Kiwanis Club of La Cañada

Click Here for Photo & Newsletter Archive

The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada’s Weekly Newsletter

Melinda Thompson, Editor

The La Kiwanian

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

COMING UP NEXT:

Jun 29

SPECIAL GUEST DAY - Dr. Evans, JPL

Wednesday (11:30 a.m. for members, 11:45 a.m. for guests) – Lunch Meeting at Descanso

Jul 6

AN AMERICAN IN LOVE WITH HIS COUNTRY - Bruce Seivers

Wednesday – Lunch Meeting at Descanso

Jul 7

BOARD MEETING - Kiwanis Club and Foundation

Thursday at 7:00 p.m., La Cañada CitiBank

Jul 10

SUMMER SOCIAL

Sunday Afternoon at the Toffel’s Home, 1 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Jul 13

HI JACKERS FLYING - Cathy Keen

Wednesday – Lunch Meeting at Descanso

The Prez sez . . .

What an honor for our Club to have so many Scouts, parents, and leaders at our meeting today!

The presentation in Memorial Park last week of a Sports Safety Chair to each of the four local high schools was fun and generated some good publicity. A big Thank You goes to Clyde Hemphill, Mary Gant and Mike Leininger!

The Pink Flamingo publicity for our Special Guest Day generated articles in both the Valley Sun and The Outlook. Were Anthony Portantino and Dave Spence wearing their Kiwanis pins?

Our annual Pet Clinic last Thursday was once again a successful event. Thanks to Anthony Portantino who has chaired this event for several years and all the Kiwanis Club members who helped..

It is always an honor to acknowledge a Kiwanian’s 25^th year anniversary as a member of our Club. Pete Palermo was congratulated and received a special certificate and a 25 Year Kiwanis pin.

SPECIAL GUEST DAY is next week. The meeting starts early – 11:45 a.m. Club members are encouraged to arrive at 11:30 a.m. to help with preparations and to be on hand to great the guests. No special clothes required, but there will be seating charts, name tags for the guests, etc. RSVPs have been very encouraging, and there may be as many as fifty guests.

A reverse auction was held for four tickets to the Pasadena Pops concert at Descanso this Friday. Mary Gant and her spouse offered the tickets and donated the proceeds to our La Cañada Kiwanis Foundation. Jim Reynolds had the highest bid.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1 Harriet Hammons was wearing several hats. a) She first reported on the June 10^th Social (dinner at Damons and then Pajama Game at the Glendale Center Theater) which was enjoyed by all. b) The July Summer Social on July 10^th is only 2 ½ weeks away; if you plan on going you need to sign up next week or call Harriet. c) The books for Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School are ready to be delivered this week; the books will be presented at the school’s year end assembly. Each book has a La Cañada Kiwanis Club label inside the front cover

2 Joel Smith is looking for a student under the age of 17 willing to be filmed while building a Soap Box Derby car. A documentary is being produced on the Soap Box Derby, and the film company will buy a new Super Stock race car (unassembled and in the box) from our Club for the film. After the car is built the film company will donate the Super Stock car back to our Club.

3 Paul Westmoreland has another InterClub scheduled with the Verdugo Hills Kiwanis Club for Monday evening, June 27. Call Paul if you can attend this meeting. It is held at the Glendale American Red Cross Building.

4 Deborah Weirick announced a fundraising golf tournament sponsored by the Verdugo Hills YMCA. The date is July 18. Contact Deborah for more details.

5 Pat Anderson reminded everyone of the Tri-Chamber mixer tomorrow night at the Valley Sun.

6 Bachy Bachmayer urged us all to support Children’s Hospital.

7 Hal Crockett reported receiving a letter from the organization Sleeping Children Around the World. The organization provides bedding and some basic necessities for impoverished children who live on the streets. We have supported this organization for the last ten years, and our donation this year provided thirteen bed kits.

FROSTY’S SLA REPORT

Jim Ackland is home from the hospital and recovering from his heart surgery. Calls would be enjoyed and appreciated.

CRAFT TALK by new member DEBORAH WEIRICK

Born to native New Yorkers, Deborah spent her first two years in Brooklyn. Wanting to get away from all the congestion, her parents moved to a small town (no action) in New Mexico. Deborah’s parents and siblings still live there, but Deborah needed more excitement. She went to college in Denver and then spent three months trekking through West Africa after she graduated. Her need to earn a living and her desire for action brought her to Los Angeles where she worked for a number of non-profits. After three years her wanderlust erupted again and she traveled in Europe for a while. Los Angeles didn’t really lure Deborah back, but her boyfriend did, and they were married several years later. They moved to La Cañada two and a half years ago and have two small children. Deborah now works part-time as Development Director for our local YMCA. She loves the job, loves having time to still be a mom, and loves living in La Cañada. Deborah has many recreational interests and is currently enjoying a book club and rebuilding trails in La Cañada.

Thanks, Deborah! We already love your enthusiasm, energy and sense of humor!

THE PROGRAM

The executive director of the Mt. Wilson Vista Girl Scout Council, Brenda Berg, opened the program with a brief overview of the Council, the requirements to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, and the participation of our LCF Girl Scouts. This year there were 81 Girl Scouts in the Council who earned the Gold award. Although there are 22 cities in the Council, 30 of the Gold Awards were earned by LCF Girl Scouts. Ken Lowe then took over and invited all the Scouts to come up to the front of the room. The microphone was passed down the row as each Scout briefly described their Eagle Scout or Gold Award project. An interesting and impressive variety of projects which all took a lot of investigation, planning, time and talent. Then the microphone was passed back up the row as each scout told us about her/his most memorable scouting event. Some were funny, some exciting, and some emotional. We enjoyed them all. A great group of future leaders who already understand the rewards of service.

HAPPY & SAD BUCKS

Frank Ragazzi … Happy to see so many fine Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts all at one time.

Diane DellaValle … Happy because her good friend, Tina and Tina’s son (a Boy Scout) were our guests today.

Joel Smith … Happy for all the Boy Scouts who helped out at our Soap Box Derby.

Clyde Hemphill … Happy Joel Smith has had so much patience attending to all the details involved in wrapping up the Soap Box Derby.

Paul Westmoreland … Happy the house on Golden Way in Dinuba which burned down last week was not the Prez’ boyhood home.

Glen Pettite … Happy he had such a nice trip to South Lake Tahoe last week; he even enjoyed the snow storm.

Howard Baker … Happy or Sad … he’s not sure, since he will be staying at the Best Western Hotel in Dinuba next week.

Jack Dawson … Happy he has never been to Dinuba.

Tom Slaughter … Happy he was a Boy Scout in his youth and had Jack Dawson as his scout master.

George Lutes … Happy his K-Kids did such a good job of collecting pull tabs. They had collection cans in over thirty classrooms and collected over 50 pounds of those little things.

Frosty Boyd … Happy he had such a good Father’s Day. There were 25 children and grandchildren at his house representing four generations. There must have been some great grandchildren there, too.

Pat Anderson … Happy that Katie Caswell was one of our guest Girl Scouts and also on the LCF Royal Court.

FACTS AND FICTION

Music: piano tunes by new member Tom Burrows, Ed Moulton leading God Bless America Happy Birthday, Hi Neighbor and On Kiwanis.

Opening: flag salute by Boy Scout Brett Shaw and inspiration by adult Boy Scouter Harriet Hammons

Guests: A great bunch of Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and many of their parents and leaders. Each Scout introduced themselves and their parents.

Master of the Cash Box: Mary Gant

Birthdays: George Lutes joined the Century Club and as did Pet Palermo.

Jelly Roll Revelation: Every Club member should know their Kiwanis ID#. Jelly Roll picked on Jim Reynolds who – amazingly – knew his own number … almost! Jim missed one digit and ended up giving a fifth of a Century Club donation for the Children of the World. Who else in the room would have known even one digit of their Kiwanis ID#? We were impressed, Jim!

Frosty’s Challenge: We ran out of time, which was probably good. We didn’t have a chance to embarrass ourselves in front of the Girl and Boy Scouts.

Knock Knock Joke: I’ll bet the Scouts would have had a few good ones, but no time for this either.

Fifty-Fifty Drawing: Won by Melinda Thompson who donated her winnings to Children’s Hospital. She will be selling tickets next week and twisting your arm to purchase tickets for yourself and your Special Guests. Howard will provide plenty of change, so no excuses!

Secret Greeter: Paul Westmoreland. Those who didn’t shake his hand were fined a dollar. There was no amnesty for those who claimed it is hard to find Paul these days (to shake his hand) because he is so trim and svelte.

OFFICERS for 2004-2005

Daryal Gant, President Paul Westmoreland, President-Elect Frank Ragazzi, Vice President

Bill Scherkey, Secretary Howard Backer, Treasurer Jim Ackland, Immediate Past President

DIRECTORS for 2004-2005

Carl Christensen, Diane DellaValle, Clyde Hemphill, Jeb Long, George Lutes, Bob Martin,

Melinda Thompson, Bill Watts, Lloyd Welch

CLUB COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN for 2004-2005

Attendance – George Lutes, Finance & Investment – Daryal Gant, Historian – Bob Martin, Hospitality & Welfare – Frosty Boyd, House – Mel Wilson, Information Data Base – Joel Smith, InterClubs – Paul Westmoreland, Membership – Bob Wallace, Newsletter – Melinda Thompson, Parliamentarian – Clyde Hemphill, Programs – Frank Ragazzi, Publicity – Diane DellaValle,

Social – Harriet Hammons, Web-site – Jeb Long

FOUNDATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN for 2004-2005

Community Services – Carl Christensen and Mike Leininger, Fund Raising – Sylvia Kirkorian,

Human and Spiritual Values – Al Restivo, International Understanding – Hal Crockett,

Reading Assistance – Harriet Hammons, Soap Box Derby – Joel Smith, Sponsored Youth: LCHS Key Club – Ken Lowe, Flintridge Prep Key Club – Joan Peters, Builders Club – Open, K-Kids – George Lutes, Terrific Kids – Ed Moulton, Travel Adventures – Frank & Vi Ragazzi, Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting – Don Corbett and Joan Peters, Youth Services – Bachy Bachmayer

The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets every Wednesday at Noon

Van de Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens – 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA 91011

P.O. Box 33, La Cañada, CA 91012

Website: http://lacanadakiwanis.org