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Wednesday, February
18, 2009 |
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The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets
every Wednesday at Noon
Visitors
are Welcome
Van
de Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA
91011
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Upcoming Events
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February 25
Dr Lance Lee, Glendale Adventist
Hospital
New Stroke Center
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall, Descanso Gardens
February 28
Cal-Nev-Hi District Mid-Year
Conference, San Diego
March 4, 2009
Larry Welk - Reporting Disasters
over LA from the sky
Larry Welk is a helicopter pilot
for Channel 2 & 9 and a 5 time
Emmy Award winner.
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall,
Descanso Gardens
March 5,
2009
Board Meeting
March 10
March 10,
2009
Founders Day Award Presentation
LaCanada High School Cafateria
6:00 PM
March 11,
2009
Brigitte Benchino, author,
“Jayden and the Magic Bubble”
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall,
Descanso Gardens
March 18,
2009
Richard Slavett, Lt Governer,
How I Survived the Metrolink
Train Wreck
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall,
Descanso Gardens
March 25,
2009
ED MOULTON DAY
Wednesday Lunch Meeting @ Van de
Kamp Hall,
Descanso Gardens
Kiwanis Board Of Directors Meet
The First Thursday Of Each Month
At The La Cañada Community
Center– 7:00 Pm
February 5, March 5, April 2,
May 7, June 4, July 2, August 6,
September 3,
October 1, November 5, and
December 3.
Click
on the following button to view
the long term calendar
TRAVELOGUE
SCHEDULE
April 28
Corscia and the Riviera Stan Walsh
May 16 Cruising Russia Clint Denn
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MUSIC
Tom Burrows once again delighted us
with his playing of the piano and Jack Dawson led us in our
singing. Today we sang the songs, God Bless America, Hi
Neighbor, Welcome Back in honor of Matt Regan and Greg Powell
and our closing song was Come On Kiwanis.
OPENING
Tom Slaughter led us in our Pledge of
Allegiance and Carl Christensen gave us our inspiration.
Carl announced to the members that he
was sending around a sign up sheet today for anyone who would
like to replace their old badge with the new one that the new
members in our club are receiving.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nick Berkuta told us about the
upcoming interclub meeting with our new Builder’s Club. The
meeting will be on Tuesday, February 24th at 7:50 am
at La Canada High School. The meeting will last for
approximately one half hour and the officers will be receiving
their pins that day. Anyone interested in attending, please
notify Nick as carpooling is advised due to the limit of parking
spaces. Nick was pleased to announce that last Friday seven of
our members attended the interclub meeting with the Glendale
Kiwanis Club.
Howard Backer reminded us to
contribute to The Kiwanis Doctor Program. Our club has
financially supported two doctors for the Kiwanis Doctor
Program.
Matt Regan thanked everyone for their
support with the Christmas Fund for the Needy. Matt said with
the money he had collected he was able to help three families
this year. Matt also brought thank you cards that the members
of these families had written to us.
Pat Flynn talked about the reading
program at Union Avenue School. He told us how this has been a
wonderful experience for him and the other Kiwanian’s who are
involved. Pat encouraged other members to join them on Thursday
mornings. Carpooling is available.
Clyde Hemphill told us about the
upcoming La Canada Flintridge City Council Candidate Forum. The
forum will be held on Monday, February 23rd at
Flintridge Preparatory School. The forum will begin at 7:00 pm.
Pat Anderson invited us to attend the
Chamber Mixer tomorrow evening beginning at 5:30 pm. The mixer
will be held at the Historic Lanterman House. Docent’s will be
available for tours and Pat recommended parking at the La Canada
Community Church across the street from the Lanterman House
since there is no parking on the street. Pat also announced
that she brought tickets for the Community Breakfast to be held
over Memorial Weekend. Anyone interested in purchasing a ticket
can see Pat.
Fred Schooley
announced that there would be a Finance and Investment Committee
meeting following the Kiwanis Meeting today.
Frosty Boyd announced that Jo Ackland,
wife of member Jim Ackland, had foot surgery today. Frosty
spoke with Hal Thomas and Dick DeGrey and are both doing well
and would appreciate hearing from members of our club.
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Our president, Carl Christensen,
presented to visitor Steve Petit a Kiwanis Banner from our club
to take back to his Kiwanis Club in Virginia.
Linda Magarian
gave Rhoda Backer her permanent member badge.
GUESTS
Bea Cirar
introduced her friend and former neighbor, Myrna Perasso.
Carl Christensen
introduced his wife, Irene.
Mark Alexander
introduced Chris Deacon who was the former liaison deputy at La
Canada High School.
Mary Gant
introduced Steve Petit from Winchester, Virginia. Steve was
past president of his club and has been a Kiwanian for 30 years.
Cory Stevens
introduced Jim Phillips. This is Jim’s third visit and he has
turned his papers in to become a member of our club.
Frosty Boyd
introduced with great pride his son, Skip Boyd.
HAPPY AND SAD BUCKS
Elizabeth
Georgeon gave a happy buck today for the 2009 Amgen Tour of
California which will be coming through La Canada on Saturday.
Elizabeth also gave a sad buck because the press cannot seem to
get the correct spelling of a city in Northern California,
called Dinuba.
Mary Gant gave a
happy buck because the doctors may be able to help restore some
of Lloyd Welch’s eyesight. Mary then gave a sad buck because
when she saw Lloyd and Irene in Ralph’s parking lot, Lloyd did
not recognize Mary at first. When Irene said to Lloyd, “There’s
Mary Gant”, Lloyd replied, “She is too old to be Mary Gant”!
Daryal Gant gave
five sad bucks for the deferred maintenance on his home. He has
asked members to please give him names of painters and anyone
who does tile and hardwood flooring for Mary’s home projects.
Diane DellaValle
gave three happy bucks because Chris Deacon, Greg Powell and
Matt Regan all came to our meeting today.
Pat Anderson gave
five happy bucks for the outstanding job our City Council people
are doing.
Susanne
Passantino gave a happy buck for Chuck Gulick stepping up to
sell the raffle tickets today since she was not able to get to
the meeting in time to sell them. Susanne said she will be
happy to sell them next week.
Irene Christensen
gave a happy buck today because when she arrived back in town on
Sunday from being in Montana helping with grandchild number
nine, she and Carl drove down to Good Samaritan Hospital to meet
grandchild number ten. Congratulations to Carl and Irene!
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Jeb Long joined
the Century Club in honor of his birthday on February 4th.
Bob Martin gave
$83.00 for his birthday age and $17.00 for Valentines Day thus
joining the Century Club. Bob’s birthday was on February 14th.
Happy Birthday
Month to Jeb and Bob!
THE PROGRAM
Today three of
our newest members, Cory Stevens, Emilita Bituin and Bryan
Schwartz presented to the members their Craft Talks. The Craft
Talk gives the new member an opportunity to talk about
themselves so that the other members will get to know them a
little better.
Cory Stevens
Craft Talk
Cory Stevens was
born shortly after the end of WWII. Cory is the second of seven
children; she has two sisters and four brothers. Cory’s parents
met at a Saturday night dance at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium
and were married just four months later. Two months following
their wedding, Cory’s father was drafted into the war and did
not return for four years. When her father returned, her
parents had to get reacquainted with each other. Cory’s father
was a superintendent for a construction company and her mother
stayed home to care for their growing family.
Cory’s given name
is Carolyn but her sister, Mary, who is 14 months older and
Cory’s best friend was unable to say Carolyn and thus began the
name of Cory. Cory grew up in Arcadia and she graduated from
Arcadia High School. During the summer months, she was a camp
counselor for the San Gabriel Valley Camp Fire Girls at Camp
Wasewagan in the Barton Flats area near Big Bear.
After high
school, Cory attended and graduated from Citrus College with her
AA degree. She followed her big sis Mary’s footsteps and began
working for Caltech’s JPL. Her first job was a clerk in the
Public Relations Office. Cory felt it was a privilege to be a
part of the JPL team and she continued to be promoted to
positions of increased responsibilities and levels. Along the
way, some individuals who had become Cory’s mentors encouraged
her to return to college. Cory graduated from the University of
Redlands with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
Cory was one of
the first women to be a business administrator at JPL, which had
been traditionally male dominated. Later, Cory became the
financial manager for the Defense Programs Office and then the
Business Manager for the Telecommunications and Mission
Operations Directorate, which Paul Westmoreland was the
Director. Bob Wallace became one of Cory’s mentors and she is
very grateful to Paul and Bob for their superb leadership and
encouragement.
Cory formed and
then managed the Program Business Management Division and in
1999, she received NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal and in 2008
was awarded NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal. Cory retired
from JPL last March after 40 years of service.
Cory met her
husband Chris while working at JPL and they have one son,
Matthew who is finishing his degree at Cal Poly. Her husband,
Chris, currently is the Manager of a JPL program that validates
new technologies in space.
Cory is a breast
cancer survivor and besides being a Kiwanian, she volunteers for
Brother’s Helpers and for fun she plays golf and is the Vice
President of the Verdugo Hills Women’s Golf Club. Cory and her
husband, Chris enjoy traveling, skiing, house boating and
dancing with the Stardusters. Cory’s new adventure will begin
next month when she and Chris learn how to fly fish.
Emilita Bituin
Craft Talk
Emilita Bituin
was born and raised in the Province of Laguna in the
Philippines. Emilita grew up with five other siblings, 3
brothers and two sisters under a strict and very conservative
environment. Her father was a top trial lawyer and her mother
was a school teacher. Her father, at the age of 39, was elected
Governor of the Province of Laguna and he was the longest living
governor in the Philippines. He served undefeated for 32 years
until his death in 1992. He served under five presidents
including Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino.
When Emilita was
19, her mother passed away and Emilita had to serve as her
father’s First Lady. She had the opportunity to join him in his
travels around the world and during his official visits to other
Asian countries.
Emilita graduated
from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Arts
Degree in Foreign Service. Following her marriage to her
childhood friend, Alexis M. Bituin, they relocated to Lynn Lake
Manitoba, Canada. Although math was Emilita’s weakest subject
in school, The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce turned out to
be the only place where she could find work. She started as a
teller and learned all aspects of banking through osmosis.
Emilita and her
husband spent four years in Singapore where her husband accepted
a position as Regional Geologist for Milchem International for
South East Asia. When they came to the United States in the mid
80’s she rejoined Sanwa Bank, now Bank of the West, where she
worked as Vice-President and Branch Manager. She is very
thankful to Sanwa Bank for the training and knowledge she has
gained. Emilita joined Citizens Business Bank in La Canada two
years ago and brought with her twenty six years of experience.
Emilita presently is the Branch Manager at Citizen’s Bank.
Emilita and her
husband live in Claremont and have two sons, Allan and Ernest
who reside in Las Vegas. Emilita loves collecting oriental art,
home decorating and ballroom dancing.
Bryan Schwartz
Craft Talk
Bryan Schwartz
was born on September 11, 1974 in Houston Texas and has one
sister who is three years younger. He lived in Texas for one
year and was raised in Oceanside, California. Bryan attended
Escondido Academy from 2-12th grade. When it came
time to look for colleges, Bryan was at first interested in
attending a large university but after touring Pacific Union
College in Napa Valley he decided that Pacific Union was the
college for him. Bryan graduated in 1996 with a B.S. in Social
Science and an emphasis in History. Bryan obtained his CA
Single Subject Teaching Credential in History.
Bryan taught
Grades 7/8 in Math, Science, and Social Studies for 3 years at
Miramonte School. He then became an administrator for the
Sylvan Learning Center. For 1 year, he was a Tutor, Director of
Education and Center Director.
When Bryan’s wife
was expecting their first child, he and his wife, Suzie, moved
from the San Francisco area to the San Diego area to be closer
to family. Brian taught High School History/Literature –World
History, World Literature, US History, Gov/Econ, AP US, AP
World, AP Psychology and AP Literature for 6 years at Escondido
Academy.
Bryan has been a
Financial Planner for the past 3 years. He works for J.P.
Turner & Co., LLC as an independent planner with offices at
Gilmore Bank, La Canada and Los Angeles. The practice has a
family focus with Retirement Planning, Asset Protection, Legacy
Planning, College Planning and Investment Planning.
Bryan has been
married to his wife, Suzy, for 10 years. Suzie is currently
finishing her Master’s in Occupational Therapy at Loma Linda
University. They have a son, Aidan, 7, who is in second grade
at Glendale Academy and a daughter, Olivia, 4, who is in
preschool in Glendale. Bryan and his family have lived in
Alhambra for the past two years.
Bryan is a total
family man and loves being a dad. He has an interest in
baseball, tennis, water sports and classic cars and still owns
his first car which is a 1966 Mustang. Bryan is very involved
with his church and he is on the Church Board as the Children’s
Ministries Program Coordinator. Bryan feels Kiwanis is a great
fit for him because he finds his greatest purpose and passion in
serving others and he is presently helping Rolando Morales with
the Builder’s Club at La Canada High School.
(Bryan was unable to finish his Craft Talk
on Wednesday so he graciously filled in the last part for me so
that I could share it
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Winner Of 50/50 Drawing: Frosty Boyd
Secret Greeter: Carl Christensen
Master Of The
Cash Box: Elizabeth Georgeon
This Weeks Reporter: Mary Ann Berkuta
These Weeks Photographer: Paul Westmoreland
Webmaster and Bulletin Coordinator: Jeb Long
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