Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 16, 2015

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AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain View News Saturday, May 16, 2015


“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt

ELLEN (“LENNY”) 
DUNNE AND 
MARCELLA LEACH:

Two Mothers Who Never Gave up

This past Mother’s Day LaWanda 
Hawkins, (Justice for Murdered 
Children) posted about Marcella Leach, 
a mother who never stopped fighting for 
Justice for Homicide Victims and how 
greatly missed she is. (Marcella passed away on March 16 at age 85)

 I have had glaucoma surgery and still have blurry vision, so I 
have not been able to write very much or drive distances. I even 
missed Justice for Homicide Victims 31st Annual Memorial in 
April at Rose Hills, but La Wanda’s post reminded me of “Lenny” 
and Marcella-their stories MUST be retold not only because of 
their great accomplishments, but also because today people are 
still being killed and devastated families deal with unimaginable, 
painful loss the rest of their lives. 

 A little more than thirty-one years ago, “Lenny” (Ellen Griffin 
Dunne) called Marcella Leach on the phone, “You don’t know me, 
but we have something terrible in common”.

 The Dunne family’s “terrible” tragedy was their beautiful 
daughter, aspiring actress Dominique was brutally murdered by 
her former boyfriend, John Sweeney. She had tried to break up 
with him on two occasions, but he murdered her on November 
4, 1982. Because the jury was not allowed to hear testimony of 
physical abuse by Sweeney’s former girlfriend, he was convicted of 
manslaughter and served three years in prison!

 A year later, Marcella Nicholas Leach experienced the same 
tragedy. On November 30, 1983, her daughter Marsalee Ann 
Nicholas was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who was stalking 
her. Marcella suffered the trauma of violent victimization by the 
criminal justice system. A week after the funeral, Marcella met 
the murderer coming out of the market! He had been released on 
$50,000 bail and lived only two blocks from her. It would be two 
years before he went to trial!

 This is why “Justice for Homicide Victims Foundation” (JHV) 
began. Last year marked its 30th Anniversary and they honored 
the two founders, Lenny and Marcella. Lenny had passed away in 
1997, but her two sons, Griffin and Alex, were there. They spoke of 
their brave mom who had MS and was confined to a wheelchair-but 
she was a fighter for justice. Although shy, Lenny went to countless 
meetings and spoke tirelessly to bring justice to the victims. 

At last year’s Memorial, I also was honored to meet 
personally meet Marcella. All these years this now-frail woman 
had also worked tirelessly for justice. She and her son Dr. Henry 
Nicholas fought for “Marsy’s Law”- California’s “Bill of Rights” for 
murdered victims. Marcella had tears in her eyes when introduced 
and thanked everyone for their love, hard work and support. 

 At the ceremony, Jane and Bill Bouffard, current Presidents of 
JHV traced its history and spoke of its many accomplishments. 
They also presented Star News Editor Frank Girardot with a 
gavel. (Frank has written series about unsolved murders and is on 
the board of JHV.) At the yearly Memorial, there are hundreds 
of posters/pictures of many victims of all ages from all walks of 
life. It’s heart-wrenching to see young children’s photos and meet 
parents who never get over burying their child. Jeannette Chavez’ 
daughter Samantha Salas was brutally murdered a few blocks from 
my house, and the crime has been solved. However Jeannette is still 
very involved with JHV to help others.

 Two remarkable mothers- “Lenny” (Ellen Griffin Dunne) 
and Marcella Leach-may we never forget you. There were many 
obstacles along the way, but you never gave up. No mother would. 
God bless you and may JHV (Justice for Homicide Victims and 
Marsy’s Law continue to help people deal with their great losses. 
Please visit www.justiceforhomicidevictims.com to learn more.

“WATER IS LIFE” 

K-12 STUDENT ART CONTEST

Foothill Municipal Water District (Foothill) has recently concluded its 4th 
annual “Water Is Life” student art competition. The contest was open to all 
students, in grades K-12, attending a school located within the service area 
of a member water agency that Foothill serves.

 The District received 123 total entries this year and the top 15 entries 
will be submitted to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 
(MWD) for further consideration to be included in the 2016 “Water Is Life” 
student art calendar. Winners will be selected in the fall and honored at 
a student art exhibit and recognition event sponsored by MWD. Criteria 
for judging the art pieces consisted of addressing the theme of the contest, 
originality of the piece and slogan, and degree of visual and word clarity.

 The top 6 entries will receive further recognition through an FMWD 
Board of Directors Meeting on May 18, 2015 where students will receive 
prizes including gift certificates from fellow sponsors Los Gringos Locos 
Restaurant and The Flintridge Proper Restaurant.

The top 6 entries are as follows:

1st Place – Ariana Keshishian, 8th Grade, Rosemont Middle School

2nd Place – Kaitlyn Yun, 3rd Grade, Elite Art School

3rd Place – Yoona Lee, 7th Grade, Rosemont Middle School

Honorable Mention – Mia Hakian, 6th Grade, 

Crestview Preparatory School

Honorable Mention – Lori Jang, 5th Grade,

 Crestview Preparatory School

Honorable Mention – Veronica Habashy, 5th Grade, 

Crestview Preparatory School

Foothill Municipal Water District provides imported water to Crescenta Valley 
Water District, La Cañada Irrigation District, Mesa Crest Water Company, 
Valley Water Company, Lincoln Avenue Water Company, Las Flores Water 
Company and Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association. Kinneloa Irrigation 
District, another retail agency, takes no water from Foothill.


REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 
YWCA PASADENA 2015 GIRLS 
EMPOWERMENT SUMMER CAMP

UNION STATION HOMELESS 
SERVICES RAISES A RECORD-
BREAKING $460,000 WITH A 
NIGHT OF ENTERTAINMENT

Pasadena, CA – On Saturday, May 9 Hollywood came 
to Pasadena as Union Station Homeless Services took 
a new spin on its annual A PLACE TO CALL HOME 
benefit gala. The nonprofit hosted a “Tonight Show” 
themed evening of entertainment, comedy, music, 
and fun for all with a great cause.

Master of Ceremonies Gildart Jackson (The Young 
and the Restless, General Hospital), played the late-
night talk show host for the night’s program, with 
actor and producer Blake Adams Bailey as the show’s 
announcer. One-on-one interviews were conducted 
with the honorees, as well as a formerly homeless 
individual who found a place to call home through the 
work of Union Station. The evening’s entertainment 
included musical guest Melora Hardin (The Office, 
Transparent), who performed an original song with 
Byron Miller and the Psycho Bass Band, the official 
house band for the night.

Over 400 guests, businesses and community leaders 
walked the red carpet at the Langham Huntington in 
Pasadena while posing for photos and enjoying a wine 
reception, hosted by Rob and Leslie Levy (owners of 
The Raymond), as they bid on silent auction items. 
Congresswoman Judy Chu and representatives from 
the office of Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich 
were among the many supporters attending this 
year’s gala. The event honored the contributions of 
Charlie & Rene Chiara and Jim & Tina Hart, long-
time supporters and distinguished members of the 
entertainment industry who have used their talents 
to benefit the organization. 

 “We were thrilled with the turnout for this event as 
we honored the Harts and Chiaras”, says Marv Gross, 
CEO of Union Station Homeless Services. “It was 
our most successful ever. Gildart Jackson, Melora 
Hardin, Blake Bailey and the Psycho Bass Band were 
exceptional in adding so much entertainment and 
fun to a great evening.”

Over $460,000 was raised to continue the programs 
provided by Union Station Homeless Services to help 
homeless men, women and children rebuild their 
lives and end homelessness in the community. As the 
San Gabriel Valley’s largest homeless service agency, 
Union Station is part of a premier group of nonprofit 
agencies in Los Angeles County that are leading the 
way to ending homelessness in our region.


(May 8, 2015) From June 29th, 2015 to 
August 7th, 2015, the YWCA Pasadena-
Foothill Valley will host its Girls 
Empowerment Summer Camp. This 
one-of-a-kind program will be based at 
the YWCA Pasadena offices, located at 
1015 N. Lake Ave, Suite 205, Pasadena, 
CA 91104. This course encourages girls 
to seek new experiences, builds self-
esteem and new friendships, explores 
new ideas, develops fresh skills, and 
empowers girls to dream big!

 This unique Summer Camp celebrates 
the diversity and spirit of the girls in our 
community and seeks to give them the 
tools to achieve their goals, as well as 
expose them to people and places they 
may have never experienced before. 
Participants will have the opportunity 
to explore higher education with tours 
to CalTech, Cal Poly Pomona, Pasadena 
City College, Le Cordon Bleu, and 
more. Camp participants will also be 
able to visit several places of business 
and speak with female leaders in 
various industries, as we show the girls 
the many career opportunities available 
and the paths they can take to get there. 

 At our offices on Lake Avenue, the 
girls will have the opportunity to 
have workshops from guest speakers 
including two of the writers from Bob’s 
Burgers, make Crafts, make their own 
artwork with Artist Hope Demetriades, 
conduct Science Experiments with 
visitors from Caltech, engage in 
financial literacy workshops, learn 
Martial Arts and much more. They 
will also have time to relax, play board 
games, watch movies and build new 
friendships in our recently redesigned 
Just For Girls and all purpose rooms.

 The YWCA Pasadena has also 
partnered with the Huntington Library 
and Gardens to bring the girls into the 
Huntington every Friday to explore 
plant science, take harvest-to-table 
cooking lessons, learn to garden, and 
more outdoor fun! High school aged 
participants will also have the chance 
to participate in their Junior Docent 
program, where they will learn about 
a piece of artwork in the Huntington 
Library’s collection and complete a 
presentation to their peers and parents 
about what they have learned at the end 
of the six week session. 

 Registration for the Summer Camp 
is $795 for a full six week session, or 
$150 per individual week. Participants 
are not required to attend all six weeks. 
Scholarships to the camp are available. 
The form to apply for a scholarship and 
online registration are on the Summer 
Camp page of our website at bit.ly/
GESC2015 or by contacting Cinthya 
Martinez at 626.296.8433 or via email 
at cmartinez@ywca-pasadena.org.

 About the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill 
Valley: The YWCA Pasadena-Foothill 
Valley began over 107 years ago to meet 
the needs of young women in Pasadena. 
Its programs address the mission of 
the national organization, “eliminating 
racism, empowering women and 
promoting peace, justice, freedom and 
dignity for all.” More information about 
the YWCA is available at www.ywca-
pasadena.org


“WOMEN AT WORK CONTINUES 
MISSION 

DURING REBUILDING PROCESS”

Women At Work “(or “the Agency”) 
recently embarked on a series of 
strategic initiatives designed to better 
meet the needs of women seeking 
employment in the 21st century.

 Recognizing the importance of 
providing a wider range of ways in 
which job seekers can access Women 
At Work services, the Agency has 
expanded its partnerships with other 
local agencies as venues for its popular 
Career Club and Career Workshops. As 
an example of this initiative, Women 
At Work recently partnered with the 
Altadena Public Library to deliver a 
well-attended workshop on techniques 
for finding a job as an older worker. 
“Over fifty job seekers came together 
on a recent Saturday morning to 
participate in our Rethink Possible: 
Getting a Job at 50+ program”, stated 
Uma Shrivastava, Women at Work, 
Board of Directors Chairperson. “The 
strong response to this program and 
the energetic participation of those 
attending, reminds all of us of the 
pressing, on-going need for these kinds 
of services even as the economy begins 
to improve.”

 Woman at Work fulfills another 
key step towards its goal of becoming 
a more flexible, nimble organization 
with the roll out of its new, interactive 
website on May 17, 2015. “Our new web 
site will allow job seekers to register and 
maintain their career profiles on-line, 
as well as access a robust Job Resource 
Center,” stated Ms. Shrivastava. 
“Supporting our online resources, we 
are planning additional workshops in 
conjunction with local agencies. The 
popular Career Club, under direction of 
our new volunteer management system, 
will begin again on May 18. And our 
next Employer Forum, co-hosted by 
the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce 
and the Southern California Edison 
Education Institute is scheduled for 
June 29.”

 In support of its new strategic 
direction, on March 1, Women At 
Work moved from its Colorado Blvd 
office to a much smaller shared space in 
Pasadena. At its new offices, Women At 
Work continues to provide one on-one-
job counseling and resume assistance 
by appointment 

 As the program development 
process continues, Camille Levee, 
Executive Director will continue as a 
Special Programs Consultant to the 
organization.

 Women At Work, a career and job 
resource center, helps clients reach their 
full earning and employment potential 
in a supportive environment. The 
agency provides employment readiness 
services including career guidance, job 
search support groups, job counseling, 
resume critiques, and interview 
preparation, and workshops.

 To learn more about Women At Work 
visit www.womenatwork.org\

REP. CHU ANNOUNCES 
2015 ARTISTIC 
DISCOVERY 
WINNERS

Washington, D.C. Today, Rep. Judy Chu 
(CA-27) announced the winners of the 
Artistic Discovery Competition. Now in 
its 34th year, the nationwide competition 
is sponsored by Members of Congress 
to promote and recognize the artistic 
achievements of students. Winners were 
selected from over 200 submissions by a 
committee of judges that took into account 
style, technique, originality, and creativity. 
The winning work will be displayed in the 
U.S. Capitol building for a year with other 
winning pieces from around the country 
while other selections will be hung in 
Congresswoman Chu’s Washington 
DC and district offices. All the winners 
will also receive scholarships. Rep. Chu 
released the following statement: 

 “Art is a powerful tool that helps our 
society move forward. It teaches us to love 
and to understand, to think and reflect, it 
inspires us to dream and to reach for the stars. This year’s honorees 
are a group of diverse and highly talented students who represent all 
of these values. Their artwork puts on display an incredible amount 
of talent. I’m so proud of all the young artists who took part.”

The winners this year are: 

First Place Peggy Luk, Arcadia High School

Second Place Rebecca Kruger, Glendora High School

Third Place Leona Chen, Temple City High School

Judges Choice Rebekah Li, Temple City High School

Honorable Mention Aimee Niu, Marantha High School

Honorable Mention Briana Shen, Arcadia High School

Honorable Mention Lilium Wu, Polytechnic High School

Honorable Mention Areli Arellano, Alhambra High School