Ticktockers honored for caring for the victims of abuse
The National Charity League Ticktocker Class of 2016 was honored for its commitment to the women and children in the YWCA Domestic Violence Program during the Character and Ethics Awards Ceremony in February.
The Character and Ethics Project is based on the philosophy that individual self-improvement produces a better community, and everybody benefits.
The committee gets together three times a year and chooses a handful of people to be recognized, said President Patrick Campbell. Honorees receive certificates from the mayor, fire and police departments, state assembly and senate and community organizations.
“National Charity League Ticktockers were honored because of their hundreds of hours of community service,” Campbell said.
The Ticktockers gave 648 hours of volunteer time to the children in the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Program at camp last summer, said Nancy Mercolino, grade level adviser. There were 31 Ticktockers, all age 14, who were involved in the charity project. They swam with the children, helped monitor them and became friends to them, Mercolino added.
The girls also coordinated a dance-a-thon, which they enjoyed with their mothers. Funds went to the mothers in the Domestic Violence Project.
“We ended up giving basically $90 worth of gift cards to each woman for her family,” she said. “It was amazing and I think that is why the YWCA submitted our name to the Character and Ethics Project. It was an unexpected Christmas gift that brought a happier Christmas to these moms.”
The girls themselves came up with the project, Mercolino said, adding it wasn’t easy for the 14-year-olds and their moms to continue dancing for two hours straight, but everyone did it.
“About every 10th song, we had to invite the moms to come out and dance to keep the girls motivated and going,” she said. “It’s the goal of National Charity League — helping others.”
Also honored were Lead Pastor Randy Foster and his wife, Charlotte, of Christian Life Church for their partnership with La Crescenta Elementary School and College View School; Mary Wilson of Crescenta Presbyterian Church and director of the Kids Hope USA Mentoring project, which is a partnership with La Crescenta Elementary School; Juan Perez and Friar Tux of Glendale, who has donated tuxedos for special events at Glendale High School; Kelly King, director of special projects with the Glendale Unified School District; and three Advisory Board members of the Glendale Salvation Army — Eric Ashton, Dick Jutras and Cathy Zappala.
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JOYCE RUDOLPH can be contacted at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.