The Soultree Center. Karin McDermott is a soul-seeking Manhattan Beach mom of teenaged boys, a lover of Peet’s coffee, and a woman deeply dedicated to teaching movement

& sensual living. Inspire. Breathe. Be.

CC: Is it really necessary to com-bine body, mind and spirit?

KM: Well actually, yes. The good news is...it’s a lifelong journey that continually shifts focus as we evolve. It’s easy to become disen-chanted or find trivial the search for a deeper sense of self when there is so much uncertainty in the world. Truth be told, it is in the cultivation of a spiritually rich life, connected to both body & mind, that we un-fold. And in that unfolding we sur-render to the peace that braids us into a harbinger of change. Breathe deeply and take it one day at a time.


POLITICAL PERSONALITY

With Hermosa Beach’s Mayor

Michael DiVergillioThe Hermosa Beach Politician on his gadgets, strand activities, ipod selection and more

ReadingSplinter Cell by Tom Clancy

My IpodU2, Pearl Jam, Janes Addiction, Black Eyed Peas, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, Obama’s Cairo speech and iTunesU lectures on English, breathing meditation and world music.

BreakfastOrganic apple and cinna-mon oatmeal

In third grade you want to be a ____ when you grew upPro football player

TravelParis with my wife Danay, which needs no explana-tion.

On The StrandYou will find me rid-ing my Sector 9 skateboard

Favorite GadgetMy Flip video camera.

InstrumentI can play some basic drum sets

Good Luck CharmA picture of me on my grandfather’s shoulders when I was 3. I carry it with me sometimes as a remind-er that I’m not alone.

Social MediaFacebook, although I am on gmail much more


Clear Your HeadA list of our top 10 places to go around the South Bay to clear your head

1.Sunset on the BeachOur South Bay beaches offer some of the best views of the sunset. Pull up a chair, lay out a blan-ket or just plop yourself in the sand and watch one of the greatest shows around!

2.Hike the Palos Verdes TrailsThe Portuguese Bend Trails and the Estates Loop both offer the walker a tranquil escape from the busy daily schedule. The Bend Trail explores the hills above Portuguese Bend, while the Estates Loop offers milliondollar views of the Angeles Crest and Santa Monica Mountains and Catalina Island. Both trails are rated easy and are family friendly.

3. Czuleger ParkRedondo Beach

Czuleger Park is a 2.1 acre park located at the foot of Diamond Street that leads to the International Boardwalk and Pier. This beautuful walkway for joggers and pedestrians is sometimes referred to as “Plaza Park.”

4.The StrandThe Strand runs from Redondo Beach in the south approximately 21 miles north to Santa Monica. This strip of concrete, with beachfront dream homes on one side and the ocean on the other, is great for pedaling, sprinting, strolling, and rolling.

5. Cruise the Redondo Beach MarinaBesides spectacular sunsets, King Harbor houses some of the most beautiful boats on the west coast. Take a stroll along the docks to view the largest privately owned marina from Marina Del Rey to Newport Beach. There are great restau-rants located in the Harbor to grab a drink or a meal.

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6.Stroll The EsplandeRedondo Beach: Between Knob Hill Avenue (on the north) and Paseo del la Play (on the south), a stroll along the Esplanade offers a wonderful scenic view of the ocean below, sea gulls soaring overhead, and the picturesque Palos Verdes cliffs to the south.

7.Take The Family To Polliwog ParkLocated at the corner of Redondo Ave and Man-hattan Beach Blvd.

Manhattan Beach: Covering 18 acres, this is the largest and perhaps loveliest park in the South Bay area. The focal point of the site is a large pond bordered on one side by a natural wildlife refuge. The park offers: two large play areas for the kids, a 9-hole disc golf course, the botanical gardens, three gazebos, numerous park benches, and shady areas to make this an ideal spot.

8. Bruce’s BeachHighland and 27th Street Manhattan Beach

Situated on a sloping terraced grassy hillside, the approximately three-acre park is one of the best ocean and sunset viewing areas away from the beach.

9.The GreenbeltThe Greenbelt is a 3.7 mile trail stretching from Hermosa Beach to Manhattan Beach covered with woodchips, a haven for trail runners. A great op-tion to walk/run when the winds chase you off the Strand.

10. Noble Park1400 The Strand, Hermosa Beach

Located across the Strand from the beach. This pet friendly pocket park boast grassy knolls and benches with a beach front view.

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The JMMF battle against mental illness enlists the Marine Corps

Jimmy Miller embodied the California Dream; bright - a double major at Berkley, athletic -a surfer and volleyball player, world traveler, affable -longtime lifeguard and surf instructor, handsome and charm-ing. He grew up at the beach and surfed every day surrounded by loved ones, family and friends. But as he entered his mid 30’s, small glimmers of depression and behavioral changes that now seem to be

telltale signs became uncontrollable symptoms of something far more serious.

The Miller’s are a tight knit family. When it became obvious that Jimmy needed help, the best doctors were brought in. Jimmy was hospitalized twice battling severe mental breakdowns in a breathtakingly short pe-riod of time. Solutions were sought, treatments attempted, medications adjusted, psychiatrists, therapists all tried to stabilize Jimmy. But mental illness is an ever morphing hydra, episodes constantly changing the chemical and mental landscape impacting the patient. More than 30% of patients hospitalized for severe mental illness will attempt suicide. Most attempts will fail, but young men are the group most likely to have a serious medically harmful attempt or success. In the end, suffering in the thralls of the disease, he – like many enduring mental illness, took his own life.

“Girls loved him, guys wanted to hang out with him. He had everything going for him in the world and one day he woke up and was just different. It was a real eye opening experience for me having never dealt with mental illness. It’s crazy how prevalent mental illness is, it’s kind of a perception that it’s a dirty little secret, like they did drugs or something. Through this I realized mental illness is just like cancer or any other ill-ness that comes on through no fault of the person suffering from it,” explained Chris Brown, Jimmy’s lifelong friend and current co-owner of Jimmy’s business Campsurf.

The War That Must Be Won…


PILARS

before.” But it wasn’t some-thing we had ever seen before or expected.”

Jimmy was a lifelong surfer, but during the final months of his life, a shoulder injury kept him out of the water. Absent a critical coping tool and part of his daily routine, friends and family believe this compounded his depression and the peace and clarity that surfing provided.

“It happened around the same time as the mental break, and he couldn’t surf. I don’t need a doctor to tell me that my brother would still be here, if he could have been surfing. I’m not saying he would have been cured, he

The words are echoed by Jimmy’s younger brother

Jeff Miller, “I think it is a huge issue that goes completely under the radar unless you are affected by it. More people are affected by it than you would think. Even when we were try-ing to get him in treatment, the stories came out from friends. It’s getting better but it’s still highly stigmatized. Suicide even more so, I don’t like think-ing or talking about it either. We were in crisis mode for six months, it was Easter sitting in my parents’ house and noth-ing abnormal and five months later, absolute crisis mode. It was really quick. We all were like “why didn’t we see this

The physical thing, for the act of learning or participating in a new sport, that is medi-cally proven to be a good thing, whether its dancing or riding a bike or surfing. And the ocean has always been used for healing. Looking back at ancient cultures, the Hawaiians and even the Greeks, everyone has used the ocean to heal,” explained Miller.

The Jimmy Miller Memorial Foun-dation was founded to harness that healing power and peace that surfing,recreational therapy, and the ocean can bring to those battling mental and physical ill-nesses and injuries. The program began working with children, in-cluding those who were victims of abuse, with its first session

would still be battling, but he would be here.”

“Surfing is the only activity that I have ever done where you can’t think of anything else while you are doing it.” You can’t think about anything else while you are catching a wave. I think that is a healer right there, I have no medical proof on that “ he chuckles, “but furthering that point, yoga and things like that – that is the goal- to be in the present. Surfing does that with-out having to work at it. Ask any surfer whether in a 1 ft wave or a 20 ft, you can’t think of any-thing else. Yeah, in the lineup when you are waiting for a wave you have ample time to think, and I think that’s good too.

in the summer of 2005. This expanded and grew as different children’s groups in Los Angeles were brought in. But the Miller family’s connection and affinity to members of the armed forces sparked the idea for a new pro-gram.

“It started three years ago, read-ing about and seeing the media coverage of the condition of the returning injured military, I was kind of thinking about how it would be cool for us to do something for these returning serviceman and woman. Our grandfather was lifetime Navy, he was on the Arizona when it was attacked in Pearl Harbor. We have a lot of family connec-tions with the military. Our

Board of Directors chatted about helping guys coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Everyone said it was the best idea they ever heard. It took a year and a half of high level meetings with all levels of government and military. We finally were able to set up a Pilot Program in 2007 and met with a very small group of Marines from the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Pendleton with a great response from the participants and the brass. We expanded the year after that and the year after that and now we setting up a full year round program. Like a lot of things that happen with our founda-tion it... continued on page 34

“It’s crazy how prevalent mental illness isit’s kind of a perception that it’s a dirty little secret, like they did drugs or something”

InstWork Out At HomeRelease the back and hips to connect and strengthen your core

Low back pain and stiffness can start with tight hips, external rotators and glute muscles, which can create muscular and structural imbalances in the body. This can create compression on the nerves and discomfort. Furthermore, weak intrinsic core muscles and bunched up, tight glutes and hip muscles can contribute to back pain, tension, sciatica, lack of mobility etc.

Sacrat Roll : releases the lower back and waist, helps strengthen and narrow the waistline

1. Place the roller under your lower back, hands holding the roller on either side to prevent the roller from sliding out

2. Gently float your knees over your hips and feel your core engage

3. Inhale, twist knees and hips away from ribs with control and roll over to the other side

1 2 3

1 2 3

Single Leg Stretch : great ab toner, since legs feel lighter and increases range of motion

1. Bring knees up over hips, feel your core engage 3-dimensionally, like a cylinder

2. Enhale and extend right leg forward

3. Exhale and switch- be sure to bring your awareness to move your leg from your deep core muscles

Photos by Michael HarringtonExercises Performed by Lauren Borden of Mind Body Manhattan

Inst

Figure Four Roll : great before a run to help take pressure off the low back and knees

1. Sit on the roller with good posture

2. Place your right ankle on your left thigh and roll out the areas of tension

3. Repeat on the other side. Be sure to breath into the tightness to release the blocked energy.

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These mind body method excercises are great tools to release blockages that prevent en-ergy and circulation to flow freely. Blockages can lead to major pain and discomfort. Here are a few helpful ways to release built up stress in the body.

Why So Serious? An In-Depth Look At Dig 4 Kids Founder Eric Fonoimoana

by Valerie Buck

Photo by Scott Gorski

Eric Fonoimoana is irritated. He walks into Starbucks, polite, but visibly prickly. His Dig 4 Kids charity is taking part in a three-week fundraising challenge. The program with the widest support (most donors giving a nominal $10 donation) can win daily prizes. It’s an extra $500 going into the coffers. Yesterday Dig fell seven donations short. Only seven people had to take two minutes to click the keyboard a few times and give up a latte and bagel… just seven. It’s enough to drive the Olympian crazy. He can’t control it. He turns to those around him, friends, board mem-bers, co-workers, and just thinks seven. Sure it was a nominal daily prize, but those little victo

ries are what win the war. They are what life is about. Now, away from the court, it isn’t just him counting on himself, and Dig lost yesterday’s battle, by seven. And Fonoimoana can’t do it alone.

He is called “serious Guy” by friends. Described by every-one as intense, private, focused, professional, a hard worker, dis-ciplined. “He is a guy who starts his day with a to-do list, and doesn’t stop until it’s done.” “He always is there, polite, straight forward, professional.” His clos-est circle will confide that when the guard finally comes down, he is funny, loose, a different person, but it’s a glimpse rarely seen. Fellow members of the tour de-scribe someone so focused that things, friendships may have

been lost in the pursuit of the goal. Differing decisions made, distances not broached in pursuit of the goal. Similar descriptions have plagued many sports stars, Steffi Graff, Pete Sampras, a pre-Cadillac Tiger Woods. Precise, driven, but private and maybe a bit boring, so focused that win-ning becomes routine, expected and even mechanized.

“He was more focused than most people than I ever met. I grew up with him, he is my cousin. He goes after things like a big game hunter,” explained Albert (Al-B) Hannemann, a 16-year AVP veteran and Eric’s partner during his final season. “He found a way to win when it looked like he had no chance and it’s what separates him from everyone else.”

The closet introvert in the public eye will even admit to it, freely admitting that he could answer a reporter’s questions but has problems opening up socially.

“I’m getting better. I think through the tour and 18 years, I was good with the fans, but I wasn’t letting people in. I was personable, but I didn’t give you any juice,” Fonoimoana says, unguarded, sitting relaxed wear-ing a tee shirt as opposed to the starched shirt image his real estate photos portray.

The youngest of six, sport and competition were a part of daily life encompassing everything from baseball games to the din-ner table. His sister Lelei was the first Olympian in the household, competing in the 1976 Montreal

Games in 100m Butterfly, finish-ing seventh.

“It’s part of the story that I tell the kids – I told my dad I wanted to be an Olympian. I was 7 years old. It was huge, seeing all the fans. Wow, that would be pretty sweet to play in front of that. That was when my goal started.”

The constant in his life is his family, first with his parents and siblings on a local walk street, long before gentrification made it the domain of the affluent.

“When I was 17, we lost our home. When the market went down, we came home one day, and my mom didn’t say anything, ‘Why are we moving from our big house?’ to her sister’s two bed-room. Family was huge, always

around, still are. Being involved in Dig 4 Kids, there are kids out there that are from situations that are far worse, you almost can’t relate to…” he trails off.

His parents instilled a strong sense of community and giving back. He remembers his mother making phone calls to support a charity she believed in. His father would regularly volunteer the brood to help with yard chores for an elderly neighbor.

“We were kids, and dad would volunteer us to mow someone’s lawn, and of course, we’d be angry – because it was our free time, but we would do it. Stuff like baking cookies and things for the neighbors and leaving them

continued on page 30...

“He found a way to win when it looked like he had no chance and it’s what separates him from everyone else.”

Healthy EatsMany of us don’t have the time to cook healthy. Here is a few local dishes which will save you time and calories:

<-2Fresh Kids Pizza – Deceive your children into eating their veggies! A healthy blend of finely ground vegetables mixed into the pizza sauce. Your kids won’t know they are there — really!. found at Fresh Brothers Pizza, thin crust medium size for $15.50

<-3 Bikini Cupcake – a sinless way to indulge and get that chocolate fix without sacrificing taste. A satisfying blend of a light choco-late cake made with all natural sweetener derived from cane sugar without that aspartame taste. They offer 3 different top-ping combinations Dark choco-late, Raspberry, or vanilla com-plimented with fresh berries. A safe splurge for pre-bikini season. Found at Cupcakes Coutoure in Manhattan Beach.

4

Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad – Nicoise is the olive that goes in the salad. 6 oz portion of sushi grade tuna is seared and served rare it is finished with a salad that consists of sautéed potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, capers, anchovies, baby gem lettuce leaves and nicoise olives. Finished with a champagne vinaigrette to keep this salad low in calories. We found this meal at Lido di Man-hattan Ristorante & Bar

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3

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4

1->Grilled Ono – Sangria serves up fresh strawberry-mango salsa to add some sweet good-ness to this grilled fish option. Accompanied by Asian rice and grilled asparagus.

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6

<- 5Roasted Beet Salad – Many people run the other way when they hear “beets”, but this dish is well worth a taste. Prepared with fresh vegetables, minimal salt (no msg), very little cream - they use only olive oil), the Roasted Beet Salad has a high level of antioxi-dants, fiber and calcium. There are about 8 grams of fat from the cheese. It tastes great too! Found at Twelve + Highland for $10

<- 6Warm Goat Cheese & Beet Salad – More beets?? Just “beet it” , the purple powerhouse packs a heafty dose of vitamins and antioxidants. This salad features-baby arugula, fresh beets, pecan crusted goat cheese, fried sweet potato, roasted garlic-buttermilk vinaigrette . Beet your way over to Memphis Cafe to give this $8 plate a try.

The Lowdown: Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible – all which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and incorporating them in a way that works for you.

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Taking It To The NEXT LEVELPlaying Your Sport in Collegeby Brooke Langston

So, you’re an outstanding athlete at your high school and people are starting to

ask you whether you’re thinking of playing in college. As a high school student-athlete, you have so many more important things to worry about, such as, practice, club sports, friends, prom, homework, and the like. Asking you to even THINK about college is daunting. Believe me, I was in your exact same shoes a few years ago. I was a scrawny (but tall!) high school sophomore who started getting letters from colleges across the country. I had no idea what I wanted my college experience to end up be-ing. I just wanted everyone to leave me alone and let me play my sport.

Well, here’s the hard truth. There are so many talented athletes out there that if you do NOT learn how to promote yourself to college coaches and get your info on their desks, they may never know you exist! The saying “the squeaky wheel gets the oil” holds true in the re-cruiting world. The ATHLETE (not the parents of an athlete or the coach of an athlete) who promotes himself/herself to a university coach will often solidify a position on a team over a player with more talent who does not take the time to promote himself/herself.

The most important factor in being marketable to a coach does not take place on the court or field, but in the classroom. You have to keep your grades up! College coaches will not take the risk of recruiting average or poor students for two reasons. The first reason is that univer-sities have their requirements for admissions, and no matter how great a talent an athlete has, a coach cannot do anything to get them on the team if they are below the academic standards of the school. Secondly, universities invest time, energy, money and other resources to develop each athlete they select. They do not want to have to worry about an athlete

underperforming in the classroom and, therefore, being ineligible to compete. Coaches want ath-letes who have a proven record of striving as hard in the classroom as they do in their sport.

I encourage all of you to pursue your dream of paying in college. There really is nothing like it. I grew up in a small town in Tennessee, was recruit-ed on a full-ride scholarship to Michigan State University, and I now am a professional beach volleyball player with the AVP. I wouldn’t trade my college experience for the world. My hope for you, as a fellow athlete, is that you would take control of your future and do everything in your power to make your dream come true!

Brooke went to Michigan State University on a full scholarship and is now a professional volleyball player on the AVP. She has developed a company called Sports Scholarship Pro which helps student athletes and their families navigate the college recruiting game. She can be reached at [email protected]

Yo u r M u l t i - M e d i a W e b s i t e F o r T h e P e o p l e , P l a c e s a n d E v e n t s O f T h e S o u t h B a y

Civic Couch is a multimedia website, community organiza-tion and event group focusing on the South Bay and where it’s residents work, live and play.

Civic Couch is a reflection of our community and how we live. It’s the politics, social responsibility, the issues, and the fun things: dining, the shopping, the arts, local

events. We sponsor events and projects within the com-munity and try to build and foster local involvement.

Using the internet, social net-working and new media, Civic Couch eschews the tradition-al print format used by most community newspapers and newsletters. t

P E O P L EWe cover stories about the people who make up the South Bay.

P L A C E SWe inform our readers about some of the well know and secret spots across the South Bay

E V E N T SUpcoming and past, non-profit to social. Articles and pictures, we bring it to you.

E T C .Politic’s, issues, news, giv-ing back and more.

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W W W. c i v i c c o u c h . C O M

Civic Couch

In the age of cell phones, texts, instant messaging, and the continuous flow of information, it is rare that people take a moment to unplug. However meditation in its different forms, such as mental imagery,

relaxation techniques and visualization have found their way into the modern world. The ancient prac-tice, first began in India before spreading through Asia in it various techniques.

Mediation is no longer just sitting cross-legged and humming into space. Used by everyone from ath-letes to astronauts, studies are now supporting claims that the practice can help lower stress, increase athletic skills and performance and be beneficial for health.

Local meditation instructor Julie Rader began her interest in the practice at a young age.

As a teen, Julie’s mother was diagnosed with cancer and began using mediation as a healing tool along with her treatments. She watched as her mother improved and healed herself with this real life “mind-over-matter” technique.

This segued into her own practice on the playing field using visualization during her gymnastic and soc-cer career. A collegiate diving career honed this, as mental rehearsal is an integral part of the sport. Be-coming an All-American she mastered the technique. Combining this with an master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, in addition to undergraduate work in psychology and physical education, Rader continued to use the combination of mind/body techniques to excel. This piqued a further interest following an ACL injury. With the addition of yoga to her rehabilitation routine, Rader began earnestly studying the ancient Indian practice of meditation.

The Jouney of Meditation

This included study in 2002 of Kriya yoga under Swami Janakananda in Sweden. Students spent 33 days with-out speaking, writing or reading during an intense com-ponent of the training. The following year she traveled to Shanghai, China teaching yoga and learning Tai Chi. Teaching yoga in the South Bay since 2004, including fellow yoga instructors, Rader has brought meditation to the modern age with guided meditations available on iTunes in an effort to demystify the once ancient practice.

“a truly balanced person has the feet grounded on the Earth and the head floating in the clouds.”

by Elizabeth Rosenberg


Did You Know? South Bay History

LUNCH • DINNER • WEEKEND BRUNCH • COCKTAILS

food • community • culture since 1995

m e m p h i s c a f e . c o m1142 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.545.5405

happy hourhappy hourtuesday - friday 3:30pm-6:30pmtuesday - friday 3:30pm-6:30pm

Manhattan Beach PierThe Manhattan Beach Pier was built in 1920 and is a state historic landmark, as it is the oldest concrete pier on the West Coast. The pier was designed by A.L. Harris in 1916 to replace the old “Iron Pier” that blew down in the storm of 1913. There were several delays with the construction. The city trustees did not approve the plans until September of 1917. Construction was started but was then delayed because the first contractor went bankrupt, and the project was later transferred to a second contractor who finished the main pier structure after Would War I. The grand open-ing of the 928-foot-long per was finally held on July 5, 1920. However, the pavilion (i.e., the roundhouse) at the end of the pier and the bath house weren’t completed until July 4, 1922

Source: Manhattan Beach Historical Society

$35 Per AcreHermosa Beach was originally part of the ten-mile Ocean frontage of Rancho Sausal Redondo. In the year of 1900 a tract of fifteen hundred acres was purchased for $35.00 per acre from A. E. Pomroy, then owner of the greater part of Rancho Sausal Redondo. Messrs. Burbank and Baker, agents, bought this land for Sherman and Clark who organized and retained the controlling interest in the Hermosa Beach Land and Water Company.

The first official survey was made in the year 1901 for the board walk on the Strand, Hermosa Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue; work on these projects commenced soon after.

Source: Mrs. Fern Rhein, Librarian for the Hermosa Beach Branch of the Los Angeles County Public Library. 1933

Gambling and MobstersBig time gambling, complete with mobsters and shooting incidents, found its way to Redondo Beach during the De-pression. Chip games, bingo parlors, and a casino were run in full view of the law between 1936 and 1940. For a fare of 25 cents, a water-taxi would transport a visitor to the gam-bling ship Rex which operated three miles off shore.

Source: City of Redondo Beach Website


*Fonoimoana*at the door then ringing the bell and running away. I don’t know if they ever knew who was do-ing it,” he says of his siblings and himself.

Yet, he describes himself as being on his own following the death of his mother at age 19.

“There was no fund, no money, no inheritance that I got. I earned my way to college on a scholarship,” he says, having graduated from Mira Costa High and earned his education at UC Santa Barbara.

Even his nickname on the tour, “The Body” while earned through sweat and hard work was more a by-product of his drive than a desire for self-pro-motion or vanity marketing.

“I guess it’s just one of many nicknames, it just happened. My goal was to work harder than everyone else. If I was going to lose matches it wasn’t because I was out of shape. I would be losing because of mental mistakes. I would out physical you, in a long match, especially in the old days, I was going to out-work you. Towards the end of the game it would be why I beat you and why I didn’t lose,” he explains, sound-ing more like a Wooden adher-ent than the image of a flexing beach demigod.

He is the story book gold med-alist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when a top 10 team surprised everyone, except themselves, to win the Gold. But the Olympic dream almost didn’t happen, and a grueling battle, fought against the tour which favored the arguably

stronger Karch Kirarly/Adam Johnson. The qualification process was run through the FIVB, volleyball’s international governing body – and the AVP tour scheduled collided. Players were expected to attend tour events which sometimes over-lapped with the international qualifiers.

The race became tight with Kirarly’s team, a handful of

points separating second and third. A suspension was handed down on Blanton and Fonoimo-ana for attending an event,

which ended up being fought in court instead of on the courts. The process has since been changed and now AVP events no longer conflict with the qualification to the Games.

“At that time the tour was trying to dictate I guess who should represent the United States, and I guess Dain and I weren’t on that page. We followed the rules up until a point and then they wanted to change them. We had to get a lawyer. It was tough. When we broke their back they wanted to be our friends. We were on a mission

we spent two years of our life trying to be an Olympian. It was worth it.”

Subtle signs of a team about to peak were at hand, ripples on the water that fate could blow into a perfect storm. What were once 9th place finishes became a 5th, then a 3rd in the events leading up to Sydney. Freed from the pressure and politi-cal intrigue of the qualification process, Blanton and Fonoi-moana had nothing to lose, and everything to play for. It was a mental freedom that unleashed the pair.

“Dain (Blanton) and I were very strong when we had momen-tum and had,” he stops going back to Sydney, “a feeling that we were going to win. We were out in front and we smelled blood like sharks. As far as the Olympics and to go through that two year process and finally become one of the two teams. It was like a pre-Olympics ‘Can you guys handle the pressure?’ Then it was just letting the rest of the world know that we could do it again. We fought an enormous battle. In the long run it all worked out for us. I don’t like to look back though about what could have been, I like to look forward. I don’t have any ill will,” he says simply.

Many athletes found chari-ties during the height of their career, only to have the involve-ment taper off as their careers wind down. Support fades away with the cheers from the crowds. Dig 4 Kids has defied those odds though, expanding with franchises set up now in Atlanta, Orlando and most

recently Pasco, an economically challenged small city in south-central Washington state in apple country.

Founded in 2000, prior to the Olympics with the help of Hannemann, who was already heavily involved with the Boys & Girls clubs and coaching in the Carson area, it was designed that the AVP tour would take over Dig, but the tour – then under leader-ship of Leonard Armato - decided to launch its own organization “AVP Cares,” in which Fonoimoana has aided. Still, the frustration is evident. Beach volleyball has been slow to come to the giving-back table, perhaps a legacy of its freewheeling roots. While some stalwarts such as Sinjin Smith and Karch Kiraly have consistently been on the beach, working with kids and giving back, other vet-erans and current players are just getting the memo. While many coach youth indoor teams as a sideline, actual involvement on a charity level is less common.

“I give back a lot,” Fonoimoana says. “ You have to be willing to do it. It’s not a ‘You have to,’ it’s more that you have got to want to. That’s when I also developed Dig 4 Kids, all the other sports the NBA, NFL had their charities. I developed Dig 4 Kids hoping the AVP would take it over. Now it’s 12 years later. I didn’t want own-ership, I just wanted them to use it for the players to get involved. There are more players doing things now, getting involved with other foundations. Sinjin is out there always trying to develop volleyball.”

Dig, true to Fonoimoana’s me-ticulous nature, has several well-thought components. Academic support and role modeling begin with late elementary school age children. That transitions to after-school activities, beginning instruction and introduction to the sport of volleyball. Current AVP pros such as Matt Fuer-bringer and Kerri Walsh are Dig 4 Kids athletes who show up as speakers, even coaches. Walsh has a scholarship awarded in her name for both male and female student-athletes planning on pur-suing a higher education. Finan-cial support can come in the form of basic equipment, even helping the high school teams with

training apparel and gear when the $50 fee for such necessities is too much for families, to assis-tance with the fees involved for athletes pursing a more competi-tive level of the sport.

Hannemann outlines, “These are kids that when we first started and walked into the room and asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up, no one had an answer. They had no plan. Some would finally say ‘professional athlete’ because that is the only dream that they even knew. We would ask how many want to go to college, and none would raise their hand. None. It was amazing. College didn’t even occur to them, with the environ-

ment they were in, where they were from, they didn’t even think of it as an option. By the time we were finished, all of them would raise their hands about college.”

By the numbers, players advanc-ing to the club level of play have a legitimate opportunity for an athletic scholarship, especially on the Women’s side. There are more than 300 Division I Women’s In-door Volleyball programs. Sand Volleyball (the new politically correct term for beach volleyball played in non-beach locales) is also just achieved “emerging sports” status with the NCAA for the ladies. Sand volleyball nar-rowly survived an override vote

attempt on January 15th, to maintain the momentum earned post 2008 Beijing Olympics. On the men’s side, the 22 Division I programs make roster spots tougher to earn, and less oppor-tunity for developing or “project” players. The majority of success comes from the girls. But once reaching club the benefits are clear.

Competitive travel teams are coached by professional, non-parent coaches, often the very NCAA Assistant Coaches assigned recruiting duties. A seven-month travel season provides structure that would keep “at-risk” athletes focused and committed. Many local programs, including Mizuno Long Beach, are loosely affiliated

“ You have to be willing to do it. It’s not a ‘You have to,’ it’s more that

you have got to want to. ”


with Dig 4 Kids, and offer need based financial aid to cover the up to $2500 in fees a travel season can entail. Players are surrounded by like minded stu-dent-athletes, with goals, similar interests, faced with organizing days of schoolwork, practices and games during the long sea-son. It’s a recipe for success. A plan where there was none.

“We pay for the kids to play for club teams… we have had about 20 kids go play NCAA. That is what I am most proud of that some of the kids we worked with and started with who would have never played vol-leyball have gone onto play D-1 and D-2 volleyball,” Hannemann stated proudly.

But the benefits of Dig 4 Kids are not just impacting the kids and communities served by the program. Its own founder finds himself stunned, some-times at a loss to describe how it pulls back at him, pushing him perhaps even more than he realizes. It is a window that has been opened. Hannemann commented on the crack, the glimpse into a very private per-son that identifies much deeper with his foundation than most would even guess.

“This bridges the gap between the kids who have nothing. It gives the kids something to be-lieve in. [Fonoimoana] started crying when Carson beat Mira Costa…. It hit him. I’m shocked how much, I was taken aback.”

Eric himself isn’t prepared to answer questions about that day. He pauses and looks some-where else, and the question takes him to the moment. He

becomes visibly emotional and the words are not coming as easily, “it is something that we built, that we did…”

The weight of it, the charity he founded, a respectful nod from a son to his parents who were gone before they could see any of it… kids with a shared heri-tage, kids who don’t have much, who just battled against a supe-rior opponent. Who should not have been able to compete, to rise above their own ability level at that one moment. His eyes are far away, choked up with emotion and so much of his own life, what he sees in himself, what he has given back in the charity of himself and pushed the battles…. It’s all there and the words fail and can’t express the pride, the emotion, every-thing that those kids fighting that battle meant to a Gold Medalist.

“They challenged them. It was just interesting they were so excited,” he begins, sound-ing like an outsider, almost clinical or curious, but then he pauses… and looks away. “How excited I was…” pausing again, and his eyes tear up. “Because…because they came from us. We taught them how to play the game. They wanted it. They wanted to play Costa, and they, they were so excited they chal-lenged them. The coach talked how it was great to see the game from our help, to come from inner city to compete. What that meant,” he stops and takes a deep breath regaining his composure. “Stories like that, like one I read in the L.A. Times about a team of inner-city kids that went on to win a

championship. I think it was, I can’t remember. I like those sto-ries.” He ends simply, stopping again, pausing to wipe his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Dig 4 Kids gives real, tangible hope, opportunity to kids in the community. Collegiate ath-letes are born from kids, who would have never picked up a volleyball. Kids termed at-risk become scholars, students and begin planning for a real life that includes college, but more importantly they begin to plan…period. It’s the small piece of himself that The Strate-gist can give.

“I have always been guarded. I don’t know why. I was on a mission. I didn’t really let a whole lot of people stop me from doing what I wanted to do. That was the most selfish thing I would do is that no one would get in my way. I had a goal, but I also lost a lot of friendships try-ing to maintain that goal. I will give them some of my time and enjoy it with them. But I was also driven to win. Driven to fin-ish my goals and achieve them. I think it’s already set in stone. I can turn it off and more open with others. I think that being strategic and being a strate-gist… I guess I am always trying to figure you out.

“The balance is toughest. Trying to win on all fronts is not an easy task. It’s good to have it as a goal. Because anything is pos-sible. Really. It’s what we believe and teach. That is what a dream is all about.”

Gettin It Done

Lindsay Weems, 32, is a lifelong South Bay resident, at-tended Mira Costa and worked at popular spots San-gria and Uncle Bills Pancake House. Nagging symp-toms led her to her doctor, who initially diagnosed

Weems with a benign tumor, and a surgery was scheduled. A gregarious, outgoing young woman with an ear to ear grin approached the day with an attitude of “gettin it done”. That motto didn’t change with her diagnosis, that she was one of the 21,550 U.S. women who were diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2009, caught in the secondary stages.

Friends and family responded instantly. A supportive cam-paign, titled “Gettin It Done” included fundraising, a website and clothing emblazoned with the logo. But instead of a somber campaign, those closest to her rallied in signature style with a beach flair and South Bay attitude. In lieu of staid fundraisers, Weems and her close friends jumped behind the bar at Sharkeez Hermosa Beach for a Guest Bartending night. Alie Baldocchi, Allyn Leoff and Sara Harty organized a party and raffle at Sangria, with local band Sand Section and a reunion show from Slackstring.

“The night was crazy, it was overwhelming the people who show up to support you. It is definitely a reflection of where we live,” said Weems. Support was widespread with everyone from local businesses, restaurants, spas, donating to even one of the oldest events in the South Bay, the 52nd Annual Labor Day Volley Ball Tournament stepped up with a large donation.

“The Labor Day foundation was proud to support Lindsay and her battle with cancer. We are rallying around one of our own in her time of need and we are just happy to sup-port and will be there with her every step of the way” Steve Napolitano, President of the LD Foundation, the non-profit fund stemming from the Labor Day Volleyball Tournament. The Foundation presented a check for more than $2,700 to the “Gettin It Done” campaign at the Sangria Fundraiser.

One of the bigger challenges for Weems on a personal level was learning to accept the help and support of others. She had been one of the organizers of a similar benefit for one of

her own girlfriends facing lymphoma – and now it was her turn to be on the receiving end.

“I just think that the support of the com-munity made such a difference. It was a community effort so quick, it was over whelming, all the the love and support. Everything at the auction was donated – its overwhelming when it happens for you – its hard to accept things from people, I had to learn. The amount of people that came through and the response, it was crazy. It’s really a reflection of the community.”

Weems, now employed in the insurance industry, completed her chemotherapy following her surgery and is in her follow-treatment stages with the same positive attitude and some advice for other young people.

“Listen to your body, if something is off, don’t ignore it. Don’t put it off, especially if you are a female. I just stayed positive. All you can do is ac-cept what has happened and make the best of every day. Don’t let it get the best of you and surround yourself with good people. You can’t do it alone.”

THE RONNIE LIPPIN CANCER INFORMATION AND RESOURCE LINE IS A FREE COMMUNITY SERVICE AT TOWER CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (TCRF). THEY PROVIDE CURRENT CANCER RELATED INFORMATION AND RESOURCE REFERRALS TO ADDRESS THE EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH A CAN-CER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. THEY ARE TRAINED TO ASSESS NEEDS, CLARIFY CONCERNS AND DISCUSS OPTIONS TO HELP CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS.THEY HELP WITH MANAGING THE CHAL-LENGES AND COMPLEXITIES OF A CANCER DIAGNOSIS THROUGH ALL ASPECTS OF THE CANCER EXPERIENCE. THEIR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FREE TO RESIDENTS OF L.A. COUNTY. FOR MORE INFO CALL (877) 752-2120

by Valerie Buck

*Jimmy Miller Foundation*expanded and grew organically from people who knew people and people who knew people.”

Aiding the Millers was a member of their extended family, who fearlessly charged into the moun-tain of red tape that any program involving the intricacies pre-sented by being on base, working with wounded and recovering active duty soldiers and the sheer nature of the armed forces. “The reason why it went through was the persistence and support of Steve Chabre. Without him this wouldn’t have happened,” cited Jeff Miller. “The Foundation was looking to give a lending hand and were not looking for a grant or funds to support this program from the government . This is done by the Foundation at no

who are injured. They would rather be in Afghanistan and Iraq and helping their unit. They are now in this rehab pro-gram, and they spend the day in therapies, talking to people and physical therapy. Surfing is a new skill for them, and surf-ing by itself is something that everyone wants to do, whether you’re from Ohio or from Cali-fornia and maybe they thought they would never have the opportunity. They are here now, they live on the beach, and they never thought to try to surf because they never had the resources, the tools or the push, and that’s what we are. Accom-plishing something as challeng-ing as surfing allows them to accomplish other things in their life.”

However the military is taking strides to combat this threat, and the JMMF’s continuation and expansion of its program at Pendleton is showing the posi-tive impact and changes that are at hand. The Marines are tak-ing to the water, living on the doorstep of a prime surfing spot that is completely closed to the public. Their training as soldiers makes them natural students. Marines comes from all over the country, but the idea of surfing in the waters of Southern Califor-nia becomes something that a young soldier from the Midwest can take away from his time in the service, an opportunity most never dreamed their tour would provide.

“In general adults are the worst

cost to the military, the troops, or the taxpayers,” explained Miller, “We are down in Camp Pendleton, its two hours away and we have great people who will drive down and help like Jeff “Peff” Eick (walk of fame for local surfing legend also former military and he is amazing with the guys) , but there are a few friends of Jim who are from the South Bay who live near Camp Pendleton, who are the absolute stalwarts of the Wound-ed Warrior Program Ty Cukr, Ian O’keefe. Without volunteers this program doesn’t happen. You can have all the connections and goodwill in the world, but without volunteers it just doesn’t work” he continued on.

“These are active duty soldiers

The mental challenges facing the troops returning from some of the longest deployments in armed forces history are only be-ginning to be documented. But the statistics are already sober-ing. Both the Army and Marine Corp are seeing suicide rates climbing to roughly twice that of the civilian population. Consider ing that members of the Marine Corp are screened prior to enlist-ment and in the prime of their lives it’s a shocking reminder that the casualties of war do not stop once the combat zone has been left behind. Estimates place the number of troops suf-fering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at approximate-ly 1 in 8.

students on earth. But the Ma rines they follow directions very well.”

“The group we work with is the Wounded Warrior Battalion. We have had guys with more shrapnel in their legs than bones, helmets to protect a head injury, physical limi-tations like one leg is now shorter, and pain. I know for my dad there is an amazing con-nection, his dad was lifetime mili-tary, they traveled base to base. There is that historical connection. As a family we feel kinship with anyone going through a hard time. A lot of those guys have lost brothers (not family members, but guys in their unit).”

“In general adults are the worst students on earth.But the MARINES they follow directions very well.”


“

“We have seen some of the guys like 8-10 times. Some are now surfing by themselves and ripping. The idea has always een to have an ongoing program. We had an injured marine, wounded in a mortar at-tack, unable to sleep more than 3-4 hours a night. He came with us, surfed, stayed out all day in the water, said that night was the best night of sleep he had in ages. We do that…we talk to the guys to think about the best waves they had at night before they sleep. They visualize the best rides and waves of the day, and it really helps them rest. “This is what I need, I don’t need to talk to another therapist, this is what I need” one marine told Carly, that was just sitting in the ocean. They start talking and it really is amazing”

“One thing I always try to stress is that it’s awesome for the participants, but it’s more fun for the volun-


Information on the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation can be found at www. jimmymillerfoundation.org


L O C A L

GEARCool stuff we found around the South Bay for the Mind, Body and Spirt

B KALYX Sports Bra KALYX Sports Bras & Apparel are created for women, by women. Our design team understands how a woman’s body moves and how her clothes should fit. We place a heavy emphasis on creating fashionable, feminine and flattering apparel using the highest quality materials. KALYX products were created just for you - the beautiful, sporty, sexy, strong, and stylish woman that you are. www.gokalyx.com/

C TRX Pro PackThe TRX from Fitness Anywhere is a bodyweight-based fitness tool originally conceived in Navy SEAL teams and delivers full-body workout capability within a single, lightweight and portable station that can be used at home, the gym, and even outdoors. The Pro Pack includes a TRX System, door anchor accessory, 65-miinute intro DVD, training manual with 36 exercise progressions, bonus workouts and a carry bag – everything needed to im-prove your fitness for $189.95. www.fitnessanywhere.com/

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A Dream CapsuleThe Dream Capsule is an interac-tive fashion accessory which en-ables the end user to write down their goals and dreams, insert them into the Dream Capsule and wear their dreams on a daily basis as either a necklace or other fash-ion accessory all in conjunction with supporting numerous worthy causes. www.dreamcapsule.org

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E M-TRAIN Personal Fitness M-TRAIN, an innovative new ap-plication designed to give the user the freedom to workout with a personal trainer anywhere and at anytime. The app. offers pre-designed workouts or the user can combine exercises to create their own workout. No matter who you are, regardless of your fitness level, age or gender, M-TRAIN offers everyone a satisfy-ing and results-oriented workout just as you would achieve from an in-person session with one of the M-TRAIN trainers. M-TRAIN is now available for $1.99 on the iTunes App Store by searching “M-TRAIN” at www.itunes.com/appstore/

D Monoi Tiki OilMonoi De Tahiti products are tra-ditionally used to heal, soften and impart glowing skin and lustrous hair. Based on traditional recipes used for more than 2,000 years in Polynesian culture, this Monoi (pronounced Mah-noy) meaning “scented oil” range is made from Tiare (Tahitian) Gardenia blossoms soaked in natural coconut oil. We found it at Mind Body Manhattan 310.376.0107

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F Asics Gel 2150 We visited Jeff over at Village Run-ner to see what the most popular running shoe was. He led us to the Asics Gel. The shoe is suitable for a range of runners, from mild to moderate over-pronators, and provides a stable platform, a cush-ioned ride and exceptional fit.

Try them on at Village Runner. MB: 310.546.1888 or RB: 310.375.2626

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Gene SmithAge: 49

Years in South Bay resi-dence: 15

Family: wife Pam, daughters: Brooke and Gabby

Employer: UPI Marketing, Inc.

Position: President / CEO

Hobbies: Family Time, SUP Pad-dling, Music, Hockey & Skiing

Proudest achievement?: My Wife & Two Daughters

Longest distance paddled?: 115 Miles (Relay w/Laird), 28 Miles Solo

How did you get the nick-name “Tarzan”?: The ocean racing paddling community gave it to me during a Joe Bark paddle event in which the MC continu-ally tagged me Gene “Tarzan” Smith after the old Hawaiian surf legend ( Gene “Tarzan” Smith an original Greg Knoll/Laird Hamilton “old school” waterman famous in the 50’s) and of course the long hair and physique, so it stuck with everyone in the pad-dling community.

Best thing about living in the South Bay?: The general great attitude of the locals and the amazing weather and water.

Favorite cause?: Too many to list - just want to “Make a Differ-ence” wherever I can.

Gene’s company, UPI Marketing, has raised $84,250.00 for various causes includng: Hockey Fights Cancer, NHLPA Goals & Dreams and The Biggest Assist Happens Off the Ice

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