BEST BET

Contractor Ed Sylvis specializes in making houses earthquake safe. But his contribution to an Altadena Heritage and Chamber of Commerce fund-raising drive is giving the anti-temblor man the trembles.

Sylvis volunteered to send his crews out, free, to any two San Gabriel Valley houses whose owners win a raffle at Saturday’s earthquake seminar at the Altadena Senior Center.

It’s a good deal. A raffle ticket costs $3 and seismic work runs about $3,500--and up.

That’s what’s giving Sylvis the shakes. One area homeowner, after discovering that seismic work on her house would cost $12,000, promptly bought 40 tickets. More than 2,000 tickets

have been sold, for houses ranging in size from modest cottages to mini-castles, said JoAnn Formia, office manger for the chamber.

The earthquake seminar is from 9 a.m. to noon at the senior center, 560 E. Mariposa St. Sylvis will speak on earthquake bolting, which involves attaching house frames to their foundations to prevent them from sliding off during temblors of large magnitude.

Reservations can be made by contacting the chamber or Altadena Heritage. The $10 fee includes a continental breakfast and one raffle ticket. Raffle tickets alone are $3 each or two for $5.