On the Town: Local group’s symbolic walk raises awareness for veterans issues
Six members of the American Legion Verdugo Hills Post 288 attended the “Not on Our Watch” event organized in mid-September by Wellness Works of Glendale to gain community support and raise awareness regarding military veteran suicide.
For 72 consecutive hours, veterans took turns walking a symbolic post across the Colorado Street Bridge and holding vigil.
Participation of the local American Legion post is part of its ongoing purpose, which is to support veterans in the community. Legion spokesman Lynn McGinnis said members attending were Mike Baldwin, Dick Clubb, Terry Parker, Robert Wollenweber, Chuck Hughes and Blake Hyfield.
“It’s to raise awareness of the high suicide rate amongst the younger veterans coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq [and other areas of] the Middle East,” McGinnis said. “Veterans coming home have always had a little bit higher suicide rate, but this Middle East war that’s gone on for 12 or 14 years, it’s been a little higher, and so this event is to raise awareness.”
Wellness Works has a long tradition of providing services for the body/mind/spirit to veterans in the community, said Kathy Lynch, clinical director of Wellness Works.
“But our mission also involves raising awareness of the desperate need for comprehensive veteran services in our community, as well as supporting veterans as they work to reintegrate with the civilian world,” she said.
Wellness Works is a nonprofit organization and its mission is to engage the community in restoring hope and a sense of wholeness of body and soul to veterans and their families. The organization provides services to veterans in Glendale, Pasadena and surrounding areas.
For more information, visit wellnessworksglendale.org.
In other American Legion Post 288 news
About a dozen members of the American Legion Post 288, along with several other veterans groups, were invited to attend the second annual Korean Cultural Festival at La Cañada Memorial Park, organized by the Korean-American Federation of North Los Angeles.
The event pays tribute to those who served during the Korean War, said post spokesman Dick Clubb.
“One of our mottos is ‘Still Serving’ and those of us continue to serve as members of the post, trying to give to other veterans and also to give back to the community, and those are the things we do at the post,” Clubb said. “We promote events and things that support veterans and support the youth of the community. Any time anyone asks us to participate we always try to respond just so the veterans are not forgotten.”
Patrons Club changes it up for annual fundraiser
Major changes have been made for the Patrons Club’s fundraiser to benefit students of Glendale Community College.
First, the location has moved to the Oakmont Country Club for the Nov. 4 event. Second, the fashion show is being replaced with a performance by the college’s dance department, thus the theme title “Dancing Toward Success.”
The highlight of the day will be the presentation of the Woman of Distinction honor to Gael Davitt for her contributions to education and longtime support of the Patrons Club. Davitt is the widow of John Davitt, who served 21 years as president of the college. He passed away in May 2014 after battling Parkinson’s disease.
The Davitts were strong supporters of the Patrons Club over the years. They often hosted lunches at their home and invited college staff, board members and local residents to encourage donations and membership to the club. This year, Gael Davitt hosted the Patrons Club installation luncheon at her home.
For years, John Davitt purchased two tables at the annual fundraisers, and now Gael Davitt continues the tradition and purchases a table and shares the tickets with friends and colleagues.
Gael Davitt routinely attended the Patrons Club Scholarship Luncheon and Honors Banquet with her husband in support of the students who were awarded the John A. Davitt Scholarship. She continues to attend the annual event to support students at the scholarship fundraiser events.
A second scholarship in John Davitt’s name has been established. Nurses aides helped him during his battle against Parkinson’s. In gratitude, the Davitt family awards this scholarship to nursing students every year.
Gael Davitt’s career has been devoted to education and the support of students and their endeavor to succeed academically.
She received her education from the University of San Francisco and Loyola Marymount. She taught three years in San Francisco and when the couple moved to La Cañada, she taught sixth and seventh grade for 35 years at St. Bede School.
“Every place I go, I run into someone who tells me ‘Mrs. Davitt, you were my sixth-grade teacher, it’s so good to see you,’ ” she said. “It’s so wonderful that they recognize me.”
On receiving the honor from the Patrons Club, she said she thinks it is because of the Patrons Club’s love and respect for her late husband.
“He supported the Patrons Club for so long, and he really respected those women who work so hard to get the scholarships,” she said.
Deadline for reservations is Oct. 24. The cost to attend is $60 and reservations can be made by calling (818) 243-3590.
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JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.