Library Bookmark Contest Winners Recognized
La Mirada~Each year, the La Mirada branch of the Los Angeles County Public Library holds a bookmark contest for children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. This year’s contest winners were honored with awards at the Dec. 9 City Council meeting. The goal of the contest is to challenge parents, educators, and librarians to encourage children to read and nurture the love of reading.
The theme of this year’s contest was “Dream in Color!” and this was the first year color was allowed on the entries. The library received over 700 entries and winning bookmarks will be printed and made available at the La Mirada Library. La Mirada’s winning entries have advanced to the County Library contest and Grand Prize winners will be announced in February. This year’s winners were:
Kindergarten – Second Grade: Natalie Juarez, Second Grade, Eastwood Elementary School
Third – Fifth Grade: Emily Castro, Fourth Grade, Escalona Elementary School
Sixth – Eighth Grade: Yoojung Kim, Eighth Grade, Los Coyotes Middle School
Ninth – Twelfth Grade: Robin Jones, Tenth Grade, La Mirada High School
Congratulations from the La Mirada Blog and keep reading!
Enter Your Home in the Holiday Decorating Contest
The Holiday Home Decorating program is officially underway. Many homes are already beautifully decorated, and there's still time to decorate your home by the December 12 deadline.
All residents of La Mirada are encouraged to decorate their homes and help spread holiday cheer. No application is needed for this program and every decorated home will be considered for recognition.
Judging for the Holiday Home Decorating program will take place December 1 through December 12. Winners will be selected in the categories of Most Original, Best Use of Lights, and Best Holiday Scene. Award winners will receive a holiday ornament and will be announced on the City's website at www.cityoflamirada.org.
For more information on the Holiday Home Decorating program, call the Community Sheriff's Station at (562) 902-2960.
Visiting With Santa Returns to La Mirada
The City of La Mirada is inviting residents to sign up for a “Visit from Santa.” The visits will begin the weekend of December 5, and will continue every weekend thereafter until Christmas Eve.
Santa visits taking place on Christmas Eve are $45 and $35 on all other days. Due to Santa’s busy schedule, visits will last 10 minutes. If you have more than six children you must sign up for two visits.
Registration is open to La Mirada residents only and will take place at the La Mirada Community Gymnasium on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m. Registration for this special program is ongoing and space is limited, so be good for goodness sake and sign up today!
For additional information, call (562) 943-7277.
Rotarians Help La Mirada Families During the Holidays
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THANKSGIVING DINNERS -- Members of the Rotary Club of La Mirada and volunteers from Good Sam Pantry at Beatitudes Church provided holiday meals for families in La Mirada. Rotarians supplied $1,000 worth of food for the project with the assistance of Walmart Neighborhood Market. Pictured are (l to r): Good Sam Pantry volunteers Jeff Ferrin, Julie Yniguez, Bill Baker, Carmen Rawson, Cathy Ferrin, and Rotary Club of La Mirada members Hal Malkin, Russell Hall and Phil Bracey. |
La Mirada~Members of the Rotary Club of La Mirada are busy again this holiday season helping needy families in the La Mirada area.
Rotary assisted with two projects held in the week prior to Thanksgiving. The third project will be held prior to Christmas.
Rotarians donated $1,000 in turkeys, canned goods and other food items to the Good Sam Pantry at Beatitudes Church in La Mirada. Rotarians purchased the supplies with the generous support of the Walmart Neighborhood Market, located at Imperial Highway and La Mirada Boulevard in the Crossroads Shopping Center, on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 20. The food was distributed to needy families later that afternoon by volunteers at the Good Sam Pantry.
Rotarians also arranged for the purchase of $750 worth of turkey dinners from Polly’s Pies located at Beach Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue in La Mirada. The food was served by youth volunteers to hundreds of local residents at the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Foster Road Elementary School. The project was a joint effort by La Mirada Rotary, Kiwanis, Living Faith Church, Calvary Chapel and Polly’s Pies.
A Holiday Shopping Spree for needy children will be sponsored by the Rotary Club on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Marshalls in La Mirada. Rotarians work in conjunction with local elementary schools to identify children in the community who are in need of assistance during the holidays. The children, assisted by adult volunteers, will select clothing items they need from lists provided by their parents.
Rotarians Help La Mirada Familes During the Holidays
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Members of the Rotary Club of La Mirada are busy again this holiday season helping needy families in the La Mirada area. Rotary assisted with two projects held in the week prior to Thanksgiving. The third project will be held prior to Christmas.
Rotarians donated $1,000 in turkeys, canned goods and other food items to the Good Sam Pantry at Beatitudes Church in La Mirada. Rotarians purchased the supplies with the generous support of the Walmart Neighborhood Market, located at Imperial Highway and La Mirada Boulevard in the Crossroads Shopping Center, on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 20. The food was distributed to needy families later that afternoon by volunteers at the Good Sam Pantry.
Rotarians also arranged for the purchase of $750 worth of turkey dinners from Polly’s Pies located at Beach Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue in La Mirada. The food was served by youth volunteers to hundreds of local residents at the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Foster Road Elementary School. The project was a joint effort by La Mirada Rotary, Kiwanis, Living Faith Church, Calvary Chapel and Polly’s Pies.
A Holiday Shopping Spree for needy children will be sponsored by the Rotary Club on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Marshalls in La Mirada. Rotarians work in conjunction with local elementary schools to identify children in the community who are in need of assistance during the holidays. The children, assisted by adult volunteers, will select clothing items they need from lists provided by their parents.
Fire Destroys Carriage Kitchen
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| Area firefighters knocked out the blaze at La Mirada's most famous and last, coffee shop within two hours. Photo courtesy Randy Duarte. |
La Mirada~A fire broke out in the early morning hours at The Carriage Coffee Shop at 14871 Imperial Highway.
Nobody was hurt and the building was unoccupied when the fire started in the kitchen of the 49-year-old eatery about 3:30 a.m.
The first reader on our La Mirada Blog Facebook page reported the incident live at 4:15 a.m.
Later in the morning, owner Louis Liu told the La Mirada Blog he doesn’t know how the fire started as he allowed us inside to snap a few photos.
The kitchen appears to be destroyed. Cost estimates are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.
Officials continue to investigate the incident.
Residents who consider the diner a cultural icon stormed city hall this past March to protest a decision by the owners of the property, Rich Development Co., to
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| The kitchen of the fabled eatery seems destroyed. Photo (c)La Mirada Blog 2014 |
replace the diner with a McDonald’s.
Because of the traffic concerns expressed by residents at that meeting in the form of a petition, the La Mirada Planning Commission suggested a traffic study be executed to address these potential issues.
The final draft of the study has been completed since August and has been sent to the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Traffic Division for final approval.
That final approval has still not come however and the decision on the fate of The Carriage has been delayed–not appearing on either the October or November commission agendas.
The next meeting is scheduled for December 18th.
La Mirada to Host Annual Chili Holiday Celebration
La Mirada~Join Santa and his helpers in celebrating the holidays at the City of La Mirada’s Chili Holiday Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatic Center.
This family-friendly event will feature live entertainment, a tree lighting ceremony, holiday craft making, children’s games and train rides. Santa Claus will be making a special appearance to take holiday photos. Make sure and come hungry because chili, hot dogs, cookies, hot cider and cocoa will be served.
While there you will have the opportunity to participate in the Festival of Trees Silent Auction. The fresh holiday trees are uniquely themed and fully-decorated by local non-profit organizations and businesses. Trees come with free local delivery to your home within a 10 mile radius. All proceeds from the auction will be supporting community programs and events.
Don’t forget to bring your nonperishable food items and unwrapped toys, as these items will be collected in partnership with the Holiday Toy & Food Drive, which provides help to local families in need this holiday season.
For more information about the Chili Holiday Celebration, call (562) 943-7277 or visit www.cityoflamirada.org. Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center is located at 13806 La Mirada Blvd.
City of La Mirada Conducting Toy and Food Drive
La Mirada~Help those less fortunate this holiday season with La Mirada's annual Holiday Toy & Food Drive.
Now through Dec. 16, donations of new, unwrapped toys and nonperishable food items will be accepted at the following City facilities: Activity Center, Resource Center, Community Gymnasium, Community Sheriff's Station, Splash!, City Hall as well as at local businesses throughout La Mirada.
This worthwhile program will help provide holiday gifts and meals for La Mirada families in need during the holiday season.
For more information, call (562) 902-3160.
La Mirada’s From Maddiâs Closet Steps Up Fight Against Cancer, Gives $50,000 to Childrenâs Hospital of Los Angeles
La Mirada~From Maddi’s Closet, a La Mirada non-profit organization helping children battling cancer, presented a $50,000 check last month to Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles on October 28th.
“The generous support we are receiving from so many in our community enabled From Maddi’s Closet to step up its efforts to fight childhood cancer,” says Donna Homes, president of the group. “These contributions are vital to our efforts to help children who are bravely battling cancer.”
“From Maddi’s Closet has been a steadfast supporter of our neuro-oncology program at our Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases for more than a decade, funding not only the ground-breaking research which makes it possible for us to search for cures and better treatments for pediatric cancer, but also the unanticipated needs of patients as they are in the throes of their battle,” says Dr. Girish Dhall, director of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ Neuro-oncology Program. “We are grateful that they support the full spectrum of our program from the laboratory bench to the patient bedside.”
From Maddi’s Closet, a nonprofit organization started nearly a decade ago after Madison Leslie Holmes lost her battle with cancer at four years of age.
Maddi’s family and friends began the organization to carry on the extraordinary spirit of generosity and compassion the young girl had shown to other children fighting
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FIGHTING CHILDREN’S CANCER -- Representatives of From Maddi’s Closet present a $50,000 check to representatives of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Pictured (l to r) are: Tom Robinson, TR Management Services; Debbie Nye, Board Member; Karla Garcia, MSW; Donna Holmes, President of From Maddi’s Closet; Dr. Nathan Robison; Art Leslie, Treasurer; Dr. Girish Dhall, director of Childen’s Hospital’s Neuro-Oncology program; Barbara E. Britt, RN, MSN, senior nurse care manager; Rita Leslie, Secretary; Dr. Ashley Margol; and Dr. Ana Aguilar. |
cancer. Maddi frequently befriended other children undergoing treatment, giving her own toys and clothing to those in need. She even asked her family members to go and sit with other children who were more sick, frightened or lonely when they had no family members at the hospital.
Since its early days, participation in From Maddi’s Closet has grown, and the organization has broadened its efforts to support children with cancer. The group now raises funds for pediatric cancer research. The organization also offers support to ill children and their families whose special emotional and financial needs are unmet by other assistance programs. The group provides many services – from an annual toy drive to events and activities geared for patients at CHOC and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Children also become involved in helping children through From Maddi’s Closet. A Junior Advisory Board composed of middle school and high school students represents the organization at many public events, operates public awareness booths, hosts inpatient and outpatient projects, and assists at the annual We Can Family Camp for children with cancer.
From Maddi’s Closet raised more than $37,000 at its annual “Reach for the Stars” dinner at the Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier. Some 155 attendees participated in the event, which was highlighted by the presentation of awards to distinguished medical personnel. The evening also included a silent auction and a live auction to raise funds for the cause.
Numerous opportunities are available throughout the year for individuals, businesses and organizations to support From Maddi’s Closet activities. A letter requesting community support in the fight against childhood cancer will be mailed to nearly 1,000 individuals and businesses in November. For further information, visit frommaddiscloset.org.
La Mirada Blog Looking for Writers
La Mirada~Plans are in the works for a major expansion and overhaul of the La Mirada Blog website.
We will keep you updated as to the development of the platform that will be La Mirada's new "community portal."
"In 2003, we pioneered the hyper-local news movement and we have made it this far," said founder and editor Tony Aiello, "It is a natural progression to take that next step. Nobody covers La Mirada like we do and I'm excited."
The La Mirada Blog will be looking to utilize freelance writers, photographers, sales associates and other positions.
If you are interested, please email us and tell us about yourself at lamiradablog@gmail.com.
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