Please download the application, fill out and save the file. Email to kodawest@gmail.com.
Once again, we thank you for your continued support and encouragement for yet another prosperous year!
Following are the highlights of 2012, and those who deserve recognition for their selfless contributions to making our events successes.
We are thrilled to be bringing in three new board members this year, while bidding a fond farewell to another, who has been with us since the birth of the organization. We wholeheartedly welcome Eric Feris, Cindy Herbst, and Zibby Bayarsky. We are excited to see some great minds come together to provide the best for our KODAs. In addition, we thank the following members for their continued involvement: Deanne Bray-Kotsur, Tina Jo Breindel, Bill Greene, Charles Katz, and Francine Stern. We would like to thank Joyce Linden for all her expertise and undying support she has given us since day one. We wish her the best! Thank you all for being our pillar of strength and for guiding us in the direction of success.
Over 50 patrons attended our 4th annual bowling night, guttering, striking and sparing at the renown Jewel City Bowl in Glendale.
Multitude of thanks go to Keith and Carol Bella Adams for opening up their beautiful home for our 3rd annual Shamrocks for KODAs poker fundraiser in Riverside, CA. Our thanks are endless to those who helped to make this event a success: Sharon Wilson and Tina Jo Breindel for baking the amazing array of desserts and running the raffle. Once again, Candy Hodgson did a fabulous job as the Tournament Director; we cannot thank her enough. Special thanks to Keith Adams, Scott Berdy and Ray Chahayed for their logistics expertise; Maisha Franklin for taking on the persona of the “Poker Joker”, and being on hand to teach poker lessons to those who wanted to learn how to play. Endless thanks go to our diligent bartenders, waitresses and kitchen staff: Marcy Woodard, Desiree Cartmell, Lisa Price, Carole-Ann Bader, Susie Baierl McLaughlin, Mary Beth Baierl, Holly Savage, Rene Love, Michelle Fisette-Botte, Melissa Powell, Molly Bowen, Hetty Rothenberg, Ashley Stacy, Gloria Moriarty, and Kerry Hile. You guys were amazing!
California State University Northridge’s National Center on Deafness hosted a walk/run which winds through an outdoor expo environment, where KODAWest had a booth and a mini store. Many products were sold and families enlightened. After this event, KODAWest brought a huge following to a nearby Chili’s for a special fundraiser for KODAWest. Thank you Chili’s and those who came to support us!
Francine Stern hosted the 16th annual Mother Father Deaf Day picnic to honor deaf parents all over the San Fernando Valley in Encino. Thank you, Francine for continuing this world-wide tradition year after year!
Tina Jo Breindel held one at her home, which brought together an eye-popping 5 sets of KODA twins, along with 30 families who came to swim and picnicked with the Lizard Wizard, who offered the children a hands-on journey into the world of reptiles and amphibians and arthropods all over their yard. What a hit it was. Thank you Tina Jo!
Thanks to all of you who volunteered to maintain the mini stations within the walls of the KODAWest Childcare: we couldn’t have done it without you! ~ Don Burnes, Erica Taylor, Brabion Allahverdi, Nayeli Okon, Lisa Miller, Erin McKenzie,Laurel Anderson, Barbara Butters, Mayra Renteria, Jessica Costa, Marsha Vae Goeken, Maira Okon, Mike Magellon,James Godwin, Maria Rojas and Mayda Saltzman, Neinel Estapanians, and Meg Shaverdian.
Honoring & recognizing DawnSignPress, Purple Communications, Carol-Anne Bader, Desiree Cartmell, Jon Savage, Ashley Stacy, and Sharon Wilson.
Multitude of thanks to the following organizations, friends and families who helped to make this 3rd Biennial Seeds For Tomorrow happen and/or contributed to our live and silent auctions:
Deaf Gorgeously Green Girls Club of San Diego • ASL IV San Diego Mesa College • Bridging Hands at UCSD • Center Theatre Group Project D.A.T.E. • Deaf Community Services of San Diego, Inc. • iDeafNews • Sherry Hicks • Michael Velez • Deanne Bray • John Maucere • Tina Jo Breindel & Joe Dannis • Jeff & Sheila Lenham • Richard Ray • Gerri Perna • Nancy Rourke • Stacey Shipp • Sharon DeLaO • Frank Stiefel • Craig Samuel • Brian Selznick • Bernard Bragg • Roz Rosen • Jon, Holly, & Renny Savage • Joyce Linden • Francine Stern • Charles Katz • Bill Greene • Eric Feris • Tom Bull • Megg Davis • Audrey Goodbar • Michele Milder • Blake Smith • Ray, Monessa, & Linnea Chahayed • Robert, Erica, & Zak Taylor • Sarah Hostetler • Turquoise Townsend • Harvey Bradley • Don, Boswell & Brazton Burnes • Maisha Franklin • Marcy & Vanessa Woodard • Seth Gerlis • David J. Kurs • Patty Drasin • John Arce • Ron McLaughlin • Sharon Wilson • Alberto Zamora • Darlene Wadler • Zibby Bayarsky • Sharon & Sitoshi Nakama • Amrita Booter • Julie Fisher • Christena Griffin • Erin Oleson • Jennah Lintz • Jamie Gould • Laura Preston • Melanie Nakaji • Lindsay Cohen • Naomi Shenemen • Rebecca Schoor • Elizabeth Gallimore • Patricia Wundrow-Young • Ye Eun Kim • Joyce Lee • So Young Moon • Rain Bosworth • Mary Antoine • Leila Hanaumi • Melissa Herzig • Susan Larrison • Teresa Bachmeier • Jaqueline Hess • Amanda Grantsmith • Laura Kim • Shannon Englehart • Danielle Martin • Irene Sanchez • Kayla Blantz • Athena Haro • Alison & Adam Chassin • Galen Abbott • Dr. Richard & Chita Abbott • Virginia Hughes • Bobbi & Bennie Maucere • Paul & Liz Raci • Dinaz Adenwalla & Gina Donofrio • Toni Falsetta • Charmaine & Greg Hlibok • Ellen Davidson • Sanjay & Manisha Pipalia • Ken & Nancy Kemper-Decman • Susan Margolin • Guy & Barbie Gomez • Karen Sexton • Poh-Gaik • Steve McInerney • and most especially to Brent & Kate Nelson for opening up their beautiful home for KODAWest. Even more thanks go to the DGGGCSD for making the evening so environmentally friendly, organic and unique.
Held on White’s Landing on Catalina Island, With Molly Bowen as Camp Director; Turquoise Townsend as Assistant to the Director; Vadim Reytblat & Ashley Stacy as CIT Counselors. Over 100 campers and staff attended this 6th annual camp on a remote island in the Pacific, where a private charter boat transported our whole KODAWest Camp gang to our destination. What fun it was to be stranded on an island with buffalo as our cohabiters!
Thanks to all of our 2012 Camp Sponsors:
GreeneLight Foundation
Sprint Relay
DawnSignPress
Purple Communications
Accurate Interpreting Services
Howard Knight, CPA
CODA International
Joe & Gina Sanders
Eric Witteborg
More thanks are given to the volunteers who came out to help us during registration: Tina Jo Breindel, Maisha Franklin, Bob Taylor, and Charles Katz.
We could not have done this without the help of our drivers who transported campers from the airports to the boat pier: Mike Castro, Kerry Hile, Beth Hostetler, Susie Baierl McLaughlin, Cynthia Sanchez, and MaryRuth Summers. A big shout-out and roaring thanks to John and Joellyn Arce, Francine Stern, Patty Drasin, Bob Taylor, and Beth Hostetler for hosting/arranging the Camp Staff Appreciation & Farewell BBQ at the home of the Arces’.
KODAWest had a childcare center at the heart of DeafNation World Expo in Las Vegas. Again, we could not have done this without the many C/KODA volunteers and their parents. Hats off to Ray, Monessa, & Linnea Chahayed, Zak Taylor, Beth, Kenton, & Sarah Hostetler, Michelle Fisette-Botte, Tina Jo Breindel, Erin Oleson, Marcy & Robert Woodard, Gloria Moriarty, Daniel Botte, Ashley Stacy, Gerri Perna, Cynthia Sanchez, Nathan Padilla, Eddie Knight, Bobby Kull, Don, Boswell, & Brazton Burnes, Nelly Hencker, and Gloria Pagan. We thank Joel and Jed Barish of DeafNation for this great opportunity and exposure to the many visitors. We did meet many KODAs from around the world!
Over 250 beach goers attended a day of meeting, greeting, sunning and funning at Huntington Beach where contests were held and prizes won. A makeshift store was on hand to sell KODAWest goodies. Thank you for supporting KODAWest by purchasing items. It was great to see a sea of KODA pride among the families!
San Diego Deaf Community Services and E5 hosted a Deaf Awareness Day at Balboa Park. There was entertainment and booths for the whole family during the day, and again in the evening. KODAWest was on board to provide a carnivale-themed nightcare for all children while the parents enjoyed the evening program. Special thanks to the following people for entertaining the children: Mariah Ravan, Elsa Linksy, Clennie Foster, Ashley Iosbaker, DePreice Chase, Myesha Tate, Coryn Sebourn, Hope Beane, Sonya Domaguin, Jose Picseno, Tom Mitchell, Bobby Kull and Maisha Franklin.
California State University Northridge’s National Center on Deafness and Dr. Roz Rosen have awarded KODAWest one of the highest honors in the history of the organization, the John Bulwer Award, for our outstanding services to the community. We really appreciate the recognition, which has fueled our passion for continued service.
Tony Cardenas, councilmember of the City of Los Angeles, awarded each one of the directing members of KODAWest, Lisa, Lauren and Kavita; recognizing our commitment and excellence to the community. This was another great honor! Thank you L.A.!
Special recognition and sincere thanks go to Scott Hostetler and Maisha Franklin, our technical and web consultants who selflessly and tirelessly have given us their all! Thank you!
2012 was a banner year for KODAWest. We know 2013 will be yet another GREAT year. We have exciting announcements coming up soon. Stay tuned!
Warmly Yours ~ Lisa, Lauren, and Kavita
