We will be volunteering at the Pasadena Humane Society to make dog toys, cat toys, and cat beds for the animals!

Volunteers will gather in one of the PHS classrooms and make cat beds, cat toys, dog tug toys to provide warmth and enjoyment to the animals at the shelter.

This event provides an opportunity for Trojans to be social with each other while creating needed items for the animals. Volunteers must bring their own supplies.

Please sign-up using the official USCAA Day of SCervice Registration page.

Saturday, March 12, 2016
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pasadena Humane Society
361 S Raymond Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105

Required: Volunteers must bring their own materials to donate to the projects of their choice. Please bring a few yards (1/2 yard minimum) in different colors to make multiple cat beds and dog toys. You can buy cheap fleece on sale from Hancock Fabrics or in the scrap section of fabric stores such as Joann’s.

Requested: Please bring roller cutters, mats, rulers, and scissors to use. Items will be returned to the owner.

Projects:

• Cat Beds:  2 pieces, each piece 18” x 24” lightweight fleece
• Cat Toys: INFANT socks, fiberfill, dry catnip
• XL Dog Toy: 4 strips, each strip 4″ x 20″ lightweight fleece
• Large Dog Toy: 4 strips, each 3″ x 16″ lightweight fleece
• Small/Medium Dog Toy: 4 strips, each 2″ x 12″ lightweight fleece

No sewing required. These projects use lacing/braids and knots.

FYI,  1 yard (36″) length of fleece can vary by width.  A 36″ x 58″ piece of fleece can make:

• 1 cat bed, 7 S/M dog toy, 1 Large toy, XL toy; OR
• 2 cat beds, 2 small/medium dog toys; OR
• 5 XL dog toys and  5 S/M dog toys

 

Parking:
The shelter offers underground parking. Street parking is limited with time restrictions. You can also take the Metro Gold Line to the Del Mar station which is diagonally across from the Pasadena Humane Society.

 

We’ve been honored by the Pasadena Humane Society by being recognized as their Community Heroes for the July/August issue of Scoop Magazine!  Check out the full issue here.

We kicked off the summer by participating in the second annual LA Trojan Summer Party hosted by the USC Alumni Club of Los Angeles.  The event took place at Golden Road Brewery and Pub in Glendale inside their private, secret spot: Chloe’s.  If you’re like me, you’ve probably been to Golden Road a bunch of times and never noticed this door.  However unlike all other days, this sign was inviting us in!

Admission was $20 and included a drink ticket and appetizers.  Golden Road is known for it’s vegan-friendly menu, so this was the perfect spot to host veg and non-veg Trojan alumni.  There were mediterranean crustinis (vegetarian), french fries, sweet potato fries, and some non-veg options.

Each year, thousands of Trojans gather across the globe to make a difference in their communities. The USC Alumni Day of SCervice is an opportunity for all alumni and friends to participate in local service volunteer projects organized by our USC alumni clubs, chapters and other affiliated groups worldwide.

This year we partnered with the USC Alumni Club of San Gabriel Valley to volunteer at the Pasadena Humane Society.

Upon arrival, volunteers were given commemorative USC Day of SCervice T-shirts (courtesy of the USC Alumni Association) and a chance to browse the Shelter Shop and watch the puppy socialization class.

Shortly there after, PHS staff and volunteers welcomed us to their facility and shared background about the PHS facility and its goals.  We learned that the Pasadena Humane Society originally helped abused herd animals such as cows, donkeys, and horses.  They were also an adoption facility for neglected children.  After the invention of the car, there were less herd animals and the focus shifted solely to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, bunnies, and birds

After introductions, PHS staff split us into three groups which were tasked with washing, moving and taking inventory of tables and chairs; building chair racks; and washing PHS adoption vans and trucks.

Before going home, volunteers were given a tour of the facilities and visited with adoptable animals.  The shelter has dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, and more!

Save the date for next year’s event!  The 5th annual Day of SCervice will take place on March 12, 2016.

Below are some of the adoptable animals we saw while visiting.

This year marked the 7th annual USC Women’s Conference featuring the theme “Be Bold and Thrive”.  This highly anticipated conference brings together women of all backgrounds for a day of empowerment, inspiration, and professional networking.  Although hosted by the USC Alumni Association, all women are invited, though most attendees are alumnae.

The day began with check-in and breakfast in Town & Gown.  Breakfast featured an array of pastries, tea, juice, and fresh fruit.  After a warm welcome by the USC Trojan Marching Band, ladies followed the band to Bovard Auditorium where the program officially began.

Alumna Kait Dunton and her band, TrioKait, along with student Holly Howell performed their version of Wonder by Natalie Merchant.  Keynote speaker and alumna Sarah Reinertsen inspired us all through her story as a triathlete and amputee.

After the morning program, attendees left Bovard and headed to the Tutor Campus Center for workshops featuring experts in health, finance, and careers.  Stacy Geck, USC Marshall professor (and animal rescuer!) presented at the Career Workshop.  The Health Workshop featuring Keck Medicine of USC Doctors and the Financial Strategies Workshop featuring Bank of America wealth managers.  There was also an area in Town and Gown open all day called the Thrive Lounge which featured yoga, massages, one-on-one career counseling and LinkedIn reviews by the USC Career Center, free head shots, lip scrubs, and more.  The career counseling was beyond expectation; the counselor not only discussed tips for job seeking, but also in-depth review of LinkedIn profiles.

A buffet lunch was held in McCarthy Quad featuring bread, salad, iced tea, mashed potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, couscous, and petit fours for dessert.  The menu was almost vegetarian other than the chicken breasts.

Back in Bovard Auditorium, the afternoon program featured alumna, Willow Bay, special correspondent for Bloomberg Television and a senior editor at the Huffington Post. She interviewed a panel of amazing ladies and alumnae: Mayor Aja Brown, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, and Sara Happ and conducted a one-on-one interview with Lynda Resnick, founder of Pom Wonderful (among other successful brands).

The event closed with a reception back in Town & Gown featuring appetizers, live jazz music, a raffle, and other give away items.

For the last six years Trojan SCuppers have provided invaluable opportunities for the Trojan Family to connect, share stories, and celebrate USC’s traditions and transformation. Most SCuppers pair students and alumni based on academic backgrounds, however, our group hosted a unique dinner that instead paired students and alumni by their similar veg lifestyle.

On Saturday, February 21, 2015 a group of veg students and alumni met for dinner at the Veggie Grill in Pasadena.  Students were treated to a tasty vegan dinner and had a wonderful time meeting other students and alumni while discussing their USC experiences, academics, careers, and other interests.

Special thanks to Beanfields Snacks for donating chips and Field Roast, Daiya, and Tofurky for the coupons.  The guests were surprised and grateful for the party favors.