Work as Volunteer Gives Her Life Both Music and Meaning

Hanna Kennedy says she can’t imagine a more pleasurable experience than listening to classical music.

The Santa Monica resident has been a volunteer with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra since 1983. The following year, she was elected to the board of directors. She has done everything from recruiting volunteers to chairing a number of fund-raising events and along the way has had the opportunity to listen to plenty of music. Her current project is “The Big Parade” benefit which will be held at UCLA’s Royce Hall on April 24.

The 1925 silent film “The Big Parade” is set against the backdrop of World War I and is considered to be the highest-grossing silent film of all time. As the film rolls, composer and conductor Carl Davis will lead the 44-member chamber orchestra in his original music score for the film.

This is the third time Kennedy has been involved with the project. “I knew nothing about silent movies but I am a daredevil and decided to give it a try three years ago,” she said. “We’ve tried to bring back some of those classics so young people can see how wonderful those films are and restore the glamour of Hollywood which also ties in with the 100th anniversary of Hollywood.”

A musician in her own right, Kennedy played the violin for a number of years and has continued to follow the classical music scene through her involvement with the symphony.

“I wanted to do something in the area of music,” she said. “I had a great interest in classical music and I can’t imagine a more pleasurable experience than listening to classical music.”

Kennedy, who is already hard at work on next year’s benefit, feels that volunteering for the LACO has helped to give her life meaning.

“Volunteering has given me some of the most pleasurable days of my life,” she said.

Michele Lackey of Los Angeles has been accepted into the Peace Corps and will serve in the South American country of Honduras.

Lackey will work as a hillside farming consultant and teach cultivation techniques to local farmers. She is a graduate of University High School in Los Angeles and Boston University where she earned a degree in Russian language and literature.

Three UCLA women were among 11 recipients of the 1992 Awards of Appreciation given by the Los Angeles County Commission for Women.

Andrea Rich, executive vice chancellor, received the award for education; Ruth Roemer, adjunct professor in UCLA’s School of Public Health, received the award for health, and Helen Astin, professor of education and acting director of UCLA’s Center for the Study of Women, received the award from Los Angeles’ 3rd Supervisorial District.

The awards recognize individuals who have provided invaluable service to women by volunteering to work on behalf of women’s issues, outstanding performance within their jobs to advocate women’s rights and who have worked to bring societal changes to further women’s equality.

The awards were presented at a luncheon at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on March 16.

The Tandy Technology Scholars have awarded $2,500 to Richard Erdman in recognition of academic excellence in the areas of mathematics, science and computer science.

Erdman, a teacher at Venice High School, was honored during the “Champions of the Classroom” on Feb. 26 at the National Press Club in Washington.

Joanne Stanulonis, a teacher at Concord High School, a private school in Santa Monica, received a honorable mention certificate.