On the Town: Fundraiser has Rose float ‘Getting There’
“Everything is Coming Up Roses!” That was the theme of the fundraiser that the newly reorganized Glendale Rose Float Assn. held recently.
The historic Glendale mansion of Judy and Ashok Rao was the setting where group members and guests celebrated the 100-plus-year history of Glendale Rose floats, though the city didn’t have a float this year.
Also celebrated was the happy occurrence of a Glendale float in Pasadena’s Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2016. However, the purpose of this first-ever float fundraiser was to raise money for a float in 2017.
The 55-foot float for 2016 has a transportation theme — “Getting There is Half the Fun.” A poster of it displayed at the fundraiser featured a facade of the Glendale Transportation Center, a steam locomotive, a vintage airplane, a 1950s convertible and cyclists out for a ride. Leading the way at the front of the float is Glendale’s official city bird, the peacock. Association President Keith Sorem and Vice President Yvette Vartanian Davis posed with the float poster. They looked proud as peacocks.
Servers with trays of hors d’oeuvres and cocktails greeted some 200 guests upon their arrival. Also readily available were silent-auction bid sheets extolling the virtues of a chance to ride on the 2016 Rose Float or a private VIP tour of the float decorating locations.
Signs trumpeted the availability of parade grandstand seats for $100 each. There were also opportunity tickets for sale for more parade seats and prize drawings. Add the $75 per-person fundraiser ticket and the afternoon had the potential of coming close to the $50,000 goal association members had set.
TV personality Melody Rogers was mistress of ceremonies and honorary chair. She introduced Glendale’s Very Important People including City Councilwoman Paula Devine, Glendale Community College Supt./President David Viar and his wife, Jane, News-Press columnist Katherine Yamada and one of Glendale’s finest, Glendale Deputy Police Chief Carl Povilaitis.
Attending from the artsy crowd was Arlene Vidor, Glendale historic preservation commissioner and president of Brand Associates.
A highlight of the afternoon was the debut performance by the Glendale Community College Vocal Jazz Ensemble singing a custom-written Rose Float song, “Getting There is Half the Fun.” The ensemble was directed by an enthusiastic Clare Delto.
The program ended with the announcement of the winners of the silent-auction items and opportunity prizes. Yamada was the winner of a seat on the float for a mere $750.
To quote the Rose Float song — “Glendale’s back to join the fun! Pasadena, here we come!”
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Who needs the popular TV antique show “Antiques Roadshow” when the La Crescenta Woman’s Club is a hop, skip and a jump away from Glendale? On Saturday, Nov. 14, the clubhouse was turned into a full-fledged flea market with vendors hawking their wares. The “Roadshow” part of it was the participation of Jackie Wise, co-owner of Crown City Estate Sales on Honolulu Avenue in Verdugo City, along with husband, Frank.
Jackie Wise was at the clubhouse on her own to give estimates on the value of antiques and collectibles brought in by the public. She only charged $5 an item and donated the money to the Woman’s Club.
La Crescenta resident Suzette Van Sleeuwen brought in two porcelain figures of a man and woman. Sharp-eyed Wise saw that one of the woman figure’s hands was damaged. Although the figures were from the turn of the century, the damage lowered their value from $150 a pair to $45 a pair. Wise suggested selling them on eBay. Van Sleeuwen thought the figures originally belonged to her great-grandmother.
“I probably won’t be getting rid of them,” she said.
So far, “best in show” in La Crescenta, according to Wise, was a 1820s folk art, miniature ivory portrait of a young boy and his dog. She estimated its value at $500 to $1,000.
Woman’s Club President Carol Huntwork said the event proceeds, including a $25 per-table vendor’s fee, would go toward clubhouse plumbing. It’s an antique, too.
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RUTH SOWBY RANDS may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com.