Youth Briefs
K-Kids collect books
In February, Kiwanis K-Kids of the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge completed a successful Book Drive, collecting more than 1,000 books from the community and through Once Upon A time Bookstore in Montrose.
Books will be donated to USC County Public Hospital, Toll Middle School, Union Avenue Elementary and several under funded preschools in LA County.
K-Kids is a community service organization for elementary age students sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. To find out more about K-Kids and how your child can join, visit our website at lacanadakiwanis.org, attend a K-Kids meeting at the Community Center on Tuesday, March 16 or Tuesday, March 30 at 3:45 p.m. or call K-Kids Advisor Wendy Alane Smith at (310) 770-6384.
Preschool class visits local dentist office
With all the celebration and attention surrounding Valentine’s Day and the many treats that come with it, dental care seemed a fitting topic to cover as the month of February came to a close. And for the Busy Bears at Crescenta-Cañada Cooperative Nursery School, the lessons on dental hygiene included a visit to local pediatric dentist, Dr. Keith Serxner in La Cañada.
Seventeen children ages 4 and 5, two teachers and two assisting parents were greeted warmly Feb. 24 as they filled the reception area of Dr Serxner’s Foothill Boulevard office. The doctor led everyone on a tour of his facilities, beginning with a discussion about eating and brushing habits.
After the visit, as part of Dr. Serxner’s focus on prevention and education, each student received a goody bag containing toothpaste, a toothbrush and a booklet with instructions on caring for your teeth. For some, it was their first visit to a dentist, while others were already patients of Dr. Serxner. For the Busy Bears it was a fun and informative experience and upon returning to class that Wednesday morning, they recounted their favorite parts of the trip and each child signed a “thank-you” card made out to Dr. Serxner and his staff.
Crescenta-Cañada Cooperative Nursery School is located on the grounds of the Lutheran Church in the Foothills at 1700 Foothill Blvd in La Cañada. The pre-school is for potty-trained children from 2 years-9 months through 5 years of age. The Darling Ducklings program for 3-year-old youngsters is on Tuesday and Thursday and the Busy Bears program for 4-year-old children is Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Class size is 15 to 20, with adult to child ratio of 1 to 5 with teachers and parent helpers. For more information call (818) 952-2524 or visit www.ccnsonline.com.
Summer Camp Registration Carnival at the Y Saturday
The Crescenta-Cañada and Verdugo Hills YMCAs will hold their Camp Sign Up Day and Carnival, Saturday, March 13, from 9 a.m. to noon at both locations. Featured will be carnival games, bounce houses, snacks and a free camp T-shirt with registration receipt. Facility members can register online now at www.ymcafoothills.org.
If your kids are looking for an adventure this summer, send them “Into The Wild” at a YMCA camp. YMCA of the Foothills offers summer day camps for kids from preschool to ninth grade, and summer resident camps for kids entering grades 4-12.
Campers have the opportunity to experience Catalina Island at Camp Fox, hiking in Big Bear at Arbolado Mountain Camp, extreme water sports in San Diego at Camp Surf, or they can explore the California Coast during Caravan Camp.
Day camps offer fun for all ages at both Crescenta-Cañada and Verdugo Hills YMCAs. Campers will swim, create, take field trips and stay active while making new friends all summer long. Adventure Camp, geared toward Junior High aged teens, features beach days, amusement park trips, ice skating, confidence building, scavenger hunts and more.
New this summer is Baseball Camp for kids grades 4-8. Campers will participate in pre-game warm up drills, base-running, base stealing skills, defensive footwork, throwing drills, batting practice and baseball-centric conditioning skills under the guidance of ex-college players and current coaches. Campers will also attend a major league baseball game.
For additional information about summer camp and all YMCA programs visit www.ymcafoothills.org or call (818) 790-0123 for Crescenta-Cañada YMCA Camp and (818) 352-3255 for camp at Verdugo Hills YMCA.
Applications available for Youth Volunteer Award, due April 9
Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) has announced that applications for the annual Youth Volunteer Award are now available. Dreier has held this event for several years in an effort to recognize the contributions young people have made to their communities through volunteer work. The award is open to all high school students, aged 14-18 residing in the 26th Congressional District, which includes La Cañada Flintridge.
Applications for the Youth Volunteer Award are available on Dreier’s website or at his district office, 510 E. Foothill Boulevard, Suite 210, San Dimas. The office can be reached at (909) 575-6226 or (888) 906-2626. Those interested in applying must complete an application documenting their volunteer service, write a 250-500 word essay describing the benefits of their service to the community, and submit one letter of reference. Following the submission of their application, students will be asked to sit for an informal interview with the Youth Volunteer Award Council. The deadline for completed applications is 5 p.m. on Friday, April 9.