Volunteers Honored at Annual American Diabetes Association Recognition Event

The American Diabetes Association of the Greater Los Angeles area celebrated the year’s accomplishments and recognized the dedicated efforts of several Los Angeles area volunteers at its annual Volunteer Recognition Reception held on December 6, 2017 at the San Antonio Winery in downtown Los Angeles.
“This year almost 5,000 people, walked, ran, cycled, golfed… drove classic cars and did many other activities too numerous to mention, so they could raise funds and otherwise support the American Diabetes Association here in Los Angeles,” said actor Jack McGee who served as emcee for the evening’s event. Recognizing volunteers for their contributions is vital to the continued success of the Association and the ultimate goal to stop diabetes.
“I am very proud to be a part of the American Diabetes Association and to take this journey with all of you towards what will hopefully be the end of diabetes,” said Interim Executive Director Southern California Julian Dillon.
Diabetes is a serious public health crisis affecting nearly 30 million Americans living with the disease and is the sixth leading cause of death in Los Angeles County, according to a report by the California Department of Public Health. Last year’s release of a UCLA health study discovered that 55 percent of California adults have either diabetes or prediabetes, the latter being a condition in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered Type 2 diabetes.
Accomplishments during 2017 by the Los Angeles office included several new programs. “One of the most exciting changes began last year when we piloted two Diabetes Prevention camps in Southern California,” said Dr Cynthia Muñoz, president of the Los Angeles American Diabetes Association Community Leadership Board and recently elected to the Association’s national board of directors. “This year, we doubled the number of camps, rebranding them as Camp PowerUp. Through the help of our camp counselors, volunteers and interns, we engaged kids at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, and their parents, in discussion and learning activities centered around healthy eating and physical activity.”
Muñoz announced the Association will merge two signature fundraisers in 2018: Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes and Tour de Cure. Participants will be able to walk, run, ride or run and ride at one super event, which takes place at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area on Sunday, October 14, 2018.
American Diabetes Association 2017 Volunteer Award Recipients:
• Evelyn Cubias named the 2017 Community Heath Volunteer of the Year.
• Lenny Isaacs received the 2017 Volunteer Leadership award.
• Leslie Kreuzberger and Eddie Uribe received the 2017 Volunteer of the Year awards.
• Cassie Nuñez recognized for her third-party event fundraising.
For more information call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org.
Photo by Kim D. West Photography for the American Diabetes Association