Goodwill Industries of Southern California Honors Long-Time Volunteer Florence Leigh

Business Wire, May 13, 1999

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 1999--

Florence Leigh, long-time volunteer at Goodwill Industries of Southern California, will be honored on May 13 at Goodwill's second annual Celebration of Hope, Jobs & Futures.

When asked about her 20 years as a volunteer for Goodwill Industries of Southern California, Florence Leigh smiled as she quietly said that she "just did what needed doing." Throughout the past two decades, this extraordinary woman did things like initiate and lead the North Hollywood Guild of Goodwill Industries Volunteer Services (GIVS), a fund-raising group.

She raised thousands of dollars for Goodwill through the GIVS group and does not hesitate to talk about what a difference Goodwill has made in the life of her son, a Goodwill client, and her entire family.

She always volunteered to serve Goodwill clients their Thanksgiving lunches, and every year she hung Christmas decor in the many Goodwill retail stores. She helped put together vintage fashion shows that served as fund-raising events for Goodwill. And she made sure that there were always enough people available to "keep it together" when she knew that the core volunteer group began to get older and less able to work the events.

Leigh was inspired by Goodwill's mission to enhance the quality of lives of people with disabilities and other vocational disadvantages by assisting them to become productive and self-sufficient through education, training and job opportunities.

She became involved with Goodwill in 1979 when her son Richard came to the facility as a client. She saw the program's success as her son lived independently for the first time, married and continued to take on jobs of progressive responsibility.

Her husband, Ed Leigh, a retired vice president for the former Carnation Co. (now Nestle USA Inc.), felt the same way. In addition to serving as Goodwill Industries of Southern California's chairman of the board, Ed has been the consummate volunteer fundraiser for the organization. He was instrumental in securing several major financial gifts for Goodwill totaling almost $3 million.

As a result of her volunteering and philanthropic efforts, Leigh joins a dozen other companies and individuals who are receiving an award from Goodwill Industries of Southern California at its second annual Celebration of Hope, Jobs & Futures on Thursday, May 13.

The awards honor special Goodwill community partners and volunteers whose involvement and support of Goodwill enable the organization to improve the lives of more than 2,000 people with disabilities and other barriers to employment each year.

Mark Walberg, television personality and producer, will host the event. Walberg is currently appearing in ABC's "The Big Moment." He is the former host of the nationally syndicated "Mark Walberg Show" and the USA Network's "The Big Date." Former TV "Love Boat" star and Iowa congressman Fred Grandy will be the event's keynote speaker. Grandy is president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International.

Goodwill Industries of Southern California is an 80-year-old non-sectarian, not-for-profit organization that encourages the self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing education, training and job opportunities.