Today's Featured Biography

 
Lois Carlson Giannopulos

Who am I today ? A very blessed woman !!

...three children (twin boys,age 39 and a daughter, age 31), 9 grandchildren (one due the 19th of May) and 2 great-grandchildren (the youngest of which was born just 2 days ago).

My husband, Bill, and I have been together 28 years - Whoa !! Of course, he's the best -
a hardworking small general contractor - salt of the earth kind of guy - originally a cowboy from Colorado - in our early years our friends referred to us as the "Cowboy and the Lady" ... but we've blended nicely over the years - I now wear cowboy boots and jeans and he goes to Broadway shows wearing the one suit he owns (...now that was a bit of a struggle - took one of the kids to get married before he'd get into one - shoot, when we got married he wore jeans!)


I have worked my entire life ... 99% of the time in law as a litigation paralegal working in Washington, D.C. and here in Palm Springs for, let me see now - 31 years. Until 2000 I worked for law firms, but in 2000 (after a six year "adventure" from the law) I became an independent contractor and I am pleased to say, my work is thriving ... but I sure do enjoy calling my own shots with the firms -- i.e. "I'm going to my class reunion in August so I won't be available until after the 11th of the month" - that freedom is priceless to me !! I'll probably work until the brain completely shuts down - I just really enjoy what I do. I "major" in complex litigation and trial preparation, with a "minor" in construction defect work - love being out on site visually or destructively testing homes - I do, I really do - I've learned a lot.

The "adventure" from law I took was when an interesting opportunity was offered to me by a lawyer friend of mine, who was sitting on the Board of Directors of our local professional non-profit theater, The McCallum, when it found it's executive staff in the middle of a pyramid scheme ! It was the talk of our little valley, that's for sure ! Anyway, President Ford asked Toni, my friend, if she would come in and be the interim executive director of the theatre while they were hunting for one and she agreed ... asking me to join her. I asked her what in the world I was going to do ... I'd been in law my entire life and her reply, "I don't know, but I want you there" ... so, off I went, literally not having a clue ! It was a wonderful experience - I learned so much about the real operation of a theater, non-profits (a whole other animal for sure !), and about myself and things I would have never dreamed I could do. Before I knew it I was raising money, helping to create an education department (wonderfully successful and getting better each and every year), creating fund raising events - from "Bowling for Bucks" to galas, writing grants ... It was awesome !

Out of the theater opportunity I was invited by one of the Board members to become the Development Dirctor at another non-profit in the Valley - The Foundation for the Retarded of the Desert. The Foundation will always remain very, very important to me ... and the clients, there will never be a more special group of people I will ever know. Obviously, I learned a lot at this very special place ... and I believe I did my job and helped it move forward ...

But then, it was time for me to get back to law -- the "insanity" of law is "sane" for me - I loved my adventure, but I wanted to get back to law ... my first love.

Bill and I are committed to our church - Palm Springs United Methodist Church - the denomination I grew up in. He's a Trustee and I'm on Finance and chair of Nurture & Hospitality. One of my interests is Lay Speaking and I am now a certified lay speaker which means I can speak on behalf of the church not only at my local church, but others as well. I have been blessed with several opportunities to give the message on Sunday morning - in fact I'm in the process of writing a sermon for July 13th right now. My commitment to the church has brought me to the point of studying to become a certified lay minister ...and that takes us students to classes at Claremont Seminary ... down Route 10 for about 60 miles. Now this is an AMAZING adventure ! ...and talk about having your work cut out for you - I am being mentored by, very fortunately for me, our Pastor, Amanda Burr who is an super woman, friend and one heck of a preacher - we love her dearly. This opportunity is very special and I am treasuring it.

The 40th reunion was just plain, special ... I couldn't get over how once we started talking, it was like we had started the conversation yesterday - special, very special. I am very pleased to be coming to the 45th and visiting you all ... and I get the bonus of seeing my son, Larry, who lives in Downers Grove - reunions all around ! Good things.

Everyone, please take good care ... I look forward to seeing you in August --

Hugs and blessings, Lois


January 3, 2010

Well, it has been awhile since I wrote my
profile ... and a warm Happy New Year to all of you !

Our family is well and thriving ... and we have added a few more to the grands ... now we total an even dozen !! What a blessing ... we added Adria, Kierstin and just last April, little Nathan (who has become the apple of grandma's eye! He is just too cute for words)

I am still working ... have a trial beginning March 1st so there is much work to be done. This is a short one ... a couple weeks in beautiful downtown Pomona, Califoria ... I wonder if this will be the last one ?? Hmmm ... well, I'll just keep going 'till I'm too old.

Completed school to become a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church ... and now onto round two ... psychological testing, meeting with and interviews before the Board of Ordained Ministry ... and a bunch of other "required" stuff ... that'll be another year (God willing !).

My focus for what will be my "ministry" will be Strengths Building for church leadership and a program I, along with two others, began this past year - "Desert Communities Above the Influence" - a program educating children and family members and friends about drug and alcohol addiction --- through our local churches.

Six years ago I knew absolutely zilch about drugs or drug addiction -- today I know more than I ever I wanted to know. Our daughter is a recovering drug addict ... just one year clean and sober ... and working hard just to get through each day sober ... not easy for her ... and never, ever easy for family members and friends ...

But you know, if you are give lemons, someone once said you need to make "lemonade" ... so Laura, myself and the youth minister at our church (who works at the world famous Betty Ford Center) created
"Desert Communities Above the Influence" ... conducting day long seminars where teens and their families and friends get to hear from (and engage with over pizza) recovering folks of all ages, parents of addicts and alcoholics, Alanon, Alateen --- and all kinds of experts in the field - counselsors, program directors, interventionists, doctors, law enforcement officials --- This program has become a labor of love for all of us ! ... and a constant "fund raisig" project --- wish us well in our grant writing efforts --- also, your prayers will help big time !!

Hugs and Blessings, Lois G.

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