Labor of love

Molly Shore

When she grows up, Rebecca Burruso wants to be a mechanic just like

her dad.

During Thursday’s annual Take Your Kids to Work Day, Rebecca, 8,

accompanied Chris Burruso, the city’s fire equipment mechanic, to

his job at Fire Department Headquarters.

“I got to watch my dad work, and I like doing that,” Rebecca said.

Burruso said it was fun having her there with him.

About 60 children of city employees took the day off from school

and went to work with their parents to learn more about their jobs.

The children met at 8 a.m. at the Olive Recreation Center, where

they attended workshops, got hoisted up in a cherry-picker bucket and

had their photos taken while sitting in a city fire truck before

joining their parents in the afternoon.

Nickolas Goulding, 9, was busy creating marble art and playing

games in the center while his mother Diane Goulding, an engineering

technician in the Public Works department, was in the gymnasium

teaching children about maps.

At the Burbank Water and Power workshop, Engineering Technician

Griff Griffiths told the children how his department takes care of

the city’s electrical and water needs.

“We have to make sure that the water not only tastes good, but is

clean and pure,” he said. “People are on the job 24 hours a day to

make sure that the water is good.”

Other city departments that participated at the recreation center

were the library, information technology, recycling center, police

department and animal shelter.

Krispy Kreme, Hometown Buffet, AMC, NBC, Private Party and

Nickelodeon donated food, prizes and film for the event.

The Lockheed Federal Credit Union also participated in the

national event. Credit union employees brought their children to

spend the day at their workplace to learn more about what they do.

The children learned why credit unions and banks are important and

underwent personality testing to learn about what types of careers

they might be good at.