On the Town: Collector party benefits Brand Library
After two years of renovation, the Brand Library and Art Center will reopen at the beginning of next year.
Until then, fundraising events sponsored by library support group, the Associates, will be held to benefit the library. Last Saturday, the first of several gatherings in private homes was held. All of the participating homeowners are Glendale collectors of original works by artists and artisans.
Music composer Edgardo Simone and wife, Jean, were the generous hosts of the debut home of Glendale Collects, the library’s event theme.
Jean Simone is vice president of the Associates board and a commercial set director. The couple’s Chevy Chase Canyon home, designed by Franz J. Herding and built in 1925, is a gracious example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
In the late 1990s, the Simones spent many days in the architectural and garden sections of the library poring over books to help restore their home, now an officially designated Glendale landmark.
The evening of art, wine, hors d’oeuvres, music and conversation featured a silent auction of framed art.
Artist Bonese Collins Turner was present to show off her painting in the auction, “Formation and Soul keepers,” valued at $500. The work was inspired by Turner’s “love for Native American myth and legends.” Turner is a member of the Associates.
VIPs present at the gathering of 70 art lovers included Arlene Vidor, president of the Associates board, and Cindy Cleary, director of Glendale libraries. Cleary was recently honored as a Business Life Magazine 2013 “Woman Achiever.”
Also attending was Nan Kelley, sister of host Edgardo Simone. Kelley was visiting from Riverside.
The grand re-opening of the Brand Library and Art Center will be March 26. The following week, the library will be open to the public.
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Many residents of Glendale and surrounding communities attended the annual “Glendale K-9s in the Park.” Presented by the Glendale Police Foundation, the event was held in Verdugo Park.
Thousands of dog-lovers came to enjoy an afternoon of free K-9 demos, a pet adoption fair, pet vaccination and microchipping, and food and refreshments.
This family-friendly event had many dog owners trotting out their own canines. But no dog present could surpass the training of the police department’s K-9s who, along with their officer partners, work hard to keep Glendale safe.
Officer Maribel Feeley was there with her K-9 companion, Yudy, a female 91/2-year-old German shepherd. Yudy’s job is to locate people and narcotics, often several times a day. Yudy was born and raised in Germany and, like the other department K-9s, gets her training reinforced once a week.
Feeley has partnered with Yudy for 8 1/2 years. Besides detecting narcotics, Yudy is trained to perform hard-surface tracking. Feeley related that one day Yudy nosed out bad guys hidden from sight in a packed garage.
Yudy has found narcotics in car tires, wheel wells and fenders. Yudy will also be trained to locate evidence discarded by fleeing suspects. A bark often brings Feeley running to apprehend the suspects.
In early 2005, the Glendale Police Department recognized the need for K-9s to enhance public safety. With donations from the Glendale Police Foundation, four officers and their K-9 partners patrolled the streets of Glendale.
Now, besides Feeley and Yudy, Officer Shawn Sholtis is partnered with K-9 Idol and Officer Alex Rolando is with K-9 Branko.
The purchase and training of one K-9 is more than $22,000, plus about $4,350 annually for maintenance training, food, equipment and health care.
The Glendale Police K-9 Unit is funded by citizen donations to the Glendale Police Foundation.
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RUTH SOWBY may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com.