West Hollywood Honors 10 Community Volunteers

As the holiday lights along Santa Monica Boulevard were flipped on Tuesday night, West Hollywood ushered in the holiday season by honoring 10 local “angels” for their efforts to help others.

A craft instructor at an HIV clinic, the founder of a kosher food bank, an advocate for the Latino gay population and seven others were dubbed “angels” by the city for their volunteer work in the community.

The City Council created the “Angels Amidst” program four years ago as a way to highlight individual efforts that often go unrecognized, officials said.

“In a city like West Hollywood, we have so many people who have been suffering from HIV and AIDS and are really dependent on others for care,” said Charlie Makinney, city manager. “It’s a small community and social services can’t do everything. We have to depend on one another for help . . . and everything the city can do to encourage that is really important.”

Many of the honorees expressed surprise that they were being singled out.

“It’s quite an honor,” said Jacques Chambers, who assists HIV-positive people with insurance issues through AIDS Project Los Angeles. “I feel like I’m kind of just doing my job. It makes me feel a little guilty because everything we do here is such a team effort.”

West Hollywood resident Ed Simmons was recognized for his work teaching seminars about television comedy at the Braille Institute and OASIS, an educational center for older people.

“It’s a good feeling,” said Simmons, a former television writer. “I’ve got five Emmys, and I would say this is every bit as good and today, maybe even better.”