Meet Team Caring House – with a Team Update
We are excited to introduce you to the members of Team Caring House this year! Our team will be swimming, biking and running for Caring House at the Hermosa Beach Triathlon – our second year in a row – in the early morning hours on Sunday, August 14 before the Team Caring House Triathlon Celebration. We hope you’ll join us to celebrate them after they do at our own private beach party… tickets are available through Friday, August 5!
SWIMMING FOR CARING HOUSE – Janette Dawson, RN-Case Manager, MHA, ACM (pictured above, right) led the team last year as an experienced triathlon competitor. A retired nurse and case management professional for Torrance Memorial Medical Center, and a member of the Caring House Board of Directors, she also helps beginner triathletes prepare for ocean swimming.
“People do triathlons for many reasons,” Janette shared. “Personal goals, overcoming challenges in their lives, to remember a loved one who has passed, and to raise funds for their favorite charities. We are proud to join together as a team again this year to help raise funds and awareness for Caring House!”
BIKING FOR CARING HOUSE – Many know Jon Mesko as the Executive Director of Caring House. He’s also been an accomplished athlete since youth. Normally found playing volleyball in Hermosa Beach, he has been riding and racing bikes since he was 13, and he became Junior National Downhill Champion at 18.
“I had a lot of fun racing with the team last year,” Jon said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden that fast, and it’s fun to see if I can still find those muscles in my legs, especially for such a great cause!”
RUNNING FOR CARING HOUSE – Beka Malloy, RN, BSN, CCRN, CHPN (pictured above, left) is a palliative care nurse at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance and a member of the Caring House Board of Directors. She has been running for years and has completed half a dozen half marathons.
Team Update
Unfortunately, Beka is unable to join the team at the triathlon this year due to injury. Zach Ruff, MFT will be running the last leg of the race in her place. A recent graduate of the Counseling Psychology program at California State University, Long Beach, Zach is a counselor at the Beacon House Association of San Pedro and co-founder of the Surf For Keenan Foundation. Often found in the water at Torrance Beach, he also volunteers with the Jimmy Miller Foundation, an organization offering ocean therapy to veterans, at-risk youth and healthcare professionals from both Torrance Memorial and Providence Little Company of Mary, and he generously donated surf lessons for guests to bid on at our beachside brunch celebration!
Beka said the following in regards to running, which now seems more appropriate than ever: “I have always found running to be a chance to process my day, to think through challenges, to come up with creative ideas, to set new goals and to push my body in ways I otherwise wouldn’t. While most people celebrate the bliss of running downhill, I prefer the uphill climb to set my sights to higher ground.”
Beka is still heavily involved with the upcoming event as a member of the planning committee for the Team Caring House Triathlon Celebration, along with fellow Board Member Roxanne Arroues and Caring House’s Development Director Liz Reinhardt. The three are excited for guests to enjoy what is shaping up to be a fun and inspiring event on August 14!