Dawn Hovhannisyan Nominated for Woman of the Year

Dawn joined the board of directors for Single Mothers Outreach (SMO) in May 2005. At that time Dawn had been a single mother for nearly ten years, so she understood the value of the services the organization provides.  At the time SMO was struggling financially and she stepped in to help.  In 2007 when Single Mothers Outreach faced extinction, Dawn played a big role in helping SMO reorganize and rebuild. The SMO directors spent all of 2008 redefining the organization, changing existing programs, dropping others, and adding programs that gave the necessary tools to single parents so they could rebuild their lives.

During the reorganization, Dawn launched and chaired a new event for SMO, the Fools’ Paradise Golf Tournament and Wine Tasting event, which brought much needed funding and validation for SMO.

Dawn served as President in 2011. During her term, SMO secured important grants from Ahmanson, Annenberg, Ronald McDonald House and the Weingart Foundation. In fact, under Dawn’s leadership SMO experienced the best financial year in its 16 year history, a significant achievement during a particularly challenging climate for nonprofits, and in spite of the fact expenses increased due to added staff and rent paid for the first time since 2007.

Dawn has been a steady, calm voice of reason and leadership during one of the most tumultuous times in our history. Her perseverance, leadership, and commitment to the mission of Single Mothers Outreach has earned her great respect on the board of directors.

Dawn’s nonprofit experience extends beyond Single Mothers Outreach too. Dawn also serves on the board of directors for Child & Family Center Foundation. She spent her first year serving as the founding chair for their newly formed Young Leadership Corps (YLC). This new Foundation subgroup focuses on leadership development and small fundraising initiatives for the Child and Family Center. Her team became the event problem-solving arm of the Foundation.  YLC helps troubleshoot and fix event challenges. In her year as founder, they tackled the Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament and that is now an event the YLC runs instead of the Foundation board.  YLC also helped run the family ride portion of the Century Ride and the Taste of the Town silent auction.  In 2012 Dawn will be helping with the Marketing efforts for the 2012 Taste of the Town.

Man & Woman of the Year will be held on May 4, 2012 at the Valencia Hyatt. 

Honoring the Mother in Your Life | Custom Mother’s Day Pins

Designs by Lucinda has created a custom pin for Single Mothers Outreach to honor mothers for Mother’s Day on May 13th.  Lucinda’s pins have migrated a long way from Lucinda Yates‘ own path out of homelessness to serving as a fundraising arm for “non-profits with a cause” throughout the world.   These pins remind us about the tremendous sacrifice mothers,  especially single mothers, make to daily care for their children.

“They make the perfect gift,” DaAnne Smith, Executive Director explained. “It’s a great way to honor the mother in your life and also support Single Mothers Outreach programs that strengthen single parent families. It’s a gift with a social purpose.”

You are also invited to purchase pins to donate to Single Mothers Outreach’s single parents as a Mother’s Day gift.

“Often, single moms don’t receive gifts of any kind, except the handmade items made by their children at school.” Smith noted. “Fathers are often responsible for making Mother’s Day a special day, so for our moms, this day can be a sad reminder of loss. By donating a pin to a single parent, you are effectively saying, ‘You matter, you’re very important, and we support you.’ ”

Pins cost $25.00 each, come in a variety of skin tones, and can be purchased at Fresh Boutique in Newhall, La Via Bella at the Westfield Valencia Town Center, or through Single Mothers Outreach’s website.

SMO is happy to ship anywhere in the U.S.

You Went Where?!? | Laughter for the Single Parent’s Soul

 

by Melanie Lightbourne-Rowe

Getting a day off from work is both a blessing as well as a curse.  We love it because it is time away from the mundane drill and kill of the work week. We despise it because we run around completing errand after errand until we realize that we are more burnt out being off work than being present.  Why is that?

I must add the insult to injury by stating that a few years ago, my children attended school in the same area where we reside. It was a great way for them to attend school with the children who lived in our neighborhood as well as ride the school bus. (Yes, for them, that is a treat.)  After a year of paying for the bus, a sitter and a cell phone for emergencies, I decided it would be best to move them into the area where I worked.  I could get to them easily enough, and save a ton of money while doing so. At their previous school, holidays, mid-term breaks and unassigned days were different from mine.  Now that they share the same schedule as I do, they are also at home when I have those breaks.  Yay.

Today, I ran more errands than I had completed in a month’s time, making sure to write down every single stop in an organized fashion.  Have you seen gas prices lately?  I didn’t even want to chance making a U-turn because I had forgotten something or done it out of order.  We went to the bank, got haircuts, to the post office, to Wal-Mart, to the grocery store, to the neighborhood car wash, to the Costco warehouse and a sporting goods store.

I stopped at the retailer called Dick’s Sporting Goods to see about a much-needed megaphone for my Leadership class.   I got out of the car, left the boys to watch their movie, and went inside.  After being told they didn’t carry the item, I walked back to my car, ready for the next stop. Behind me, I could hear the boys whispering.

“No, you ask her!” My eldest said.

“Ok, fine then!” His brother agreed. “Mom? Why are you going into a store like that?”

“A store like what?” I asked.

“Uhhh,” he continued. “That one?” He pointed at the store I had just left.

“ I had to get a megaphone. What do you mean? What’s wrong with that store?
“Mom.  It is a nasty store!” He screamed.

“A nasty store? No, it isn’t!” Then it dawned on me.  They could care less that the store’s name was of the person who owned it.  Their mother had entered a ‘nasty’ store and they were embarrassed that I had stopped there with them in the car.

“I hope none of my friends saw me.” The youngest was concerned for his reputation.

Laughing, I assured him that coming out of a sporting goods store would hardly be reason for them to be ridiculed.

Upon arriving home, my eldest was allowed to go outside for a few moments. His brother was on punishment (AGAIN) from his shenanigans at school.  (Back to School Nights are the best, arent’ they?)  He left for about an hour and came back home exhausted from playing football.

“Mom, guess what?” He started.  “I saw a friend of mine just now and he had a new soccer ball. “

“That’s nice.” I said. I don’t get excited over a new ball.

“I asked him where he got it ‘cause it looked kinda cool.  He got it from that nasty place! Can we go back so I can get one too?”

“Uhhhh…”

“Laugh, people. It‘s good for the soul!

Melanie Lightbourne-Rowe is a single parent at Single Mothers Outreach in Santa Clarita and hosts a blog: laughterforthesoul. Read her bio here.

A ‘Wartime Romance’ on stage | Benefit for Single Mothers Outreach, Bridge to Home

Ticket proceeds benefit Single Mothers Outreach and Bridge to Home. For more information, visit the Wartime Romance website.

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A ‘Wartime Romance’ on stage
For more information visit www.wartimeromance.com. mbuttelman@ the-signal.com By Michele E. Buttelman
The Signal
19 Feb 2012

It was the box of letters written from a WWII GI stationed in the Philippines to his sweetheart back home in Kansas that started it all. “I was in the attic and I found my parents’ love letters,” Marilyn Hackett, of Newhall, said. Hackett was 30 and…read more…

Tech Tags: The Signal newspaper LIFESTYLE

The Signal, 22 Jan 2012. Page1

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The Signal
22 Jan 2012

Breaking Barriers Art Exhibit

Breaking Barriers art exhibit at the Westfield Valencia Town Center Mall

Empowering Hearts fundraiser on Nov. 19 (The Signal, 6 Nov 2011, PageB1)

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Empowering Hearts fundraiser on Nov. 19

The Signal
6 Nov 2011

The second annual Empowering Hearts “Breaking Barriers” Gala to benefit Single Mothers Outreach will be held 5-7:30 p.m. Nov. 19, at the Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center on the Valencia campus of College of the Canyons. The event will…read more…

Tech Tags: The Signal newspaper LIFE STYLE

“SCV” Children, Parents Make a Big Splash | Single Mothers Outreach hosts SCV Water Festival

Ed Bernstein from 25 Score in the dunk tank

On Saturday, August 6, 2011 hundreds of children and their parents made a memory and got wet for the first-ever SCV Water Festival.

Ed Bernstein (25 Score) was the first to “take the hit” for SMO in the dunk tank, sponsored by Mission Valley Bank which was a popular event with the kids. Also in the tank were Steve Whitney (Real Life Church), Terry Kingery-Crain (SCV Chamber), Kim Goldman (SCV Youth Project) Pastor John Shaver (Valencia United Methodist Church). Parents then stepped up to get dunked by friends and family. One boy in a cast scored 15 direct hits with his left hand and won the grand prize of a birthday party at Big John McCarthy’s Ultimate Training Academy.

Ed Masterson of SOS Entertainment provided a festive backdrop to the whole event keeping the crowd entertained and informed of the events of the day, while his colleague, Spencer Handley worked his own magic playing a great selection of upbeat tunes. “The lifeguards had fun too making personal song requests,” remarked DaAnne Smith, Executive Director.  “Everyone seemed to have a great time. When the kids are happy, parents are happy.”

Fun Galore!

DaAnne Smith made a few remarks about the benefit Single Mothers Outreach brings to Santa Clarita by giving single parents a place to connect, network, and receive resources. Single parent, Melissa Rogers moved everyone when she shared her personal story of connecting with SMO during a particularly difficult period after she lost her business and her marriage of 17 years. “I expected to be married the rest of my life. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional devastation of falling from a high place socially and economically. I no longer fit with my married or single friends. SMO has become my family as I pick up the pieces and move on.”

Perhaps the biggest hit of the day was the Rubber Ducky race. Mike Bjorkman (SCV Leasing) bought all the ducks and gave them away to excited children. Everyone gathered in eager anticipation as 50 rubber ducks tumbled down the 160 foot water slide to see if their duck became the winner. He bought both events and made a big splash with everyone.

“It was an incredibly generous thing to do.” Many of our single parent families are only here because we discounted their tickets. This gift gave every child equal access and a chance to win the race.”

The Water Golf event sponsored by Scratch Golf, tested the skills of parents and children. Clearly the children scored better. “It is harder than it looks,” remarked Bob Smith, who took first place in the men’s division with one ball on the green. The boys division winner won with 11 and the Girls Division had 8 balls hit the green.

A family enjoys a refreshing signature drink

A fitting ending to the day was the Dive-In movie, sponsored by Valencia United Methodist, Finding Nemo. The light reflected from the movie cast an angelic glow on the children’s’ faces as they settled in the water to enjoy the movie with rapt attention.  It was a great end to a great day.

Along the Way with Michelle Tall: “A New Friend” | Single Mothers Outreach

Michelle Tall writes for Single Mothers Outreach (www.singlemothersoutreach.org) She is a single parent and a proud mom of three year old Tucker. They share life together in Santa Clarita, CA.

A New Friend

There is missing your cousin. And there is playing with your imaginary friend. There is wishing your cousin didn’t move so far away. And there is having conversations with your imaginary friend.

There is missing your cousin.  And there is playing with your imaginary friend.  There is wishing your cousin didn’t move so far away.  And there is having conversations with your imaginary friend.

Then there is My-My.

My-My sits in the front passenger seat of my car.  My-My hangs out under the dining room table when I’m on the computer.  My-My is on my bed while I’m in the kitchen making dinner.  My-My doesn’t want to take a nap and so she will wait with me in the living room until Tucker wakes up.

My-My got lost in the restaurant and needed Tucker to go get her and lead her back to the table.  And Tucker held her hand.  And the adults sat speechless.

I must take a moment here to admit that I am easily spooked.  I’m not a big fan of scary movies and even now, in my late 30’s, I have been known to take that last little leap from the floor onto the bed after I’ve turned out the lights.  (You just never know…)

I have gotten better though.  And there is some mom thing that kicks in when it’s your child that is afraid of the dark.  I am definitely more bold and confident now that it’s Tucker I am comforting instead of my own fears.

But this–this new addition to our family–it’s totally freaking me out.  Don’t get me wrong, it was cute at first.  I was even thrilled to discover that my son does, in fact, have a good imagination.  An active imagination can be a great stand-in playmate when mom is busy.  Or when mom can’t play another round of Ants-in-the-Pants without losing her mind.

I guess I just don’t want to know that My-My is standing behind me.  I don’t want to know when she is trying to hold my hand.  I don’t want to be that person that glances quickly over her shoulder because “you just never know.”  What normal person does that, right??

 

So I play it casual and calm.  I respond with enthusiasm when My-My has come back and wants to hang out with us.  And I assure myself that I’m just a big scaredy-cat whose own imagination is getting the best of her.

Besides, Tucker seems to really like playing with her.  So the logical side of me says–right on!  You kids play together while I get some time off from building Lego-towers and driving tiny little race cars around and around and around and around and around.

Have at it kiddo!  I’ve got some catching up on Facebook to do.

Along the Way with Michelle Tall: “Remembering” | Single Mothers Outreach

Michelle Tall writes for Single Mothers Outreach (www.singlemothersoutreach.org) She is a single parent and a proud mom of three year old Tucker. They share life together in Santa Clarita, CA.

Remembering

Holidays are tough. Often overwhelming. Sometimes disappointing. And occasionally sad and lonely.

My family lives out of state. All of them. I have a few Uncles, Aunts and cousins spread out through California. But all in all, it’s just me…in Valencia…on my own.

It’s easy to feel bitter that my son’s dad is surrounded by his family, all living within minutes of each other’s homes. Built in babysitters and a physic al support system that sometimes transcends even the strongest loving bonds that I have with my own family. What I would give to just swing by my folks, sit on their couch, and bathe in the comfort that family gives. Tucker wants some juice? Grandpa’s got that covered. Tucker needs to go potty? My sister’s on top of that. And for just a few hours, my son’s every need is distributed evenly by people who love him almost as much as I do.

And then there are holidays. For me, these are merely paid vacation days; days spent at home instead of working. Except that I am working – working at being mama. Then there is the added worry that I do something, anything, to make sure Tucker’s memories of holidays from his childhood are made of carefree fun.

And because of where I live, my parents simply can’t pick up Tucker early to take him to the parade. I won’t be able to attend my brothers’ afternoon BBQ. And I can’t pile in my sister’s car to go meet up with everyone at the park for the night time fireworks.

I am feeling very sorry for myself. And I am trying very hard not to feel so sorry for myself. But I feel alone. I feel a little lost. I feel a sadness that I can’t provide for Tucker the same kind of 4th of July’s that I had growing up. Instead, his holiday will be spent splitting his time between his mama and daddy’s home. And this mama is fighting back tears of frustration because of all that I wish for my son.

I sit and wait for my turn. That’s how I spend most holidays…waiting my turn. Then finally I have him back in my arms and it’s just him and me. And that’s when I realize it doesn’t matter what we do. That’s when I hear my mother’s voice telling me that what children remember most is how they felt. Whether it’s a holiday or just another summer’s day like any other, Tucker’s memories will be built on how much he is loved and adored.

So as the last sparkles of fireworks fade in the night sky, and the warm summer night air soothes him to sleep on the drive home, his heart is all the while remembering the magic of being held close by mama. And another childhood memory has been created on the very joy that exists in unconditional love.