Community news: City Manager Mike Flad honored, YMCA Turkey Trot, Kimberley Dumm Lovato wins medals

Family Service Agency supporters recognized City Manager Mike Flad for his commitment to the city he grew up in and his sense of humor during the annual Imagine a City Gala held at Providence High School on Nov. 3.

Flad has taken a job as city manager of South Gate and the Family Service gala was a chance for friends to wish him the best in the future. He received the agency’s Mary Alice O’Connor Vision Award named for a beloved volunteer who gave 66 years of her life to supporting many organizations in town. She was a founding member of the Family Service Agency board in 1953.

Mayor Dave Golonski said it best that Flad was not only capable of handling his core responsibilities, but the unexpected things that pop up every day.

“He rose to the occasion so many times in so many ways.” Golonski said.

Flad created great programs that he staffed with great people, the mayor added, and that is what he excelled at.

One of those programs was the Burbank Employment and Student Training program to help youth prepare for a career.

“He has done so much and put his heart and soul into this community,” Golonski said.

And the compliments just kept coming in speeches from Supt. of Schools Jan Britz, Water and Power General Manager Ron Davis, Joan McCarthy and Jamie Keyser from the Walt Disney Co., Lisa Rawlins from Warner Bros., and in a video presentation featuring former city manager Mary Alvord and Flad’s daughter and his dad.

Flad was presented a statue of a dove from J.P. O’Connor, the daughter of Mary Alice O’Connor, and U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff. Artist Terre Bridgham created a three-dimensional version of the agency’s logo in 2009 to be presented to award recipients every year. Each one is different. Mike’s dove’s wings are spread, as if it is ready to take flight.

An evening highlight was the unveiling of the Flad Family Youth Fund. It is not a vacation fund for Mike, but a fund named for Flad that will provide everything from resource materials to counseling services for children and families at the Family Service Agency.

On your marks for Turkey Trot

A great way to take off a few ounces before pulling up to the Thanksgiving table is to join in the Burbank Community YMCA Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.

Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. with warm-up at 7:30 and 5K walk/run and 10K run at 8. There is a kiddie 1K fun run for ages 7 and younger at 9:15.

Proceeds go to the membership assistance program that makes YMCA programs available to children and families who need them most.

For more information, visit www.burbankturkeytrot.com.

Everything’s coming up truffles

Kimberley Dumm Lovato, formerly of Burbank, won a Gold medal and Bronze medal in the Lowell Thomas Awards for her book, “Walnut Wine and Truffle Groves.” Lovato is the daughter of Salle Dumm of Burbank.

The Society of American Travel Writers Foundation announced the results of the 28th annual Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition in a video presentation in September at the annual convention in Indianapolis, Ind.

The competition for work from spring 2011 to spring 2012 drew 1,163 entries in 25 categories and was judged by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with Monica Hill as coordinator.

The foundation presents nearly $20,000 in prize money in honoring more than 70 journalists and publications. The awards are named for Lowell Thomas, acclaimed broadcast journalist, prolific author and world explorer during five decades in travel journalism.

JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.