Zar Honored at LA County Volunteer Awards Luncheon

By FRANCES SHARPE | Editor-in-Chief

Palisadian Maryam Zar was one of 55 individuals honored at the 2016 Volunteer Awards Luncheon on Monday, April 4 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who represents the 3rd district, lauded Zar at the 34th annual gala honoring the county’s volunteers.

“The wheels don’t turn without volunteers,” Kuehl said in front of the audience of more than 300 attendees.

Zar was honored for her efforts as chair of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness (PPTFH), as well as her efforts on the Pacific Palisades Community Council and at Marquez Charter Elementary School and Paul Revere Charter Middle School.

“I believe that as citizens we need to be active in our collective democracy. And sometimes there is no better way to do that than by choosing an issue and volunteering to make a difference. I enjoy being a vital part of the world and a positive force for good,” Zar said.

This year’s theme, “Volunteers Link Communities,” captured the powerful impact these volunteers have on their neighborhoods.

Zar’s efforts to improve the community of Pacific Palisades were duly noted by a large number of Palisadians who cheered loudly as her name was announced.

“I value her judgment, insight and work ethic. I’m so proud of her and proud she is a PPCC officer,” Chris Spitz, president of the PPCC, told the Palisadian-Post at the event.

Santa Monica Canyon resident Sharon Kilbride called Zar “an inspiration.”

Glanda Sherman, part of the OPCC outreach team working with the PPTFH to transition homeless people into housing, praised Zar’s efforts to find solutions for one of the county’s most pressing problems.

“She’s one of those people who is so easy to admire. You can see the genuine care and love she has for other people,” Sherman said. “It’s been a joy working with her because you see the compassion she has.”

Zar’s impact was also noted by local government representatives.

Assemblymember Richard Bloom’s Senior Field Rep Stephanie Cohen, who plays an integral role in the PPTFH, said, “The community could not have picked a better chair for the task force.”

The event’s host Sharon Tay from KCBS 2 News said the county has about 30,000 volunteers who put in a combined 2.2 million hours at a value of $52 million.

That’s money that can be used elsewhere for important programs, according to Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who started the county’s volunteer program in 1981.

Antonovich had one primary message for the volunteers being honored: “Thank you.”