MSN_012419

20 | January 24, 2019 | Malibu surfside news life & arts
malibusurfsidenews.com
Malibu woman crafts charitable spin class
SoulCycle Malibu event to
equally support homeless
youth, fire victims
Lauren Coughlin, Editor
Malibu resident Nicole Ellis, a selfdescribed
SoulCycle addict, is channeling
her energy and passion toward
the greater good — and there’s room
for others to join her.
At 11:30 a.m. this Sunday, Jan. 27,
Ellis’ Cycle to End Youth Homelessness
event will take over SoulCycle Malibu,
located at 3874 Cross Creek Road. The
45-minute spin class will equally benefit
My Friend’s Place, which assists
homeless youth in Los Angeles, and
The Malibu Foundation, which supports
victims of the Woolsey Fire.
“They’re just two amazing organizations,”
Ellis said. “Youth homelessness
is such a problem in our city, and
My Friend’s Place is just an amazing
organization working hard to eradicate
homelessness and provide services for
the youth.”
In 2018, My Friend’s Place provided
care and support to more than 1,400
youth, ages 12-25, and their children,
according to Jeff Katz, associate director
of development for the organization.
Last year, the nonprofit also: served
nearly 34,000 meals; provided medical,
health and case management services
to more than 900 young people;
and served more than 500 youth with
creative arts, education and employment
services through its Transformative
Education Program, Katz added.
Malibu resident Nicole Ellis (right)
volunteers Dec. 14, 2018 with My
Friend’s Place alongside Danielle
Levinson (left), a MFP Board member,
and Jeff Katz, associate director of
development for My Friend’s Place.
This Sunday, Jan. 27, Ellis is to host
a fundraiser in Malibu that will benefit
the Los Angeles-based organization
as well as the Malibu Foundation,
which supports victims of the
Woolsey Fire. Photo Submitted
Initially, the SoulCycle event was
slated for Dec. 9 and was to solely
benefit My Friend’s Place, a privately
funded organization with which Ellis
has volunteered for three years. The
organization, which has a facility on
Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles,
recently marked 31 years of operation.
“I consider myself an advocate for
them,” Ellis explained. “I just wanted
to do more.”
After the Woolsey Fire struck Malibu,
however, Ellis reevaluated and reformatted
the event to also benefit her
neighbors who were impacted by the
fire.
“It’s been devastating for so many
people,” she said.
The Malibu Foundation was
launched this past November by individuals
including Miley Cyrus, Liam
Hemsworth, Evelin Weber, Alice
Bamford, Ann Eysenring, Joe Flanigan,
Rory Kennedy, Kelly Meyer
and Trevor Neilson. The organization
offers emergency relief assistance to
those impacted by the Woolsey Fire
in Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Thousand
Oaks, Calabasas, Westlake Village,
West Hills, Hidden Hills, Monte Nido,
Malibu and other areas.
Cycle to End Youth Homelessness is
open to ages 12 and up, though those
between 12-18 must be accompanied
by an adult.
Ellis said first-time SoulCycle participants
also are welcome.
“The cool thing about SoulCycle is
it’s dark, there’s loud music [and] the
instructors are amazing and they don’t
call people out or put them on the
spot,” Ellis said.
After sweating it out, attendees have
the option of heading over to Malibu
Burger Co. for lunch (at their own expense)
and continued philanthropy, as
the restaurant will donate 15 percent of
proceeds to the event and its beneficiaries.
For more information, email Ellis at
NicFicarra@gmail.com. To purchase
tickets, which cost $50 — tickets include
spin shoes, water, a My Friend’s
Place tote bag and a gift from On &
On Spa of Hanalei — visit www.
eventbrite.com/e/cycle-to-end-youthhomelessness-tickets-51380847498.
Malibu Playhouse to present
two rescheduled youth shows
Submitted by Young Actors
Project
Young Actors Project,
a Malibu-based performing
arts group, will present
two shows that were
postponed from December
2018 because of the Woolsey
Fire.
Many of YAP’s participating
families lost their
homes and have been
displaced. In spite of the
many challenges, the community
has rallied together,
and YAP is performing
its shows with students
who have been affected to
help them recover from the
trauma they incurred.
“A Wrinkle In Time” is
a staged adaptation of the
award-winning science
fantasy book by Madeleine
L’Engle, performed by actors
ages 8-13.
“Once Upon A Grapevine”
by Thomas Hischak
is a comical combining of
classic fairy-tale characters,
performed by actors
ages 5-10.
Both casts have overcome
many personal
challenges on the road to
performance and are rebuilding
their confidence
and trust in their abilities
post-fire.
Families with children
of all ages are encouraged
to attend. Tickets are
on sale now and are $10
for students and $20 for
adults. Purchase tickets at
wrinkleintime.bpt.me and
grapevine.bpt.me, or call
(310) 447-8245 for more
information.
‘A Wrinkle In Time’ and ‘Once Upon A Grapevine’
What: Thespians from Young Actors Project (ages
5-13) will perform these shows.
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1; 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 2, and Sunday, Feb. 3
Where: Malibu Playhouse, 29243 Pacific Coast
Highway
For tickets, which cost $20 adults and $10 students,
visit wrinkleintime.bpt.me and grapevine.bpt.me or
call (310) 447-8245.
Faith Briefs
Malibu Presbyterian Church (3324
Malibu Canyon Road, 310-456-1611)
Father-Daughter
Valentine’s Dance
5-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb.
9. Join for an “Alice in
Wonderland” themed Valentine’s
Day dance. Tickets
are $40. To register, visit
malibupres.org/dance.
Sunday Worship Services
10:15 a.m. Sundays
Malibu United Methodist Church (30128
Morning View Drive, 310-457-7505)
Sunday Worship
10:30-11:30 a.m., Sundays.
Child care available.
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church (28211
Pacific Coast Highway, 310-457-7966)
Contemplative Worship
8 a.m. Sundays
Traditional Worship
10 a.m. Sundays
Chabad of Malibu (22943 PCH, 310-
456-6588)
Evening Shabbat Services
7:30 p.m. Fridays.
Saturday Services
9 a.m., Kabbalah on
the Parsha; 10 a.m. Shabbat
service; 11 a.m. Words
from the Rabbi & Torah
Reading; 12:30 p.m. Kiddush
lunch
Sunday Services
9 a.m.
University Church of Christ (24255 PCH,
310-506-4504)
A cappella Service
10:15 a.m. Sundays, in
Elkins Auditorium
Instrumental Service
5 p.m. Sundays, in
Stauffer Chapel
Waveside Church (6955 Fernhill Drive,
310-774-1927)
Sunday Worship
10:10 a.m., children’s
ministry
Calvary Chapel Malibu (30237 Morning
View Drive, 424-235-4463)
Service
10 a.m. Sundays
Vintage Church (Webster Elementary
School, 3602 Winter Canyon Road,
310-395-9961)
Sunday Service
4-5:30 p.m. Sundays
Have an event for faith briefs?
Email lauren@malibusurfside
news.com. Information is due
by noon on Thursdays one
week prior to publication.