The City of Los Angeles honored the legacy of community service by the late longtime Councilmember Tom LaBonge with “Tom LaBonge Day of Service” on Oct. 9 at five volunteer clean-up events in locations in Los Angeles.
LaBonge’s nickname was “Mr. Los Angeles” because of his enthusiastic love and knowledge of the city and also for his own example of pitching in on volunteers efforts, including cleanups.
The San Fernando Valley location was in the neighborhood of Victory Outreach Church in North Hollywood on Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Councilmember Paul Krekorian and Rev. Raymond Solorzano, of Victory Outreach Church, gave remarks before the work began.
LaBonge represented Council District 4, which included portions of North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks and Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, the Miracle Mile, the Fairfax District, much of Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz and Griffith Park. He originally won a special election when his mentor Councilman John Ferraro died in 2001. LaBonge was then elected to three, four-year terms in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
He died at age 67 on Jan. 7, 2021.
The other volunteer clean-up locations on Saturday included Fern Dell in Griffith Park, Silver Lake Meadows, Algin Sutton Park and Watts Towers.