On the Town: Luncheon benefits Salvation Army’s Meals on Wheels program
For 42 years, community church women have put on a salad bar luncheon to benefit the Glendale Salvation Army’s Meals on Wheels program.
Recently, at the First Methodist Church in Glendale, close to 100 hungry guests chowed down on a lot more than salads. Church “devil”ed eggs went first. La Crescenta resident Peggy Griffin’s culinary creations are the best. But the regulars know to come early to get them.
Local restaurants donating salads, breads and more were Art’s Meat Market, George’s Italian Restaurant, New Moon, Foxy’s, Olive Garden and BJ’s.
Every year, community members donate paper goods collected for the Glendale YWCA’s domestic violence center. A growing pile of toilet paper and other paper products piled up from donations by luncheon guests.
Karyl Drake, president of Church Women United and a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Glendale, described the salad-bar ticket donations from community churches.
About half the people at the luncheon paid a $10 donation at the door and the other half were given donated tickets. Those tickets went to homeless individuals.
A happy and hungry contingent from La Crescenta, all paying customers, included Griffin of deviled-egg fame; Judy Meinke and her daughter, Susan Mienke; Bettie Hull and Mary Marino. They are members of Crescenta Valley Methodist Church.
Another “donation” to make the event a success was the talents of the grandson of busy community volunteer, Marie Urrutia. Shaun Theiring, 20, strummed his guitar during the luncheon, providing easy music to eat by. Theiring is a second-year student at Glendale Community College and fit in his playing just before football practice.
Representatives from each of the benefiting organizations spoke.
Glendale residents Gabriela Maldonado and Liliana Bazikiyan described the Salvation Army’s Meals on Wheels program, which delivers hot meals to home-bound seniors who can’t afford to pay for a meal.
Sylvia Chinn spoke about the YWCA’s domestic violence center. She reminded the audience that the Glendale YWCA has been operating since 1926.
Chinn also said she appreciated the donation of paper goods for the center.
A craft area for the collection of more funds included potholders made by members of the Jewel City Knitters.
A more recent but modest moneymaker was the fair-trade booth of packaged tea and coffee, manned by 95-year-old Lillian Simons, a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, South West, California District.
Also adding to the luncheon proceeds were the take-home $5 bread and $8 salad plates available. Event proceeds of over $2,000 are expected.
The event was sponsored by Church Women United of Glendale with help from the following churches: First United Methodist of Glendale, First Baptist, Holy Family Catholic, Holy Redeemer Catholic, Incarnation Catholic, Saint Bede the Venerable, Saint Dominic’s, Central Christian, Saint Mark’s Episcopal, Lutheran Church in the Foothills, Salem Lutheran, Saint Matthew’s Lutheran, Grandview Presbyterian, La Crescenta Presbyterian, Glendale Salvation Army, Crescenta Valley United Methodist, All Saints Evangelical Lutheran and First United Methodist of Burbank.
Ruth Sowby Rands may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com
