Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 3, 2010

3

AROUND SIERRA MADRE

 Mountain Views News Saturday, July 3, 2010 

A TASTE OF SIERRA 
MADRE COMING SOON

 A new event is fast taking shape to premier on September 11th this year, 
“A Taste of Sierra Madre.” Area residents are invited to sample the food, 
fun, fine arts and music that make Sierra Madre so special!

This year’s fundraising recipients will be both local and far reaching: 
expanded Youth Arts Programs offered through the Sierra Madre 
Youth Activity Center and cleft palate surgeries for children and adults 
who would otherwise not receive this care through the nonprofit Rotaplast Foundation. This 
specialized plastic surgery has been performed by a group of San Francisco based volunteers since 
1993, improving a needy child’s ability to eat, speak, hear and breathe, and restoring a normal 
appearance and function.

 In anticipation of the event, a summertime art and essay contest will focus on this year’s fundraising 
theme; “Children’s Smiles Around the World” which ties to the creation of new children’s smiles 
through this life changing, cleft palate surgery. The contests invite Sierra Madre resident and 
student submissions to interpret this theme from kindergarten to grade 12 until July 30th, 
2010, and extends also to Pasadena and La Salle High Schools just over the community’s 
border. Rules and application forms can be downloaded at www.ATasteOfSierraMadre.com. 
Belle’s Nest will offer a free class in July in case any student needs help completing the art 
submission.

Children’s creative submissions will be professionally judged and displayed throughout the 
summer; then savings bond prizes will be awarded at the Kersting Court event on September 
11th. Every 100 submission fees of $5 per entry will add up to $500, funding an additional 
cleft palate surgery donation. We’ll keep track on the website on the children’s progress toward 
surgeries for other children! 

 The grass roots volunteer effort for this brand new event is chaired by local businessman, 
Tom Brady, president of The Destination Group. Back in April, Brady viewed a moving video 
of a volunteer group of medical professionals performing cleft palate surgeries on needy 
children around the world, literally enabling some of them to smile for the very first time at a 
service club meeting. Days later, when he couldn’t get these children out of his mind, he was 
driven to raise funds for more surgeries…and a new event started evolving.

 Brady immediately began gathering community, civic, school, service organization and 
volunteer support for this and another needed project, much closer to home, an expanded 
fine arts program offerings at the Sierra Madre Youth Activity Center. Also known as the YAC, 
the center also serves adjacent communities like Arcadia, Monrovia and Pasadena. “It’s so 
important for our children to expand their academic and sports experiences with fine arts. So 
many studies reinforce that work in the arts spells increased success and focus for students,” 
says Brady. Funds raised will be equally split between the two causes.

 A day of food, fun and the fine arts will include a morning tour of local “Coolest Kitchens” 
beginning at Fred Crockett’s ALNO European Kitchens on Montecito, fifteen restaurant and 
culinary stations from local businesses beginning midday, a chef demonstration and talk about 
making healthy food fun and appealing for children, essay and art contest awards plus a fun, 
Sierra Madre Fire Department vs. Police Department cook-off. A wide variety of professional, 
live music will fill Kersting Court throughout the day. Noted restaurant critic and television 
personality, Peter Dills will be part of the day’s festivities.

 Gayle Bluemel, principal of Sierra Madre School, confirmed her “Late Bloomers” band as 
the opening artists, featuring fellow musicians Dan Ames, Scott Shephard, and Ross Johnsen. 
Their rich country & blues sound draws inspiration from the 1970’s musical genre and attracts 
a large Sierra Madre loyal fan base. They will be followed by Katie’s Starbucks Band and an 
array of special guest artists before the program finale with patriotic songs performed by 
choirs combined from local organizations, churches and schools.

 For a taste of life here in Sierra Madre, local private and public schools and service clubs such 
as the Kiwanis and the Chamber of Commerce have already started reserving a place to share 
samples of their own offerings by purchasing pop up tent space locations for $500 per booth. 
A closing musical event will bring local singers together for patriotic songs in a memorial of 
9-11.

Over 100 volunteers have already signed up to help plan and run the many activities involved 
with this first time event, but many more are needed! Special thanks go to Bill Coburn, 
Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce; Moira Love, Art Chair; Karen Swisher, Foodies Chair; 
Susan Henderson, Coolest Kitchens Chair; Chris Bertrand, Publicity; Steve Henson, CPA, 
501c3 Advisor; Rosie Gorman, Data Management; Paul Mansour, Carole Tremblay, Christy 
Joy Brendel, Kathleen Coyne, Blanca Hurtado, Carol Canterbury, Darwin Hood, Leigh 
Jackson, Julia Brady, Fred Crockett, Chief Marilyn Diaz, Jane Trotzenberg, Gayle Bluemel, Ria 
Richey, Manuel Valencia, Paul Puccinelli, Karen Miller, Elena Alonzo, Gloria Prins, Connie 
Washburn, Rosemarie Joyce, William Hurtado, Jennifer Brady, Eric Byak, Randy Wiggins, 
James Faulkner, Joanne Harabedian and 
coordination help from Sierra Madre 
city staff.

 Presale wristband tickets will be sold 
at participating Sierra Madre merchants 
including Savor the Flavor and Best Buy 
Drugs. Full access VIP tickets including 
the morning’s Coolest Kitchens tour (an 
adults only event) and all Kersting Court 
events on Sept 11 will be $35. Kersting 
Court Only Event tickets will be $20 for 
adults 18 and over; $10 for those 13-
18. Children under 12 will be admitted 
free to the Kersting Court events, when 
accompanied by an adult ticketholder. A 
Taste of Sierra Madre tickets will be sold 
through local merchants including Savor 
the Flavor, The Bottle Shop, Belle’s Nest 
and Best Buy Drugs and The Destination 
Group beginning July 15th.

 To apply for one of the fifteen restaurant 
and food purveyor spots and ten school/
service club spots, to be an event 
sponsor, donate or volunteer services 
or time, visit the event website, www.
ATasteOfSierraMadre.com or call event 
chair, Tom Brady at 626-355-3471. Art 
and essay contest forms, plus a video link 
to the cleft palate surgery organization 
are also available on the website. Please 
sign up today!

Links to Art and Essay Application and 
Rules Forms: 

http://www.atasteofsierramadre.com/
ART.pdf 

http://www.atasteofsierramadre.com/
ESSAY.pdf


Taste of Sierra Madre volunteers receive entries to the “Children’s Smiles Around the World” 
Art and Essay contest. Committee members from L to R are Chris Bertrand, Publicity; 
Moira Love, Art Chair; Tom Brady, Event Chair; Kathleen Brady, Student artist; Ria Richey, 
Art Judge; Karen Keegan, Savor the Flavor Owner and Wrist Band Ticket Sales; Kathleen 
Coyne, Volunteer; Madeleine Romo, Savor the Flavor and volunteer.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

For the first time in its 50 year history, Creative Arts Group will host a sale of the 
work of the 60-plus artists showing in their gallery. For two hours only, on July 16th 
from 8-10 pm Creative Arts Group will host a Midsummer Night’s Dream sale with 
absolutely everything in the gallery marked down 20%. All artistic media including 
glass, watercolor, ceramics, enameling, jewelry and more will be included. After 
the two-hour sale, all work will return to its original price. Refreshments will be 
served and all are invited to partake of this first-ever festive occasion. Creative Arts 
Group is located at 108 N. Baldwin Ave in Sierra Madre. For more information or 
directions call (626) 355-8350.


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