The Valley Line: La Cañada Orthopedic Guild holds annual Book and Author Luncheon
It’s always hard for me to believe that time travels by so quickly! The little ghosts, goblins, and other assorted monsters and characters have collected their candy and have moved on. And oh yes, we did have a time change that gave us an extra hour last Sunday. Mother Nature also brought us cooler temps and some of the wet stuff this week.
Now it is time to think about fixing the family traditional recipes that grandmother made to accompany the golden roasted turkey.
Social doings have been swirling like the mists of days gone by and I’m still trying to catch up.
The La Cañada Orthopedic Guild’s annual Book and Author Luncheon has become a traditional charity event within our community for many years. This year more than 200 women and men gathered at the Angeles National Golf Club to again support this worthwhile charitable organization.
Arlene Massimino and Wendy Nicoll planned an outstanding day with numerous silent auction items to bid on, a tasty lunch to savor, and a preview of the books of two authors and one illustrator who charmed the audience as they told stories about their books.
Mary Beth Perrine from the Orthopedic Institute for Children stepped to the podium to tell the story of Bibiana and Tindi, two beautiful albino sisters who have received treatment from Orthopedic Institute for Children, where no child is turned away for lack of funds.
The girls were introduced with Tindi singing a song about her sister’s experience. This brought a tear to many of those gathered in the room.
This year’s authors were Shari Shattuck, who wrote “Becoming Ellen,” and Karen Keskinen, author of “Black Current.” Keika Yamaguchi, a talented artist, told how she developed her artistic talent drawing her “Puddle Pig.”
The winner of the opportunity card game that was played that afternoon was Sally Benson, who won $231, splitting the pot with the hospital.
The La Cañada Guild has pledged to raise $100,000 for the new surgical center over a 10-year span.
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It was an uplifting success recently when the Cancer Support Community of Pasadena (previously known as the Wellness Community) held its fifth annual “Ladies Night Out 2015.” More than 230 guests arrived at the beautiful San Rafael neighborhood home of Sam and Diane Nicholson.
After all was said, done, and enjoyed nearly $90,000 was raised to honor the courageous women in the community who have been touched by cancer.
Co-chairing the event were Kal Balian Antoun and Diane Reed Nicholson. Honorary chairwoman was Liz Rusnak Arizmendi.
The Carnivale theme was a colorful and popular one which featured NBC4’s Colleen Williams as mistress of ceremonies and local author Lian Dolan as auctioneer. During the event Karin Chien, a CSC participant in a caregiver support group, recounted her experiences with the organization when her twin sister was struggling with cancer.
There were plenty of activities going on as guests could try their luck at three game booths, the Blue Box Toss that featured 50 boxes from Tiffany & Co., each of which contained an item. Tiffany’s Pasadena store director Michelle Butler distributed the boxes to the women who won them and one lucky guest, Angie Miller, went home with a beautiful 18k gold and diamond Tiffany bracelet.
The Mystery Box Booth featured gift certificates from area restaurants, jewelry, spa certificates and retail certificates.
The Wine Toss Booth included a fantastic selection of wines from all over the world.
Presenting sponsors of the event were Sue and Steve Silk, Tiffany & Co., RBC Wealth Management, Rebecca Bales & the Camden Group, Diane and Sam Nicholson, Rusnak Jaguar Pasadena, Lisa and Brad Freer, Sharp Seating and Wells Fargo Private Bank.
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Dr. Jerold Beeve and his wife Dorothy, founders of the Beeve Foundation for World Eye & Health and Fiji 4 Sight, were recently feted for their 25 years of mission eye surgical help given absolutely free of charge to the people of Fiji. A luncheon that drew about 50 guests was held in their honor at Oakmont Country Club.
Jim Jenson, president of the nonprofit Beeve Foundation, stepped to the podium to welcome guests and then introduced fellow medical colleagues who have assisted the Beeves in their Fiji medical and surgical work. Jenson stated that the Beeve mission is given out of love and concern for these people who otherwise would not be able to receive medical aid.
An especially poignant speech came from the Beeves’ granddaughter, Emily Beeve, who traveled to Fiji to assist her grandparents in the mission work in 2013. She mentioned how this Fijian experience was transformative for her.
Dr. Mario Meallet, a cornea specialist who has traveled with the Beeves on several trips, said the Fijian need for vision care is “so profound.” That “blindness is a condition that affects the whole family. In a course of a few days lives of the Fijian people are transformed — it restores not just sight, but dignity and independence.”
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The La Cañada Flintridge Country Club on Oct. 28 held a Haunted House Halloween Bash at the clubhouse, according to Lee H. Dreyfuss, senior vice president of the country club.
“It scared the living daylights out of the membership,” Dreyfuss tells us. He said that 135 adults and 97 kids were in attendance at the affair.
A bounce house and games for the children were set up in the driveway, near a pumpkin patch and spooky graveyard. In the clubhouse lobby there was a candy bar and a photo booth. Other activities included a haunted house, a movie, dancing, buffet dinners and kids crafts. It was a memorable lead-in to the Halloween weekend.
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JANE NAPIER NEELY covers the La Cañada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event.