Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 12, 2010

ARNOLD’S (continued from page 1)

 Somewhat hidden and not easily noticeable from 
Sierra Madre Boulevard is the “back stock” building 
stocked with lumber, fertilizer and more.

 Propone tanks can be refilled at Frontier’s, but they 
do keep one tank on hand at Arnolds for a cookout 
emergency in at least one household. Antifreeze, 
motor oil and related items are a short drive, bike 
ride our walk away in their automotive section. The 
selection of houseware items continues to expand 
at both locations, with a line of whistling tea kettles 
with copper bottoms, pots and pans, as well as 
coffee makers. The display in the picture window 
at Arnold’s provides a glimpse into the extensive 
gift section that sets this location apart from all 
hardware stores in the region. Employee Janice 
Beggs is credited with the colorfully engaging front 
window displays at Arnold’s. She is responsible 
for the selection of merchandise, complete with 
beautiful free gift wrapping with purchases. It’s one 
of the only hardware stores where mom can come 
in and have her knives sharpened along with a saw, 
while browsing for a special gift for a baby shower, 
birthday or other special occasion. 

 Arnold’s provides a retail distribution site for a 
number of local organizations and entrepreneurs, 
including works of local artists, chamber t-shirts, 
Wisteria postcards and the E. Waldo Ward & Sons 
line of preserves, barbeque sauces, imported olives 
and more.

 Hands-on ownership is well-suited for Basil, with 
Michael as the accountant to keep the administrative 
part of the business humming. Arnold’s Hardware 
is located at 297 W. Sierra Madre Boulevard and 
Frontier Hardware is located at 2137 E. Huntington 
Drive in Duarte.

3

AROUND THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 12, 2010

Soroptimists Honor 
Charitable Organizations 
at Awards Luncheon

Sierra Madre Jackie Knowles Among Honorees

 The Altadena/Pasadena branch of Soroptimist 
International honored three very deserving 
non-profit organizations at its recent Service 
Awards luncheon, which was held at Beckham’s 
Grill in Pasadena. At this event, Soroptimists 
donated $1,000 
each to the Door 
of Hope, Rosemary 
Children’s Services, 
and the Women’s 
Room at Friends 
In Deed to help 
support their 
services.

 As one of the 
outreach programs 
of the Ecumenical 
Council of Pasadena 
Area Churches, The 
Women’s Room 
provides a safe, 
daytime refuge for 
homeless women. 
Jackie Knowles, 
manager of The 
Women’s Room, 
commented, “This 
is where women 
can reclaim their 
personhood and 
womanhood.” At 
this facility, women 
have the opportunity to participate in educational 
programs, wash their clothes, shower, and use a 
phone and computers. 

 The Door of Hope is a faith-based organization 
that provides transitional housing and a restoration 
program designed for homeless families with 
children. It operates two facilities — one in 
Pasadena and one in Glendale — that serve up to 30 
homeless families each year. Tim Peters, executive 
director, had this to say about the organization: 
“Homeless families have the opportunity to get out 
of debt and get back on their feet.” The Altadena/
Pasadena Soroptimists sponsor a room at the Door 
of Hope’s Pasadena facility. 

Rosemary Children’s Services provides 
comprehensive services to children who are 
victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment. 
They assure that children are safe and given the 
educational, medical, emotional and psychological 
attention they need. According to Jennifer Radics, 
development director, the organization’s ultimate 
goal is to stop the cycle of abuse and help children 
lead happy, productive lives. “Every little bit helps, 
and your generous donation will help us to reach 
our goal,” she stated.

 Altadena/Pasadena Soroptimists — whose 
mission is to help women and children around the 
world and their local community — raise money 
via several fundraisers throughout the year, most 
notably an annual Silent Auction. Soroptimist 
President Marilyn Commodore emphasized the 
fact that the Altadena/Pasadena club is committed 
to these organizations long after the awards 
luncheon is over. “We’re very involved with all 
three of these organizations,” she remarked. “We 
follow what’s going on with them on a continuing 
basis.” 

Sierra Madre

Parent/Community Meeting at Sierra Madre School 

 There will be an important Parent/Community meeting that will be held on Tuesday, June 
15th from 6:30-8pm in the Sierra Madre School Lower Campus Auditorium. The school will 
be viewing a presentation from their Architects on the last planning stages for the construction 
projects on both campuses, and opening up for Q & A. 

Information Night for Projects at Sierra Madre School:

Date: Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Where: Lower Campus Auditorium, 141 W. Highland Avenue

Time: 6:30 Upper Campus Project - Middle School Measure TT and 7:30 Lower Campus 
Projects - Measure TT and Water Project.


Date: June 17, 2010

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: Sierra Madre Council Chambers, 
232 Sierra Madre Boulevard

The City of Sierra Madre is preparing an 
update to the Housing Element in compliance 
with State law. At this meeting, the key policy 
issues of the draft Housing Element will be 
presented to the City Council and Planning 
Commission. City Staff will be seeking 
direction to forward the draft Housing Element 
to the California Department of Housing and 
Community Development (HCD) for State-
mandated preliminary review. 

The Housing Element is one of the seven State-
mandated elements of the City’s General Plan 
and must be updated for the established 2008-
2014 planning period. The Housing Element 
identifies and assesses existing and projected 
housing needs and provides an analysis of 
constraints and resources relevant to meeting 
these needs. The Housing Element also 
establishes Sierra Madre’s goals, policies and 
programs for addressing its needs during the 
2008-2014 period. 

Upon submittal to HCD, the draft Housing 
Element will undergo a 60-day public review 
and comment period. A copy of the draft 
Element will provided on the City’s website 
and made available for public review at City 
Hall and the library. Upon addressing any 
comments HCD may have on the draft, as 
well as comments received by the public, the 
Planning Commission and City Council will 
conduct public hearings to consider adoption. 
For further information, please contact Danny 
Castro, Development Services Director, 
at (626) 355-7138 or by email at dcastro@
cityofsierramadre.com. 

All interested persons have the right and are 
encouraged to attend this meeting and express 
their opinion. You may provide verbal or 
written testimony at the meeting. You may 
also submit written comments in advance of 
the meeting if you are unable to attend. 

 SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND 
PLANNING COMMISSION - 

2008-2014 Sierra Madre Housing Element Update

From left to right: Jennifer Radics of Rosemary Children’s Services, Jackie 
Knowles of The Women’s Room, Tim Peters of Door of Hope, and Marilyn 
Commodore of Altadena-Pasadena Soroptimists.

Duarte

After a nearly a two year delay, the 
result of grant funds being frozen 
by the state — and now released, 
work has finally begun on the City 
of Duarte’s Encanto Nature Walk 
Bioswale and Outdoor Nature 
Classroom project at Encanto 
Park. 

 In 2008, the San Gabriel and 
Lower Los Angeles Rivers and 
Mountain Conservancy (RMC) 
granted $507,990 to Duarte for 
the project, following a planning 
grant of $150,000 in 2006. In 
addition to the ecological benefits 
of the bioswale, the nature walk 
and outdoor nature classroom 
will open up educational and 
recreational opportunities for 
visitors to the park and the 
adjacent San Gabriel River.

“We’re very excited to be 
partnering with the Rivers 
and Mountains Conservancy. 
The Encanto Nature Walk is 
destined to be one of the jewels 
in the regional Emerald Necklace 
Project. The bioswale will filter 
the surface water from the park 
before it reaches the San Gabriel 
River. The entire project will serve 
as a valuable educational feature 
for one of Duarte’s most popular 
parks,” said Duarte Engineering 
Development Manager, Steve 
Esbenshade. 

 The 1,000 foot bioswale being 
constructed along the southern 
and western perimeter of the park 
will include interpretive signage, 
native landscaping and a small 
infiltration basin to manage storm 
runoff from the park. The project 
will also include:

• A small outdoor nature 
center with interpretive displays 
and an outdoor classroom located 
at the south end of Encanto Park 
funded with $100,000 from 
Proposition A funds from Los 
Angeles County Supervisor 
Michael D. Antonovich. The 
City also contributed $20,000 in 
matching funds. 

• Nature trail with 
interpretive exhibits leading from 
the nature center along the west 
bank of the San Gabriel River to a 
view point located at the end of a 
berm which projects into the river 
channel. A principal objective 
of the project will be to enhance 
connections between the park and 
the river. 

The City was able to get a head 
start on the river portion of the 
project last year 

utilizing $150,000 in Proposition 
A funds provided by Los Angeles 
County Supervisor Gloria Molina. 
Funds were used to remove 
a chain link fence and screen 
of non-native plants that had 
previously isolated visitors from 
the attractive river environment. 
The City involved at-risk youth in 
the project by contracting with the 
Los Angeles Conservation Corps. 
The Conservation Corps workers 
will also be employed to construct 
the river trail and viewpoint. 

 America West 
Landscape, Inc. has been 
contracted by the City to 
construct the bioswale, nature 
center and outdoor classroom at a 
cost of $431,244.90.

 The entire project is 
expected to be completed this 
fall. Duarte’s street maintenance 
staff will provide long term 
maintenance for the project and 
will receive training for native 
landscape maintenance from 
Amigos de los Rios. 

 For more information, 
call the City of Duarte (626) 357-
7931, ext 221.

Work Begins on Encanto Nature Walk Bioswale Project

Funded with $507,990 Grant from Rivers and Mountain Conservancy 


Basil, front row left, and the staff of the Sierra 
Madre store

Memorial Day Service

Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery

May 31, 2010

Keynote Address

 We are gathered here, today, as are 
our fellow citizens gathered in cities 
and towns all across America, to 
honor the brave men and women 
killed in war…who rose to the 
challenge when their country called 
upon them, and in so doing, paid 
the ultimate price for their love of 
this blessed and so very beautiful 
United States of America.

 These wonderful Americans so 
loved our country, the principles this 
land stands for, our Constitution 
and the Bill of Rights, the freedoms 
and liberties our founding fathers 
gave us, their families, loved ones 
and friends, that they couldn’t stand 
the thought of tyranny from any 
source causing loss of or change to 
our chosen way of life. It was their 
deep love of country, patriotism, 
strong courage, and willingness to 
pay any price asked of them that 
insured the freedoms which we love 
and cherish so much stayed intact. 
Each one of us owes a great debt of 
gratitude to each one of them.

 

This country is unique in the world. 
There is none other like it. Although 
some don’t seem to realize it, the 
United States of America is not a 
democracy. It is a constitutional 
republic. Its founders asked for 
guidance from a loving God, and 
framed the constitution on very 
proven principles, guaranteeing the 
right to life, liberty, and the pursuit 
of happiness to each citizen. It is 
a country where respect and love 
for our fellow man is paramount, a 
country which is set up to be run 
by ‘We the People’. It is a country 
founded on Christian principles.

Throughout our history, these 
wonderful heroes of ours went into 
battle to do everything they could 
to protect and defend this nation 
against all enemies both foreign and 
domestic. When one walks through 
a cemetery anywhere in this nation 
on Memorial Day and stops at 
each military gravesite, whether 
at a National or Local Cemetery, 
it doesn’t take long to realize how 
many have given their life so that the 
rest of us might continue living the 
American dream that they so dearly 
loved. What is always so amazing to 
me is that this love they expressed 
started from the earliest days and 
has never ceased throughout our 
history, and that includes numerous 
skirmishes, a civil war, two World 
Wars, the Korean and Vietnam 
Wars, and we are currently involved 
in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. 
You need to remember that 5,400 
Americans have died thus far in 
these two wars.

So, what do we citizens do about 
all of this? Well, for one thing we 
can stop taking for granted all the 
freedoms we Americans enjoy. 
Although the press doesn’t talk 
about it, and we don’t hear much 
about it, there is a great deal of good 
going on all over America, every 
day, right now.

I’d like to give you one example 
relating to our younger generation. 
This example is of a wonderful 
young man who grew up with great 
family values and is proud to be an 
American Citizen. His name is Alex 
Tejeda. His father, Juan Tejeda, has 
worked here in Sierra Madre for 
just over 20 years. When Alex was 
7 years old, his dad started inviting 
him to share a day at work every 
once in awhile. Alex so loved those 
days with his dad and his dad’s 
friends that the young boy kept 
asking to come more and more 
often. The boy’s dad spoke with his 
employer who granted the boy a 
chance to be a volunteer a few hours 
each week which eventually worked 
into a part time job for young Alex. 
This continuing example of family 
and community supporting each 
other correctly had predictably 
positive results. Young Alex went 
on and successfully completed 
grade and high school. Four years 
ago, at age 19, he enlisted in the 
United States Marines. During 
his time in the Marines, Alex has 
already completed 2 tours of duty in 
Iraq, and just 3 weeks ago, he started 
his 1st tour of duty in Afghanistan. 
This 7 year old boy, raised with 
good family and community values, 
now 23 years old, grew up into 
manhood and has become Sgt. Alex 
Tejeda, United States Marine, and is 
carrying on in the same American 
tradition of love, patriotism, strong 
courage, and the willingness to 
pay any price necessary for his 
country…those same American 
characteristics shown so strongly 
in the Heroes which we honor here, 
today.

You might be asking the question… 
‘What can we individual citizens do 
to show our love and gratitude and 
thanks to the active duty military 
person?’ Well, for one thing, we 
can do once again the things that 
Americans did so well during 
wartime in the past. We can write 
letters, send care packages, find out 
what those on active duty need and 
send it to them. I have never heard 
of any service man or woman who 
didn’t like to receive homemade 
cakes or cookies, cards for any 
occasion, information about what’s 
going on in their family, what their 
friends and neighbors are doing, 
and updates on community goings 
on. Mail them a book by their 
favorite author or a photo of family 
or of friends. Tell them how much 
you appreciate their service to their 
country. Maybe, getting involved 
with the USO might be the thing 
for some. Most of all pray for them 
daily, and be sure to let them know 
that you are keeping them in your 
prayers.

I would like to give you a few 
thoughts from my personal life 
experience which, I believe, helped 
make America great. I was born 
in 1934. In my early years, I well 
remember the great depression. I 
didn’t know how poor we were at 
that time because of all the love 
and family values which were so 
prevalent in the American people 
of that era. There were hand-me-
down clothes, cardboard in our 
shoes to cover the holes when the 
soles of the shoes wore out, and so 
on. I knew well how much love 
there was in our family between 
Mom and Dad, 2 sisters, 1 brother, 
a small puppy that seemed to run 
the family, and me. My fondest 
memory is that we were very happy. 
All of our friends seemed to be in 
the same boat, and no one seemed 
to be bothered by it. I don’t ever 
remember anyone complaining no 
matter their circumstances. One 
day, a neighbor’s barn caught fire 
and burned down. That Saturday, 
all the neighbors went over to his 
house and cleaned up the mess. The 
following weekend, they all came 
back and helped build him a new 
barn on the same spot. And, no 
one would have thought of asking 
for anything in return. The women 
brought homemade soup and 
sandwiches, apples and oranges, and 
tea for the workers lunch, and I and 
the other kids got to carry the water 
bucket around to the workmen 
during the course of the day.

Now, why do I mention this on a day 
like today? It’s because the year was 
1941. World War II broke out later 
that year for us. And the character 
and goodness of America came out 
in full force once again. Everyone in 
America began pulling together in 
order to contribute to the war effort. 
Citizens started Victory Gardens 
in their back yards. Dad and Mom 
talked to each of us about what the 
family could do to help out. Our 
parents contributed their spare 
change, and we children decided 
to contribute our Piggy Banks. I 
remember as having 33 cents in 
mine. That was a lot in those days, 
as you could buy a piece of candy as 
a treat for a penny. Dad took the few 
dollars he raised, went to the store, 
and bought Birdseye Seeds for 10 
cents a pack. Each pack had from 
20 to 50 seeds in it, depending on 
the seed type. That weekend with 
everybody’s help, our entire back 
yard was converted into a vegetable 
garden. We ended up planting two 
rows of every kind of vegetable you 
can imagine. And, we had saved 
the seeds from a watermelon and a 
cantaloupe. At the right time, we 
planted those.

The neighbor whose barn had 
burned down had a few dairy cows, 
and the neighbor on the other side 
raised chickens and they produced 
many eggs. Before long, we were 
giving unlimited vegetables to 
both neighbors. In return, we got 
a chicken a week and lots of eggs 
from the one neighbor, and the 
neighbor who had the dairy cows 
left 1 or 2 bottles of raw milk on our 
front porch each morning. Food 
rationing was in effect throughout 
the nation. Most of the meat and 
produce that used to be available in 
the stores was going to the war effort 
to feed the troops. It was a great 
learning experience. All of America 
was pulling together, in the same 
direction, and doing it cheerfully, in 
order to support the war effort. That 
wonderful American ingenuity had 
suddenly sprouted everywhere.

I got out the ‘little red wagon’, and 
with dad leading the way, went up 
and down the streets, and through 
the fields, picking up old horseshoes, 
and nails, and dislodged metal 
railroad stakes, old metal cans, 
and so on, and when it was filled, 
we delivered the collected loads of 
scrap metal to the train depot. This 
metal was then sent off to be used 
in the war effort. It was used to 
make bullets and guns, and tanks 
and ships. People from every city 
and town in America were doing 
the same thing. The point is that 
everyone in this nation rallied to a 
common cause, worked together, 
in supporting our troops. And, as 
a result, major positive results were 
accomplished.

And, we must not forget the most 
important thing Americans at 
home had to deal with. Millions of 
American men had gone off to war, 
all at the same time. The jobs that 
they had held would have to be filled. 
And up stepped our wonderful 
American women to fill those jobs. 
Somehow, they not only kept their 
homes and families together, they 
found a way to keep up with the 
production and manufacturing 
needs of our military. They took 
care of America’s home front while 
they were helping to build warships 
and bombers. America was exciting 
during that period and filled with 
love…lots of it. The America our 
founding fathers had envisioned 
had come to bear fruit once again.

People during that period of 
American life understood the great 
sacrifices being made by those in 
uniform, and they knew what their 
sacrifices needed to be in their being 
a good citizen. After all, these were 
their loved ones over there. They 
wanted to show their support and 
appreciation, and wanted to do 
everything they could to help in the 
war effort. This support, backed 
by never ending prayers, paid off. 
It resulted in the greatest fighting 
force in the history of the world.

As one Japanese Admiral so 
succinctly said “We have awakened 
a sleeping giant.”

VFW Commander-In-Chief, 
Thomas J. Tradewell, Sr. also had 
this to say: “As America’s older 
war veterans fast disappear from 
society’s landscape, there are fewer 
and fewer standard-bearers left to 
carry the torch of remembrance. 
Such traditions will live on only 
if there is a vibrant movement to 
which that torch can be passed.”

I personally believe that a vibrant 
movement such as this can be 
accomplished in a variety of different 
ways, some by our communities 
and some by the individual. For 
instance, from a community point 
of view, here in downtown Sierra 
Madre, in the center of Kersting 
Court, a large American flag is 
flown daily. It eclipses everything 
downtown. One cannot miss it. We 
are all proud of it. It shows our local 
citizens love for America and all who 
serve to protect it. It also sets a fine 
example that other communities 
might duplicate. On an individual 
basis, we could encourage more 
citizens to fly the American Flag on 
their homes and at their businesses.

It would be nice to see more vehicles 
flying the American Flag. Parents 
could teach their children a lot 
by paying tribute to our military 
as a family. Asking God to bless 
America and to bless our men and 
women in uniform during prayer 
is a good way. Insisting that our 
schools start the day with the Pledge 
of Allegiance is another. Teaching 
beautiful patriotic songs to our 
young, and singing along with them 
would be another. One beautiful 
way would be to wear the Buddy 
Poppy. The Buddy Poppy is the 
VFW symbol which shows that we 
care, and that we honor all those 
who made the ultimate sacrifice for 
their country, and for the ones who 
served and are no longer with us. 

All proceeds from distribution 
are used for veteran welfare or 
for the well being of their needy 
dependents and for the orphans of 
veterans. Finally, I am sure that each 
of you can come up with dozens of 
other good ideas simply by talking 
together as family, and with friends 
and neighbors. After all, we can do 
that here in America. That’s part of 
the uniqueness of America which 
so very many of our brave men and 
women gave their lives to protect.

May God bless each of you, and 
may God bless the United States of 
America!

Charles A. Carter, Sierra Madre

(Photos by Chris Bertrand)

Charles Carter Carries The Torch Of Remembrance


Editors Note: After receiving numerous requests, an excerpt of his speech is being 
printed with the hope that it will inspire all who read it. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com