ILWU / PMA Luncheon 2014

Mike Lansing with ILWU Local 13 President Robert Olvera Jr. 

Our San Pedro Boys & Girls Club alumni, Harbor Commissioner

Anthony Pirozzi and Councilman Joe Buscaino.

On June 6, we held our 9th Annual ILWU / PMA Luncheon at our Port of LA Boys & Girls Club. Amidst current high-stakes contract negotiations between the two organizations, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) once again came together to break bread and raise funds for Los Angeles Harbor youth.

Our Arts Academy jazz band entertained guests in the lobby which had been turned into a fine arts gallery, showcasing some of our students' best work from the previous semester. The band from Harry Bridges Span School opened the luncheon for over 350 attendees. The band practices after school in our Club programming at that site thanks to a grant and brand new instruments from the ILWU Local 13.

Harbor Commissioner Anthony Pirozzi served as guest speaker and addressed the attendees about the importance of supporting Club youth. He reminded them that, "together we are their inspiration," and that the purpose of the luncheon is to, "take our kids to an even greater level than our own."

Executive Director Mike Lansing thanked the unions and the shippers for coming together every year and raising funds that allow the Club to serve even more community youth. "We need to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," he said in closing.

Thanks to our in-kind sponsors for serving up a delicious feast for our guests - Mike's BBQ and Ports O'Call Restaurant.

Mike Lansing presenting PMA Area Manager Ron Merical with a

token of appreciation from our youth. All sponsors of the

luncheon received a work of art from our Arts Academy.

Our Arts Academy jazz band entertaining the guests in our fine arts gallery.

Harry Bridges Span School Boys & Girls Club band.

Partner Spotlight - ILWU

From union executives to workers, all ILWU members help in developing our community for the next generation.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor has had a long standing partnership with the ILWU. Many union members who have grown up in the Harbor area attended our Club through the years and send their children to participate in enrichment programming in the same nurturing environment that they experienced. Together, our organizations work for a brighter future in the harbor area for our youth.

One such collaboration took place recently with the newest addition to our Club sites, Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington with a very generous grant from the ILWU. We coordinate after school programming at 11 school sites in San Pedro, Wilmington and Lomita and we are proud to add one of the newest schools in the Heart of the Harbor to that list. Our free programs for youth at Harry Bridges Span School, including music education, cheer team, drill team and College Bound, are made possible thanks to the ILWU.

ILWU and PMA leaders receive art work created by our youth at the 2013 ILWU / PMA Luncheon.