Get Involved with Runners and Warriors

The Los Angeles Marathon is this weekend, and it's not too late to volunteer: "Come on out and volunteer for one of the largest running events in the country. You'll have fun, meet great people and enjoy the thrill of victory without having to break a sweat. Thanks so much without the participation of people like you, this event would not be possible."

KCET Guest Blogger and 4-time marathoner Ki Sung concurs in this IM to Get Involved urging us to come join her on cup brigade: "Volunteer your hi-5s and cheers for the more than 10,000 runners who will make the arduous 26.2 mile journey at the Los Angeles Marathon. Streets will be closed so if you're trapped, make the most of it by helping along your fellow Angeleno."

For those of you looking to help another kind of long-distance runner, the Alexandria Day Care Center offers an opportunity to interact with neighbors during their sunset years: "Come join us as we provide support and companionship for the clients of Alexandria Care Center. We usually take them for a neighborhood walk, which includes a shopping excursion in the surrounding area. Volunteers will be pushing seniors in their wheelchairs approximately four blocks to nearby stores."

For those of you looking to lend a hand at the other end of the age spectrum, the School on Wheels is looking for qualified tutors to help homeless kids downtown:

School on Wheels began in 1993 when Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher, read a book that changed her life. The book was about homeless families in the US. Agnes was shocked to learn that hundreds of thousands of children were homeless and that many of them did not attend school. She began teaching homeless kids in a park in Santa Monica, California encouraging them to stay in school and keep up with their grades and school activities.