As we glide into the holiday season, people are rushing around to do shopping, attend holiday parties, plan for trips, welcome relatives, and listen to little ones belt out old chestnuts at their holiday concerts.
And despite the nostalgic traditions we observe and festive songs we sing, the season can be…well…stressful. It can definitely be stressful to gather gifts for everyone on your list. But keep in mind that the holiday season is about spending time together. I prefer to give experiences, instead of things: A cooking class, a trip to the zoo, tickets to a show, membership to a museum. The memories these can bring last much longer than a fruitcake or bottle of wine.
The team here at BREATHE LA continues to work on our initiatives that have been growing with the generous support of individuals like you. Thank you for being such a strong supporter, enabling us to carry out work that provides education and direct services to so many people across Southern California.
The year 2019 was a tremendous year of growth for BREATHE LA. We launched the End Diesel Now campaign that is working to reduce the health impacts of diesel pollution in Southern California.
We also inaugurated our new Lung Power program which kicked off this past spring with much success at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The program educates and informs children and their parents or caretakers on proper asthma management in a fun setting from trained health professionals. We held our latest Lung Power event this month at the Southern California Children’s Museum in Pasadena.
With the vaping epidemic reaching new highs this past year, our program The Vaping Trend: Clearing the Air directly addressed this public health crisis with an interactive workshop that informs parents on the health risks of vaping and e-cigarettes. We’ve also provided training on this issue to teachers and police officers.
Our Trudeau Society welcomed new members and expanded meetings and lectures across Southern California into Orange County. The first California Research Forum on Lung Health was also a great success, that we look forward to holding another forum in the Spring.
This past year BREATHE LA also welcomed new staff members, hosted inspiring movie screenings, and much more. We are proud to have made a positive impact on families across the region this year and look forward to all that 2020 has to offer.
Keep up to date on our efforts in 2020 by following BREATHE LA on social media at @BREATHELAC and me at @mcarrel and enjoy the rest of your year!
In Health,
