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The La Cawañian La Cañada, CA – May 24, 2000 Meghan Serwin, Editor It was chilly and darkish outside, but inside the mood was warm and bright. Inez Pickering’s piano stylings were sunny, as usual, and Ed Moulton led us not only in America The Beautiful (a sunny song if ever there was one – all those amber waves of grain) but also in Wait ‘Till the Sun Shines, Nellie. Elizabeth Georgeon invoked the spirit of Abraham Lincoln in her wonderful Memorial Day invocation, and Mike Stokes led our Pledge of Allegiance. Guests included Louie Juarez, with Dave Spence; Key Clubbers Brian Than and Chris Bon; and LCE Terrific Kids Devin Niebrugge (with mom Nancy and dad Dan) and Brandon Sanak (with mom Barbie and dad Steve). Announcements began with Louie Juarez, who invited one and all to attend the LCF Tournament of Roses Fine Wine Dinner at Brookside on June 8. The 6 p.m. event, which includes a five-course dinner and Kendall Jackson wines, costs $60 per person, $20 of which goes into the LCF-TofR coffers. See Claire Slaughter to sign up. Next up was Bill Scherkey with the Nominating Committee’s list of officers and directors for 2000-2001 (drum roll, please). The new honchos include Jim Edwards, President; Pat Anderson, President-Elect; and Bob Wallace, V.P., along with Directors Jerry Healey, Ken Lowe, George Lutes, Anthony Portantino, and this humble reporter. (What does it mean when all three new officers and one new director don’t attend the meeting? Were they, perhaps, out starting their own new club?) Returning officers include Sharin Orr (Secretary) and Howard Backer (Treasurer), who are joined by on-going directors are Jim Ackland, Sheila Cook, Dick DeGrey and Lou Roberts. More announcements came from our esteemed President, who reminded us that because Kiwanis scholarships are coming up, we need to all bring our dues current ASAP. Sir Jim also applauded Tom Smith, Glen Pettit and Don Davidson for their work setting up and cleaning after last week’s Prayer Breakfast, while at the same time admonishing those of us who signed up but didn’t attend to do better next year. Matt Regan gave the rallying cry for attendance at the June 4 Governor’s Visit at the Gene Autry Museum – apparently the A.M. club’s sign-ups are up to 40, while we’ve only got 26 going. Jim Reynolds also issued a "save the date" about the upcoming eightieth annual Cal-Nev-Ha District Convention August 17-20 in San Diego. Anthony Portantino once again reminded us to fill the Children’s Hospital buckets, and deputized Jack Orr to put in Harold Arman’s traditional $20. Anthony also had a sign-up sheet for the June 14 Pet Clinic – if you haven’t signed up to help and want to, see Anthony. There were a slew of Soap Box Derby-related announcements. Ed Moulton modeled the fabulous $5 Kiwanis cap that all Soap Box Derby volunteers will be wearing (along with their equally fabulous red Soap Box Derby Volunteer t-shirts, which will coordinate oh-so-patriotically with the Derby drivers’ blue shirts and the spectators’ commemorative $8 white shirts). Ed also put out the call for a drinking fountain to be used on Derby days; if you have one, call Ed. Joel Smith, who announced that we’re nearing our hoped-for 50 race entries, needs patio sets (table, umbrella, 4 chairs or so) to use for shaded information booths; he’s already got the hot-and-cold-water sink he needed for concessions, inside Bill Wiederkehr’s RV. Joel also needs volunteers with pick up trucks to move 140 bales of hay at the race site at 3 p.m. this Friday, as well as people to staff the set up and clean up efforts and to drive the racers back up the hill. Daryal Gant is looking for someone to film documentary-style footage about the race. (I was going to volunteer my son the aspiring director and his Sony digital camcorder, Daryal, but he’s not yet 11 and I fear that some cute pre-adolescent old girl driver might distract him from his duties. If you don’t find anyone immune to such distractions, let me know.) On the assumption that there will be life after the Derby, Eileen Ferber put in a word for the June 9 Towne Singers’ performance at the newly renovated Lanterman Center for the Performing Arts, while Dick DeGrey asked for more volunteers to cook burgers at Monday’s post-parade picnic in the park. A most marvelous Happy Buck came from Patsy Christianson, who had the (in her words) "startling happy news" that she’s getting married on September 9!! The lucky gentleman is a friend of her late husband. (Patsy will be relocating to Nebraska, which makes this announcement both happy and sad, but certainly a cause for celebration.) Elizabeth Georgeon had an anticipatory happy buck for her yellow suit, which she hopes will come back from the cleaners devoid of the egg rolls and sticky sauce she had dumped on her at her County Bar Installation dinner. (Ask me about the chicken feet that jumped into my lap at a law school honor society function, Elizabeth . . . I hope your dry cleaner has better luck with Chinese food grease than mine did.) Our program speaker was Gus Gonzales, a representative of Long Term Preferred Care, which sells long term health care insurance. Gus was quite informative about the need for and benefits of long-term care insurance, which covers home-based and convalescent home care for people with long-term disabilities. Next week: Our program will consist of a Soap Box Derby wrap-up and retrospective by Daryal Gant, along with several Craft Talks introduced by Sheila Cook. Mary Ann Olson will provide the invocation; Ken Lowe will lead the flag salute; Sharin Orr will sell raffle tickets; and Mike Stokes will continue as Sergeant-at-Arms. Quote for the week: The American city should be a collection of communities where every member has a right to belong. It should be a place where every man feels safe on his streets and in the house of his friends. It should be a place where each individual's dignity and self-respect is strengthened by the respect and affection of his neighbors. It should be a place where each of us can find the satisfaction and warmth which comes from being a member of the community of man. This is what man sought at the dawn of civilization. It is what we seek today. --Lyndon Johnson
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