On the Town: Salad bar luncheon serves up funds for good cause

For 41 years, members from Church Women United of Glendale have put on their “Meals on Wheels” all-you-can-eat benefit salad bar luncheon for the community.

For a mere $8, anyone can belly up to the bar and load their plate with all kinds of salad fixin’s.

But after those four decades, these church women have learned a thing or two. They would have a riot on their hands if the deviled eggs ran out. Tray after tray of the little devils were served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 24 at First United Methodist Church in Glendale.

Second in popularity were the salads. They included red jello and green ambrosia for those with a sweet tooth. Others were caprese, macaroni, potato, and salami and cheese. Accompanying the salads were breads and pastries.

The food was a combination of homemade recipes and donations by restaurants. Dozens of hungry customers stormed the tables laden with salads donated by the Spot Gourmet, Foxy’s, Art’s Meat Market and George’s Italian. Porto’s pastries were also gobbled up.

Leading the charge was Karil Drake, secretary of Church Women United. She made sure the serving dishes stayed filled and the pitchers of tea, coffee and water were at the ready.

Her daughter, Celeste, helped out, along with Celeste’s boyfriend, Ben Camacho. The three also helped collect donated paper goods for YWCA of Glendale’s domestic violence program.

Early to arrive and have their pick of the most popular dishes were Glendale residents Lorena Holland and her daughter, Whitney, who is 8 years old.

Whitney’s favorite was the deviled eggs, natch. Mother and daughter attend Incarnation Catholic Church.

“I’ve come for over 10 years,” said Diane Bernhardt of Burbank. She attends Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church. No church affiliation, however, was needed to gobble the goodies.

About a dozen members of Glendale’s homeless population were invited to sup for free. Many heaped a plate or two, since the luncheon may have been their only meal of the day.

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Ten local artists and their paintings were the stars at the third USC Verdugo Hills Hospital “Healing Arts Exhibit,” which opened this past Thursday.

All were from the Verdugo Hills Art Assn. The artists were present to support the goal of Keith Hobbs, the hospital’s chief executive, to “enhance and beautify the healing environment for our patients, families and staff.”

To that end, two floors of the hospital are adorned with framed art of acrylics, watercolors or oils.

Artist Barbara Thorn-Otto, longtime student of Brand Park art classes, has worked in all three mediums for 20 years. Thorn-Otto is exhibiting her acrylic painting titled “Lonesome Road” and a watercolor titled “Wilderness Road.”

“I’m a watercolor person, she said, but watercolor is not very forgiving. “You can’t make mistakes.”

Too much water and you’re sunk. As an added incentive to support the exhibit, 20% of any paintings she and the other artists sell goes back to the hospital.

Exhibit co-chairs were Glendale resident Sue Wilder, hospital foundation board chair, and Julie Shadpa, hospital art therapist.

“Positive images of nature reduce stress and lessen pain,” Shadpa said.

Besides Hobbs, more hospital VIPs present were Kerrie Yoder-Hubbard, foundation executive director, and Barbara Jordan, foundation systems administrator.

The next healing arts exhibit at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital will be in October.

RUTH SOWBY RANDS may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com.