Community news: Hoover’s Tour of Homes, Professor Carlos Robles wins award
Tickets go on sale Wednesday for the 55th annual Hoover High School PTA Tour of Homes, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 8. The tour raises funds for senior scholarships.
A new feature this year will be a refreshment area at one of the homes, where local merchants will be selling food and donating back a portion of the sales to the tour committee.
The four homes featured will be festively dressed for the holidays. The styles of homes selected this year are an American Colonial Revival built in 1936, a French Normandy built in 1937, a Spanish style built in 1927 and a California Ranch house built in 1937.
The California Ranch, owned by Rick and Laurita Domasin, is an impeccably decorated home with many windows that pull the eye to the beautifully appointed grounds, all designed by Rick Domasin, a retired landscape artist.
The interior decoration was coordinated by the couple’s daughter, Cheri Steinfeld, with formal window treatments, pillows and bedding in luxurious fabrics made by another daughter, Debra Leonard. Faux stenciling on the walls was executed by painter Lucy Jensen.
The couple bought the home 30 years ago, and are the second owners, Rick Domasin said.
“We have gone through every room in the house and made changes,” he said.
They remodeled the kitchen 23 years ago.
“The beauty of the kitchen is that it still looks current,” said Marlene Oliphant, a Glendale interior designer, who helped select the homes on the tour.
On the day of the tour, each home will have special activities. Tea will be served to all who visit the Colonial Revival home. The French Normandy will have the Hoover Jazz Band performing while a Christmas Boutique will be showcased in the country kitchen presented by Marguerite Lincoln of Encore Home and Gift. The Hoover Chorus will sing at the California Ranch home.
Keith Sorem is chairman of the committee for the third year.
“The goal this year is to raise $20,000 in scholarships for seniors,” he said. “That will be three times what we did last year.”
For the first time, there will be an 8 1/2-by-11-inch, four-color program providing background information and photographs of the homes, which Sorem believes will be a significant source of scholarship revenue.
Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. For more information, visit www.hoovertourofhomes.org.
Resident named distinguished professor
Carlos Robles of La Crescenta is the recipient of this year’s Cal State L.A. President’s Distinguished Professor Award. He is an environmental biologist and director of the university’s Center for Environmental Analysis. He and five other faculty members were recently honored on campus during the Fall Faculty Day.
He has published numerous articles on the dynamics of predation in seashore communities of California and British Columbia. His innovative work on predator-prey relationships has been featured in textbooks and in an interactive display at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.
Having received more than $17 million in research and research training grants, Robles’ efforts support innovative training in environmental research, including classroom exercises, special field experiences at remote field stations, and internships with government agencies concerned with the environment.
Robles co-directed the Luis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation/ Bridges to the Doctorate Program, which provided fellowship support to students from underrepresented backgrounds. He is on the Executive Committee of the Cooperative Institute on Marine Ecosystems and Climate, a new research institute established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to study the impacts of global climate change.
For 11 years, Robles served as director of Cal State L.A.’s Center for Environmental Analysis, funded by the National Science Foundation. Under Robles’ direction, the center became a nationally recognized model for diversity-centered environmental education, reaching out to pre-college students and placing numerous graduates from underrepresented groups in doctorate programs and government agency positions.
JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.