People in the News: Beeves given Ellis Island medals
Dr. Jerold Beeve and his wife Dorothy Beeve, of La Cañada Flintridge, were each awarded one of 100 Ellis Island Medals of Honor presented in May by the National Ethnic Coalition.
The couple are founders of the Beeve Foundation for World Eye and Health Care Inc., which to date has made 19 trips to the Fiji islands to provided eye care to Fijians suffering from severe eye disorders.
The Beeves discovered the need for the medical services when they were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in Fiji. After learning the majority of Fijians were without access to medical care or the financial means to pay for it, they created their foundation.
Their 22-member, all-volunteer team is comprised of surgeons, doctors, nurses and technicians from the United States, Australia, Fiji and New Zealand. To date they have given 25,213 complete eye exams and dispensed 22,360 pairs of eyeglasses. A total of 2,115 eye surgeries have been performed.
More information about the Beeve Foundation can be found at www. fijiforsight.org.
Locals honored by state Assembly
Michael and Karen Villalpando of La Cañada Flintridge, publishers of the Park Labrea News and Beverly Press, were honored last month by 42nd District Assembly member Mike Feuer (D-West Hollywood) as owners of his district’s Small Business of the Year.
The couple have owned and operated the publications since 1990. The weekly papers have a circulation of more than 13,000 households in the communities of Park Labrea, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, the Fairfax District and West Hollywood.
Feuer stated during the May 25 ceremony that he was pleased to honor the newspapers. “In this era of shrinking media outlets and ‘soundbyte’ news stories, the Villalpandos continue to provide thoughtful, robust coverage of local events and issues,” he said.
The Villalpandos have resided locally for 18 years with their two daughters, Emily, 18, and Rebecca, 15, both students at La Cañada High School.
Flintridge Prep grad retires from Army
Lt. Col. Bruce E. Griggs, a 1982 graduate of Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada, has retired from the U.S. Army after 23 years of service.
At his retirement ceremony, Griggs was decorated with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Order of St. George Medallion.
Prior to his retirement, he served as chief of student liaison operations at the George C. Marshall Center at Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany.
Griggs received the Defense Meritorious Service medal for exceptionally meritorious service while serving in numerous duty positions, culminating with an assignment at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.
He served in key leadership positions throughout Europe, Central Asia and the U.S. during times of peace and war.
Griggs became an expert in strategic, operational and tactical level operations, imparting his extensive personal experience upon thousands of U.S. and international military officers, noncommissioned officers, enlisted service members and governmental civilians. His outstanding leadership, professionalism, selfless dedication and work accomplishments during his Army career will have a positive impact beyond his retirement.
The Order of St. George Medallion is presented by the U.S. Armor Assn. awards program to honor the best of America’s tankers and troopers (armor and cavalry) who are deserving of the Army’s close combat heavy forces.
Griggs enlisted in the California Army National Guard while attending college and the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
In June 1988, he completed the program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Armored Corps.