Creating quilts for tornado victims
Tornado victims in Joplin, Mo., will be able to warm themselves with a few extra quilts this month. Members of the Quilt Guild of Glendale spread out their quilt-making tools in anticipation of a day of drop-in helpers on May 28 at the Shakespeare Club in Pasadena. Many gave up their holiday weekend between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to join the workshop to put together several dozen quilts of every hue and theme.
Guild member Denise Kristof gave credit to her daughter-in-law, Valerie Kristof, for learning where help was particularly needed in Joplin from her brother, a Joplin resident. A local hospital was destroyed by a tornado. Without missing a beat, Valerie volunteered for Red Cross training and took tips in quilting from her mother-in-law, Denise.
At the same time, Denise emailed dozens of members of the Quilt Guild of Glendale and other guilds, as well. Hundreds of quilters responded and offered to drop off their quilts at Denise’s Pasadena law office. Others showed up to volunteer at the Shakespeare Club quilt workshop. Members of Loving Hands, part of the Quilt Guild, had already completed 20 quilts and were due to bring 20 more unfinished quilts.
Valerie manned a sewing machine. Kent Kristof, Valerie’s husband, was on hand to lend moral support. Stephanie Scott, Valerie’s sister, fired up an iron and put the finishing touches on a Teddy Bear-themed quilt. La Crescenta resident Joni Kellam brought in a four-patch quilt she had sewn during most of the night. Finishing up her quilt was new guild member Eiko Cywinski and Alice Smith, a past president of the guild. The 40-by-50-inch quilt had a colorful soccer theme.
Denise plans to head to Joplin with her bounty of quilts and distribute them to the aid agencies recommended by her daughter-in-law’s brother.
“We’re going to work today until we lose the will to live,” quipped Denise.
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This is the season for scholarships and 19 of those were awarded to Glendale students by the Glendale Latino Assn. on May 25. The early-morning Scholarship Awards Breakfast at Glendale’s Embassy Suites brought out dozens of association members, guests and supporters. Welcoming them were Assn. President Amy Navarrete and Vice President Nancy Guillen. They also recognized those contributing the scholarships. Massage Envy Spa owner Helen McDonagh was especially generous. She donated two $1,000 scholarships. One of the recipients of McDonagh’s generosity was Glendale Community College student Edwin Flores. He just graduated from Hoover High School, sports a 3.76 grade point average and will attend UC Riverside in the fall. Flores plans to major in biology toward his goal of becoming a reconstructive surgeon.
Glendale residents out in support of the students were Glendale Community College Superintendent/President Dawn Lindsay, college Board of Trustees President Anita Gabrielian, Glendale Unified School District’s Susan Hunt, Commission on the Status of Women Chairman Paula Devine and Glendale Healthy Kids’ Executive Director Camille Levee.
Scholarship values awarded totaled $18,500.
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Members of the Women’s Civic League of Glendale went all-out for their installation luncheon on May 26 at the Elks Lodge. Approximately 60 members and guests applauded members of the new board as each was installed in a short-and-sweet ceremony by Glendale News-Press editor Dan Evans.
New President Lynda Burns was the first to be installed. Burns was also recognized as the newest member of the Commission on the Status of Women. Chairwoman Paula Devine made the announcement.
Other officers of the new board are Vice President Joylene Wagner, Recording Secretary Anna Rundle, Corresponding Secretary Karin Jonke and Treasurer Lyn Foster.
Evans was also the keynote speaker. He described the operation and goals of the News-Press, which began publishing in 1905. One of Evans’ goals is to set up shop in a local coffee house and welcome readers to come by and “tell us what they think.” A big believer in news “transparency,” Evans plans to be open to all who drop by — date and location to be announced.