Chatsworth : Trees All Decked Out for a Benefit Sale

A Chatsworth flower shop will sponsor a holiday-themed “open house” tonight to benefit a police booster group, organizers have announced.

Rick Angel, co-owner of Chatsworth Florist, said it’s the first time his store has been host of an event with Supporters of Law Enforcement in Devonshire (SOLID), a nonprofit community group that assists the Los Angeles Police Department’s Devonshire Division. He said the fund-raiser is designed to “give back something to the community.”

For the four-hour event, 25 Christmas trees will be decked out with unusual ornaments--themes will include Santa Claus, angels, teddy bears and toys. The decorations will be sold for $2 to more than $100.

Becky Leveque, SOLID’s vice president, said that 10% of the evening’s sales will be donated to the organization. The money will go toward purchasing items such as answering machines, fax machines and computers, and to refurbish the Devonshire station’s roll-call room.

“Traditionally, the community in the northwest San Fernando Valley has been very supportive, very responsive and very generous in providing for our officers,” she said.

Angel said that, although his store has raised money for other charities in the past, he’s happy to help out the often-underfunded LAPD.

“It’s good for all of us,” he said. “If we support them, they support us too.”

The open house will begin at 5 p.m. at 21727 Devonshire St. and is free to the public. For more information, call (818) 341-2753.