The Valley Line: Volunteers welcome to help launch ‘Backyard Rocketeer’
Are you in a Christmas mood yet? For those people who needed a nudge into this festive season, last Friday the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce held its annual Festival in Lights in Memorial Park, always a wonderful event in our community. I love it when Foothill Boulevard takes on its special holiday glow, bathed in lights.
On Saturday night, the Montrose Christmas Parade was held. It was the 40th celebration of this beloved parade. There was a little something for everybody. Especially exciting for kids and adults alike was to watch Santa in a helicopter hover over the parade route as he waved and shouted “Merry Christmas” to parade-goers.
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The night was wonderfully chilly and people were bundled up with colorful knitted hats, scarfs and gloves. Similar to our own Fiesta Days parade, many join the parade route, bands, flag twirlers, fire trucks, Scout troops, nursery school kids and dogs, all having fun.
Activity near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Hampton Road is buzzing in order to prepare our float “Backyard Rocketeer” for its historic ride down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena on Monday, Jan. 2. Yep, the parade will take place then because the rules that were set so many years ago promised that the Rose Parade would never happen on a Sunday. That will give float builders one more day to get our float looking beautiful.
I think this theme is such a good one since JPL is right in our own backyard and many of our community residents are engineers or scientists.
According to information from the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses team, sign-up for float-decorating volunteers is Dec. 15. Don’t delay, sign up now and look forward to flower preparation and placement. You can sign up online at lcftra.org.
The float will soon be “under the bridge” in the Flintridge Prep parking lot and ready for its close-up. On Monday, Dec. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. there will be a “Happy Hour,” which is always so much fun to attend and watch as the float is being decorated.
Chuck Terhune, president of our local tournament, says, “Bring an hors d’oeuvre and share in this fun evening. Drink tickets will be available for purchase.” He adds, “This great night is for adults only, over 21 years of age because of alcohol being served.”
Invitations are being sent for the annual “Major Donor Party” set for Friday, Dec. 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. This “by invitation only” event, held at the float construction site, honors those who are faithful and generous with their monetary support of our float.
LCF’s first float was in 1979 and was called “Horse Play.” Our floats, always lighthearted and humorous, have not only been crowd-pleasers but award-winners over these many years.
The ladies of Las Candelas recently gathered to assemble invitations to their biennial luncheon/fashion show benefit, “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.” Ellyn Semier is president of Las Candelas and she lives here in La Cañada Flintridge.
The benefit will be held Monday, March 6, at the Los Angeles Marriott Hotel-Burbank Airport and will feature an expanded boutique with classic jewelry, designer handbags, stylish clothing and household accessories during the reception and after the luncheon. There also will be an assortment of opportunity prizes to win, each one being valued at over $800. After the reception, guests will be invited into the ballroom to enjoy a three-course luncheon and a fashion show presented by Lourdes Chavez. About 650 guests are expected to attend the benefit.
Proceeds from “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” go toward providing programs and financial assistance to Las Candelas’ philanthropies. For more than 64 years, Las Candelas has provided volunteer service and financial assistance to help improve the lives of children and youth in vulnerable situations and to support awareness of their mental health needs. The group, comprising 40 women, serves the following organizations in the surrounding communities: Hillsides Education Center in Pasadena, Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services in Altadena, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Glendale, Ascencia (a Glendale-based transitional shelter for the homeless) and the Glendale YWCA Domestic Violence Program.
For more information about the upcoming benefit, contact benefit chairwoman J.C. Byer at (818) 242-5569.
Onward to Christmas and the New Year. Colorful lights are adorning houses and yards around town and our residents are gathering for holiday parties. Enjoy it all!
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JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Canada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com to let her know about your special event.