A Celebration of Art

This past Saturday night, on February 22, Hillsides threw its Annual Gala, “A Celebration of Art” at the iconic Langham Huntington, Pasadena.   This extraordinary evening was very successful, raising over $450,000 for our programs and services.

During the evening, 375 guests were treated to fine dining, entertainment, dancing, and a chance to bid on a wide array of items.  Unique to this gala, and in honor of its theme, we auctioned more than a dozen art works, including ones by noted New York artist Paul Gerben as well as by several local talented artists.  The gala also recognized that at heart, Hillsides is an artist as we work to transform children’s pain and trauma into hope and healing.

The evening would not have been successful without the tremendous efforts of the gala chair, Susan Pinsky.   We are most appreciative of her hard work and support, and that of her entire committee.   Also lending support was her husband, Dr. Drew Pinsky, who spoke during the evening and reminded the attendees of Hillsides’ mission to create lasting change in the lives of children and families.

I also want to thank Fritz Coleman, our emcee of the live auction, who helped us raise almost $70,000 on that one portion of the evening.   And I would not want to leave out our talented and tireless director of development, Carrie Espinoza, the entire Advancement Service staff, the legion of volunteers, and the many sponsors who made this gala possible.    A round of applause to all of you.

What follows is a video we presented at the event .  It was truly wonderful to see all of you who attended, and for those who couldn’t, we hope to see you at next year’s gala and you can still make an impact by making a gift.

Excited for music

The other day while visiting the playing field I was introduced to a resident I had not met before. He was understandably shy but welcomed the opportunity to greet me. He was holding a blank piece of paper and I asked what it was for. He explained that it was for a project he was doing and did not seem eager to offer any details. A while later while I was talking to a member of our recreation staff, the same resident approached me this time with some lyrics on the paper, explaining his excitement about recording these lyrics to some music he had selected. The staff member encouraged him and shared with him the details of the upcoming recording session. He lit up at the thought of being able to record his lyrics to music.

I can’t wait to hear what will come of the recording session. A shy, seemingly vulnerable boy finally gets a chance to express himself…priceless. Of course, all this has little to do with the final product, but rather the importance of the experience itself.  More than anything else, it is essential for him to know that he can say what he thinks and feels, his voice will be heard and respected, and what he has to say is important. For youngsters, whose sense of worth has been compromised by indifference if not neglect, an opportunity to express themselves can be transformational.

The arts program at Hillsides provides a special way that our residents can express what they feel in their hearts and have on their minds without necessarily conforming to the usual norms governing either an instructional or clinical session. It is a way to tap into their creative energy and to learn the joy and pleasure of being spontaneous and enthusiastic while revealing an important sense of who they are.

What is offered through the expressive art program is indeed therapeutic. In tandem with the clinical and educational staff, our art and recreational specialists support the overall goal of ameliorating the trauma experienced by children. The staff restore children to a sense of well-being essential for their reunification with family and community.

Integrating expressive arts to augment traditional therapies has become an indispensable part of services offered at Hillsides. At the upcoming gala, this program will be featured with the hope of generating much-needed funding to sustain it.

If you have not yet secured a ticket to this wonderful event, please contact Carrie Espinoza, director of development, at 323-543-2800, ext. 121 and make arrangements to support the many initiatives at Hillsides to create lasting change for all we serve.

The impact of art

The art studio at Hillsides is a well used space alongside the recreation center that is showing its age, having endured paint splatters, ceramic drippings, and silkscreen wax droppings for quite some time now. The worn and tired studio is nevertheless a hub of wonderful activity.

Recently, I was walking by the art studio and was drawn in by the sound of singing. As I entered the room, residents were engaged with their respective projects while singing along with the pied piper of the group, Kim Ha, the director of the art program. Kim was strumming his guitar singing a well-known pop song while residents and staff sang along moving to the beat. It was a joyous experience, one that Kim describes as transformative, helping these children to put aside their cares and enjoy the moment, happy and carefree.

Kim explains that the goal of introducing music to the art sessions is to promote creativity and fun while giving the children an opportunity to become ever more comfortable with expressing themselves. For our residents, who often are at a loss to describe the traumas they have experienced let alone the feelings they have, art and music are indispensable ways to share what is going on in their heart and mind.

The work being done in the art studio is an important part of the therapeutic experience offered at Hillsides. In an effort to be supportive of this important activity, this year’s gala committee, led by our board member, Susan Pinsky, chose the theme, “A Celebration of Art.” This annual dinner and dance gala will feature art from local artists, among other items, and emphasize its important place in the array of services that we provide.  

Join us at this wonderful celebration and in doing so lend your support to sustain this indispensable activity for our residents. Your support will allow us to strengthen the capacity of the art program by giving the children we serve a wonderful way to express themselves and discover the “art” of living happily free from pain and trauma.

Tickets are $300 and can be purchased online. To learn more about the gala, contact CarrieEspinoza, Director of Development, at 323-543-2800, 121. Come together with neighbors and friend as we commit to creating lasting change for all those we serve. 

Back to the Earth

Having grown up in New England, when I first moved to California I missed the changing of the seasons. However, after fifteen years in the Golden State, I’ve become accustomed to the subtle changes that mark the seasons, noticing the movement from cold and rainy season to the invigorating air of spring that brings with it the aromas of new life budding. There is something therapeutic about the rhythm of the seasons and it is important to utilize this natural movement in addressing the needs of the children and youth we serve.

This past week a handful of our residents, led by Art Director Kim Ha and staff, accompanied by wonderful volunteers from our H100 group, joined forces with the Armory Center for theArts to build the FARMory, an educational garden. They cleared a vacant lot in Pasadena to begin the process of transforming it from a derelict parcel to an urban garden that will provide fruits, vegetables and flowers. What a great exercise to celebrate the beginning of spring, filling all involved with the hope of seeing their efforts yield much benefit.

This is such an important activity for those we serve. Often consumed by their own hurts, they fail to appreciate what they can do to make a difference. Preoccupied with concerns that are burdensome, this activity offers the kind of distraction that allows these young people to learn how they can channel their energy to transform what was abandoned. Surrounded by extraordinarily generous and selfless people, they learn, by their example, that they are part of a community that values them.

Springtime is about transformation and this wonderful opportunity was indeed transformative for all involved. Their efforts will bring about new life. The results will far exceed the harvest of this once abandoned parcel of land.

For many of us, this week is a time of religious celebrations recalling our own efforts to be transformed in heart and spirit to lead fuller lives. In our own way at Hillsides, we join with all who cherish this great season of new birth, confident that our many efforts to transform the lives of those we serve will lead to a new life for them filled with hope.

Happy Easter and a Blessed Passover!

Lunchtime Concerts in the Library

As I approached our library at noon I was drawn into the building by the sound of a classical cello piece echoing in the foyer. I walked into the library and found David Lockington, a guest conductor and accomplished cellist with the Pasadena Symphony, performing for an uncharacteristically silent and awed assembly of our students. My vantage point in the room allowed me to see not only the performance, but also the expressions on the students’ faces as they followed his gestures and felt the music resonate within them. For kids more familiar with rap, their ability to never-the-less appreciate and be moved by a classical cello performance was edifying.

Like many of you, I have fond memories of strolling around a great city at mid-day, delighted by an impromptu concert. This performance was especially gratifying because it not only delighted our residents, but it was offered by an artist who himself is the father of four adopted children.  David: someone who knows so well the challenges that our residents experience; someone who knows the power of music not only to transport the spirit, but also to transform the heart. What a powerful gift David offered us with this wonderful performance!

At one point he addressed the kids and asked them to feel the power of the music to touch them. With these comments he reinforced for the assembly something they may have already known--that music can be therapeutic and healing. I am convinced for all of us there that the opportunity to break from our routines and delight in such a great performance was indeed therapeutic.

Once again, I share this with you not only to thank David and others who have brought us these extraordinary mid-day concerts, but to remind all of us that there is so much that can be done even in the midst of fiscal constraints and public policy challenges to make a difference in the lives of the children and families we serve. Let us resolve not to be overwhelmed by the challenges, but rather resourceful in achieving our mission.

How else will we be able to continue our efforts if not because of the generous support that we receive from so many volunteers that share their time, talent and resources to help us?

To one and all, thank you. What a great way to start the New Year!