Los Altos Auxiliary Welcomes New Leaders

The beautiful garden of Linda Cotter's La Cañada home was recently the setting for the Los Altos Auxiliary of Sycamores’ Annual Installation Luncheon. Business of the day included a report on money raised by the support group and a discussion about projects to be funded for the foster youth at Sycamores, followed by the installation of the new officers for the coming year.

“It was my pleasure to head up the Nominating Committee this year. We have such talented, devoted members who are so willing to commit their time and energy to Los Altos and the youth of El Nido. Their dedication made it a very easy job to fill the slate!,” according to Los Altos Nominating Chair Mary van Amringe.

The slate of officers for 2022-2023 include Laurie Rodli, President; Gayle Penrod, Treasurer; Diane Moldafsky, Assistant Treasurer; Kelly Springer, Secretary and Parliamentarian; Kelly Williams, Darlene Larin, and Diane Moldafsky, Membership; Andi Sica, Sycamores Liaison; Susie Zadravecz, Carol DeFond, and Lorraine Paulson, Direct Services; Cindy Bengston Budzyn, Public Relations, Historian, and Social Media; Carol DeFond and Hilary Gregg, Adopt a Youth Fundraiser; Cayce Sheppard, Hospitality; Julie McCarty, Social/Programs; Linda Cotter and Debbie McCoy, Cupcakes; Allison Weir, Information Manager; and Jennifer Herzer, Webmaster.

New Los Altos President Laurie Rodli shared her continued commitment to the group, “I joined Los Altos Auxiliary in 2003 and have so enjoyed being a member. I have made wonderful friends and am proud of the work our members accomplish. Our new board will continue Los Altos Auxiliary's tradition of both raising funds and providing direct services to benefit Sycamores and the youth at their El Nido residential campus."

The ladies of Los Altos Auxiliary work specifically to enhance the lives of youth, age six through eighteen, living at Sycamores’ El Nido campus (a residential home in Altadena). Previous Los Altos large scale campus improvements include an on-campus library, computer stations, silk-screening equipment, and an art center. Other Los Altos funded projects have included remodeled bathrooms, outdoor landscaping, and an outdoor entertainment area. Los Altos also supports the foster youth through “hands-on” activities, including hand-making fleece blankets for all the boys, hosting an ice cream social, baking cupcakes and delivering gift cards for the youths’ birthdays, providing food truck dinners and video game nights, making Halloween and Easter bags for each boy on campus, and fulfilling Holiday wish lists with personally selected presents. Additionally, Los Altos funds a trip to Disneyland on Christmas Day for those boys who cannot spend the holiday with their families, as well as other outings to theme parks, baseball and basketball games, movies, the L.A. Zoo, and the beach during the summer months.

According to Sycamores Director of Residential and TAY Activities, Andi Sica, “The support of Los Altos truly enhances the lives of the foster youth at Sycamores’ residential campus. Besides all the improvements to the campus the group has funded, making sure each youth has something special on birthdays and at holidays lets the boys know they are valued and special.”

For 65 years, Los Altos Auxiliary has been dedicated to improving the lives of children who do not have strong family support. For the past 30 years, Los Altos’ efforts have improved the quality of life at Sycamores’ El Nido campus (a residential home in Altadena), with large-scale capital improvements, including the first on-campus library, computer lab, a silk-screening business, cottage bathroom remodels, landscaping, and an outdoor entertainment center, as well as social and outdoor adventures off campus, on-campus holiday parties, birthday celebrations, graduation ceremonies, and movie nights.

The mission of Los Altos is to enhance and enrich the lives of the youths, adults and families at the El Nido campus community and Sycamores. Women interested in learning more about Los Altos can visit the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LosAltosAuxiliary or contact Los Altos at https://www.losaltosauxiliary.org/contact