MERCI Executive Director will talk about “How Pets Keep Us Sane” at the Wednesday, February 22nd East Los Angeles-Montebello Business and Professional Women (BPW) dinner meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel, 888 Montebello Blvd., Rosemead. The meeting is open to the public. Reservations can be made by calling (626) 307-5650 or E-mailing lindalwilson@juno.com.

Escañuelas has been the Executive Director of MERCI since 2005. Presently, she is in the midst of a campaign to raise $300,000 to build a new group home, classrooms and an office building at MERCI’s 525 N. Chandler site in Monterey Park. MERCI provides people with severe to profound developmental disabilities an education in life skills and

an opportunity to maximize their independence. Escañuelas is a graduate of Chino High School, has a B.A. from California State University, Northridge and an M.B.A. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management from the American Jewish University (formally the University of Judaism). She has more than 30 years experience in Human Services and has been affiliated with MERCI for fifteen years – 1991-2000 and 2005-present. She also has been a teacher in Special Education for San Gabriel. She is a foster parent of abandoned dogs and presently has six dogs including Shadow, who is a pit bull mix with a sweet personality and who needs a home.

For more information about BPW, call Linda Wilson at (626) 307-5650.

EAST LOS ANGELES-MONTEBELLO

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN PROGRAM ON

“How Pets Keep Us Sane”

Speaker: Marta Escañuelas, foster parent of abandoned dogs

When: Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Location: Rosemead’s DoubleTree Hotel, 888 Montebello Blvd., Rosemead

Time: 6:30 P.M. networking with dinner to be selected from the menu to

start before 7:00 P.M.

Reservations: lindalwilson@juno.com or call (626) 307-5650. The meeting is open to the public.