Award Winners

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Beach City’s health district can always count on Margaret Maxwell as a campus greeter, front desk volunteer, errand volunteer, and member of the Volunteer Advisory Council. Accountability seems like an understatement to explain Margaret’s efforts to strengthen the foundation of the district. Margaret is a caring and extremely reliable soul who is always willing to take the extra step in her work. She puts maximum effort into all of her roles and does not let a single task go unnoticed.
I learn something new every day that I volunteer. When I’m at Prospect, I really enjoy the conversations — just the random conversations you have with people who come in. As an errand volunteer I just really love the couple that I was assigned to. As a front desk volunteer I just feel like it’s nice to contribute behind the scenes because I do know the great work that you guys do, and so it’s nice to be able to contribute when I don’t have a background in healthcare or communications or social work.

Margaret, congratulations for winning the accountability core value award. We really can’t thank you enough for all the support you’ve given to BCHD over the past 2 years in multiple volunteer roles. You put 100% of effort in all the projects that you do for the district. Your care for the community truly shows in everything you do. Congratulations, Margaret.

Congratulations, Margaret! You’re such an outstanding volunteer using so many of your talents in various roles here at the district. Thank you for helping us make a healthy Beach Community.
Margaret, congratulations on winning the accountability core value award. Thank you for all your help over at the campus — a lot happening over there with allcove and directing people, really appreciate your help there. Thank you for the work that you’ve done with the errand volunteers and helping out our older adults. Really appreciate everything you’ve done for the district and congratulations on your award. [Music]

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Over the years, Julie Henderson has held a variety of volunteer positions with Beach Cities Health District. Today she serves as an errand volunteer, where she strives to help her clients any way she can. She’s extremely hardworking and she cares for each and every one of her clients on a personal level. Julie takes pride in being a true problem solver and represents Beach Cities Health District’s ideology of Forward Thinking.

I really like volunteering with Beach Cities because of the people. I’ve been matched with just awesome volunteer clients, several that became just true friends. Winning this award, I feel really touched. I feel appreciated. I didn’t feel like I needed to be acknowledged, but it feels really good. It gives me the warm fuzzies, and I really appreciate it.

Julie, congratulations on your Core Value award for Compassion. I and the Community Services team, we are so grateful for all that you do as an errand volunteer. Not only are you a super dedicated and compassionate errand volunteer for your own client, you also are always eager and willing to sub in when another client is in need. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

Julie, congratulations on winning the Compassion volunteer award for your work with errand volunteers. That’s something that I did during the pandemic and I understand everything that goes into that, and thank you for your compassion and really helping out the district. Congratulations on your award.

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With more than 2,000 hours of volunteer service under his belt, Toshi Takehara is nothing shy of an angel — a garden angel, if you will. By planting, growing, and harvesting crops year-round, Toshi demonstrates his dedication to a healthy lifestyle. Toshi’s excellence shines through in his work in the gardens. He volunteers 12 shifts a month — six times more than the requested amount. Even when he’s on his own time traveling, he’s always looking for ways to improve his gardening methods and his materials. While in Japan, Toshi discovered a new way to trellis vines, which he hopes to implement in his own garden. Toshi’s tireless efforts and willingness to complete any task, even ones no one else wants to do, makes him a true model to emulate. Beach Cities Health District’s gardens would not glow the same way without Toshi’s attention to detail and commitment to his craft.

Toshi, congratulations on your award for excellence. You really deserve it. In all the years that I’ve been here you have been the one garden angel that shows up for each and every single garden shift unless you’re sick or out of town. You really make a difference in the gardens and thank you for all of your hard work.

Toshi, congratulations on winning the Excellence Core Value Award for volunteers. I’ve seen you at lots of events. I’ve seen you out in the gardens. That’s a labor love out there and really important for all the work that we do in the school districts. So thank you, Toshi, and congratulations on the Excellence Core Value Award.

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Margaret, congratulations for winning the accountability core value award. We really can’t thank you enough for all the support you’ve given to BCHD over the past 2 years in multiple volunteer roles. You put 100% of effort in all the projects that you do for the district. Your care for the community truly shows in everything you do. Congratulations, Margaret.

Congratulations, Margaret! You’re such an outstanding volunteer using so many of your talents in various roles here at the district. Thank you for helping us make a healthy Beach Community.
Margaret, congratulations on winning the accountability core value award. Thank you for all your help over at the campus — a lot happening over there with allcove and directing people, really appreciate your help there. Thank you for the work that you’ve done with the errand volunteers and helping out our older adults. Really appreciate everything you’ve done for the district and congratulations on your award. [Music]

Ana Horga consistently goes above and beyond to spread love and compassion. Her kindness and patience make each person she works with feel welcomed and safe. As a BCHD conversation companion, Ana spends time playing cards with her client, Roger. Through multiple sessions spent strategizing, laughing, and competing against each other, the two have developed a strong connection over Crazy Eights and Casino.

Being recognized with this award makes me feel seen and my efforts and my contributions recognized. But more importantly, it actually allows me to teach a lesson to my kids — you know, like always look for opportunities to do good, give sometimes more than you take, and try not to always expect something in return.

Congratulations, Ana, on your award for the Core Value of Integrity. We so appreciate all that you do for the Community Services Department and Care Management program, and in particular the role that you play as conversation companion with one of our clients. I know he really values all that you bring to him and the conversation and games that you play together. Thank you!
Congratulations, Ana, on the Integrity Core Value award, and thank you for all your help with being a conversation companion. That’s an invaluable service to older adults, especially during the pandemic and after the pandemic so they don’t feel isolated and lonely. Thank you very much, and congratulations on the Integrity award.

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Mona Cho exemplifies what it means to be a high achiever. Mona is a leader in the movement for mental health advocacy. She utilizes her public speaking skills to address critical health concerns and uplift youth voices in our Beach Community. She’s spoken at an array of youth events, including the South Bay Leadership and Wellness Conference hosted by allcove and at various board meetings. Mona’s determination, courage, and hardworking spirit carried her all the way to the White House. She was recognized by the First Lady, Jill Biden, for her push for online safety during the Girls Leading Change event last October.
During lockdown, I really fell into a cycle of, like, isolation and being by myself because we had to stay inside. That really sent me into a spiral of feelings of depression and anxiety. Realizing that this was a universal experience made me really determined to do something about it in my community, which is why I volunteer. I really want to help promote teen mental well-being and I want to help others navigate these kinds of mental health challenges so that they don’t feel alone like I once did.
Congratulations, Mona, on receiving the Youth award. This is a testament to your positivity, willingness to help, and unwavering dedication to making a meaningful change in your community. You approach every challenge with a positive attitude and readiness to lend a helping hand, and all your contributions are greatly appreciated in our organization and community.
We’re so incredibly proud of you, Mona, and we can’t wait to see all the wonderful things you’re going to accomplish in the future. Keep shining and making a difference.

Mona, congratulations on winning the Youth Volunteer award. As I’ve said before, my 25-year-old son thanks you, too, for making us and me kind of cool — he would say “kinda.” And thank you for all the work that you’ve done nationally. You’ve put Beach Cities Health District and Redondo on the map with the work that you’ve done in Washington. So thank you, Mona, for being a part of our team and congratulations on the Youth award.

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