Letter: Honor lost women with volunteer help

Recently we have lost a few very important people to our community: Barbara Skykes, Eileen Cobos and Kathy Sanks. Barbara Sykes was the heart and soul of the Burbank Coordinating Council’s gifts for holiday baskets for the past several years. She and I would parallel shop and find great buys on wonderful toys and things for family gifts year round. I loved her quick wit, her sunny smile and positive attitude in all things. She was an inspiration for all of us and a treasured friend to our family too. I will be sending my prayers to her and hope she is listening and looking down on us to be sure we carry on in her absence.

Her death comes on the tail of losing another special lady, Eileen Cobos, who served on the Coordinating Council for many years as a board member, president and co-chair for both holiday baskets and camperships. She was dedicated to the good work the Coordinating Council does to send kids to camp in summer, and to help them through the holidays in December. Again, a wonderful and dedicated lady with a big heart to help everyone.

Another loss was the unexpected death in December of Kathy Sanks, president of the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities. Some thought we would simply go away, but that is not the case. We are even more dedicated to working to help the city fulfill its promise to make the entire community user and accessible friendly to all citizens, no matter what their disabilities. We have come a long way in that work, but still have a long way to go.

To honor them and continue the work of these fine women, perhaps Leader readers would like to step up and help others in our city. For more information about the Burbank Coordinating Council or the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities, please call me at (818) 216-9377.

Thank you all for your support.

Janet Diel

Burbank