Festival of Trees blooms funds for youth

EDWARD HEADINGTON

Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services, an education and treatment

center for youth in the probation system, rings in the holiday season

with its 51st annual Festival of Trees Monday at the Hilton Burbank

Airport and Convention Center, 2500 N. Hollywood Way.

The event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $45. This includes

lunch, a fashion show and the opportunity to win one of 50 decorated

and gift-laden holiday trees. Rick Chambers of KCBS-TV Channel 2 will

serve as master of ceremonies. Proceeds benefit Optimist programs and

services. For more information, call Gretchen Mucci at (323) 443-3022

or (661) 252-7313.

“This is a fantastic event,” said Dee Gadbury, the event

chairwoman. “We expect about 800 guests, and hope to raise upwards of

$15,000 to support our youth homes.”

The tree festival is sponsored by local Optimist clubs and the

Opti-Mrs., a women’s auxiliary of the Optimist family created at a

time when only men could become Optimists. This year’s theme is

“Children’s Wishes and Dreams,” and is being dedicated to the

“Opti-Mrs. Past, Present and Future” in recognition of hard work over

the past 50 years. Goodwill Industries is putting on the fashion show

and is calling it “History of Hollywood.”

Committee members are Darlene Caraway; Minu Chagolla; Julie

DeBoever; Pam Duben; Lydia Esponiza; Cathy McCutcheon; Gretchen

Mucci; Pauline Nystrom; Gerrie O’Meara; Iris Paull; Betty Preston;

Sherry Underwood; Jane Wallace; Lenna Welling; and Julie Westcott.

Burbank Noon Optimists meet at noon every Thursday at the Anabelle

Hotel, 2011 W. Olive Ave. For membership information, call Bob

Ventura at 506-8714.

Burbank Magnolia Park Optimists meet at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday

at the DeBell Golf Course Clubhouse, 500 Walnut Ave. For

information, call Gene Gardner at 845-1192.

LOCAL SHRINERS SPREAD

CHEER TO CHILDREN

Burbank-Glendale Shrine Club recently hosted a Halloween Party for

children at Shriners Hospital in Los Angeles.

Joy and Charlie Pruett organized the affair, and those in

attendance included Warnock McBride, Judy and Chris Barnes, Francine

and Sterling Lockett, Sherrell Williams, Yvonne and Tom Brennan,

Elmer Soderstrom and Juanita, and Vern Ross. They joined in the fun

by offering ice cream, punch, cookies, candy and a small gift to all

who were there -- about 38 children and family members.

Burbank-Glendale Shrine Club meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday

at the Coral Cafe, 3321 W. Burbank Blvd. For membership information,

call Norm Furman at 207-3772.

A SLICE OF TIME AND

MONEY TO HELP OTHERS

Foothill Civitan Club had a fund-raiser at the Burbank Shakey’s

Pizza to raise money for its philanthropic projects. Between 30 and

40 friends and family members converged upon the famous landmark and

raised several hundred dollars.

This year’s totals will likely be earmarked to pay for K-9

companions for the physically challenged.

“Burbank is such a great community but we don’t always have time

to stop and enjoy one another,” said Carol Nicholson, fund-raising

chairwoman. “It’s nice to have these little get-togethers -- usually

about four a year -- and raise money at the same time.”

Foothill Civitan Club meets every second Tuesday at the Tuttle

Senior Center, 1731 Ontario St., and every fourth Tuesday at The

Castaway, 1250 Harvard Road. For membership information, call Shirley

Pratt at 848-4596.

* EDWARD HEADINGTON’s service club column runs the first Wednesday

of the month. Reach him by e-mail at edwardhead ington@sbcglobal.net,

phone at 848-5014, fax at 688-8005, or mail at P.O. Box 10489,

Burbank, CA 91510.