The Valley Line

Enough already — I’m crying “Uncle.” This triple digit heat is frying my brain and I’m melting into a puddle. I’m aware by the time you read this it’s supposed to have cooled down, but right now the heat is unbearable.

You can claim I just don’t remember how hot it was at this time last year and so why don’t I just stop complaining. Well.?.?.?I could, but even weatherman Fritz says this is pretty ugly stuff and most unusual to have so many days of it in a row. And all my friends are also lodging their complaints so it must be pretty intolerable all the way around.

I’m catching up on happenings in the community — here we go:

Before this awful heat wave, when it was a perfectly lovely summer evening, Julie and David Battaglia opened up their newly built, gorgeous Craftsman-style home for a thank you party for the Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services’ annual fund-raiser, “The Longest Day of Golf.”

Greeting guests as they arrived were Denise Larsen and Mary Kay Wilson, staffers at Hathaway. Also there with a beautiful smile was Andi Sica, director of special events.

Other greeters included the hosts, Julie and David, along with their son Chris and daughter Kate. Kate’s friend, Olivia Isherwood-Taylor, was there to say hello to the guests also.

And it was a very long day of golf indeed because 36 golfers played 2,335 holes in one-day, an average of 64 holes of golf each. That took stamina. These golfers raised $180,000 to date with more monetary commitments coming in.

The 11th annual golf fund-raiser took place earlier this summer at Pasadena’s Brookside Golf Course. Since its 1996 inception, The Longest Day of Golf has raised approximately $1.8 million.

The charity golf ball drop and tournament proceeds have traditionally been used to send children cared for by Hathaway-Sycamores to summer camp, and to fund other specialized children’s programs throughout the year.

Jennifer Leal Gowen was the tournament co-chair and she was there that evening to congratulate the golfers, board members and guests. Bill Martone, president of Hathaway-Sycamores, told guests that because of these fund-raising efforts they can provide mental health and other vital services to some 9,000 children and families annually. Jamie Baker, vice president of development, also spoke to the crowd and thanked them for their support.

Co-chair for The Longest Day of Golf is Jack MacKenzie of La Cañada.

Not only was the evening’s weather temperate but the food was fantastic. Catering the event was Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Everything this famous restaurant is known for was served up in the Battaglias’ backyard. There were the large slabs of succulent prime rib carved by the master chef, side dishes included their signature creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and gravy and Caesar salad. Dessert was a crème brulee.

Richard Frank, son of Lawry’s owner, has been on the Hathaway board of directors for many years and continues to be a loyal supporter.

It was a lovely evening and quite a treat to take a tour of the Battaglias’ new home that honors the very best elements of the Craftsman style. I loved their art — railroad posters from the early 1900s advertising our national parks. My particular favorite was one of Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park.