Community: YWCA honors seven women and establishes memorial award
For the many gifts they give to their communities, seven women were recognized at the 20th annual YWCA Glendale Legacy Luncheon held earlier this month at the Oakmont Country Club.
Among those receiving the Heart & Excellence Awards were two Burbank residents, Nancy Guillen and Joan-Patricia “JP” O’Connor.
Guillen dedicates her time and energy to projects that address cancer research, including the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse.
She is a member of the Glendale Kiwanis Club, vice president of Family Promise of the Verdugos and recently served as chair of the Burbank Chamber of Commerce. She is also past president of the Glendale Latino Assn. and continues to serve on its board.
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O’Connor is a second-generation recipient of this award. Her mother, the late Mary Alice O’Connor, received it in 2002. The mother and daughter were members of the first class of National Charity League’s Burbank chapter.
JP O’Connor co-designed and facilitated Leadership Burbank for seven years and is a Family Promise National Associate. A double cancer survivor, she has served twice as Burbank Relay for Life chair and twice as chair of the American Cancer Society San Fernando Valley Leadership Council.
Sitting with O’Connor was Janet Puchlik, a childhood friend since the Music Box Nursery School. They joined Girl Scouts together and remained in the troop through graduation from Burroughs High.
Also at the table was Peggy Spear. They’ve been friends since doing a benefit for the Pacific Asia Museum in 1984.
Other Burbank residents attending were Sister Regina Palamara, Marsha Ramos, Sandy Thompson, Joan Chandler and her guest, Elizabeth Cinkan.
During the luncheon, O’Connor ran into longtime Glendale resident Shirley Johnson, who served as a USC Trojan Traveler host on a trip O’Connor took through the Panama Canal. At the time, O’Connor was executive director of the USC Alumni Assn.
The luncheon culminated with a surprise announcement that a memorial scholarship was created in honor of Cameron Willia Hali Burton, the daughter of Carol Ann Burton and Alasdair John Hunter Burton.
Cameron Burton, 25, died in an automobile accident on March 20 in Malawi, a country in southeast Africa, while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Chorale celebrates spring with music
The Burbank Chorale, in its 97th year, will pay homage to famous films during its spring concert titled “Lights, Camera, Sing!” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the American Lutheran Church, 755 N. Whitnall Highway.
The chorale director is Mikhail Shtangrud. The program will include inspiring music from such movies as “Amadeus,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Henry V.”
Accompanying the chorale will be pianist Anna Krendel. Special guest artists will be members of the MUSYCA Children’s Choir.
Tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. Seniors and children under 12 years old are $15. Tickets can be purchased online at burbankchorale.eventbrite.com, call (818) 759-9177 or email tickets@burbankchorale.org.
JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.