Organizations: Tobinworld produces holiday show

Tobinworld, a special-needs school in Glendale for emotionally disturbed, autistic and developmentally disabled youth, will host its Annual Holiday Show at 11 a.m. Friday at the campus, 920 E. Broadway, to celebrate the holidays with its 300 students, their parents, friends and supporters.

The event features holiday music and songs performed by a group of Tobinworld staff and students along with refreshments, decorations and tree and a visit from Santa Claus, who hands out gifts to each student, ages 5 to 22.

“It’s important at this time of year to provide children and families with a warm sense of holiday,” said Judith Weber, founder and executive director.

This year Tobinworld has also opened Tobinworld Treasures, a new retail emporium near the campus at 1006 E. Broadway, that is a destination for high-quality, affordable gifts for the holidays. Tobinworld Treasures is staffed by Tobinworld students as a vocational learning tool and all proceeds benefit the school’s programs and services.

Items include leather goods, sequined dresses and other clothing, fragrances, jewelry, purses and wallets, wigs, electronics, toys and stuffed animals and other gift products for the holidays — most priced under $50. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Tobinworld was founded in 1977 to provide education and treatment with a behavioral management system expressly designed for its severely impaired population.

A second school was opened in Antioch, Calif., in 2000, and together they serve 400 children and adults.

For more information, call (818) 247-7474.

Garden club hears about earthquakes

April Kelcy, of “Earthquake Solutions” in Monrovia, spoke at the November meeting of the Chevy Chase Estates Garden Club on the probability of a catastrophic earthquake happening in Southern California in the near future. Kelcy informed the group that most people will survive, but the question is surviving the aftermath of the quake.

Recognized and qualified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Kelcy has won awards for public and private emergency drill design.

Kelcy said it has been more than 300 years since an earthquake of the magnitude of 7.8 or greater has occurred in the southernmost stretch of the San Andreas fault. Should an earthquake occur on this section of the fault, it will be more vigorous and of greater duration — instead of seconds, the earthquake will last two or more minutes in most places.

“Drop, Cover and Hold On” remains the preferred protective behavior to use in most situations, she said. If you are very close to the epicenter, you will likely have only 2.6 seconds to react. If you try to run, you will fall down or be thrown to the ground by hard shaking. Not only might you break bones or dislocate joints, but in the process you are likely to be hit by flying and falling objects, particularly flying glass.

Kelcy advised that everyone should have earthquake disaster kits in their cars, homes and at work. One of the items from the kit that she demonstrated was a 12-hour light stick made in the United States. The American-made light sticks are free of toxics and provide affordable safety, especially because they are spark-free and waterproof. The kits provided by Earthquake Solutions use Coast Guard-approved water and food products that have a five-year shelf life even in the heat of a car.

At home, a conventional water heater is a potential supplemental source of emergency water. To learn how to use the water in your water heater, go to EarthquakeSolutions.com.

Altrusa group has day at the races

The Altrusa Club of Glendale celebrated its sixth annual Day at the Races recently at Hollywood Park.

This event continues to be the organization’s largest fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting many community-based programs.

Everyone enjoyed a view from the Finish Line Café, where a buffet was served. Between races, guests vied for prizes and a second-chance 50/50 drawing for those whose horse didn’t make it across the finish line in time.

Planning Committee members included Donnalee Monninger, Sandra Moore, Carol Oslund, Ingrid Grewer, Joan Nellis, Rose Tharp and Barbara Winsor.