Happy Father’s Day


Page 9

SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011

VOLUME 5 NO. 25


LIFE GOES ON! FLASH MOB HITS SIERRA MADRE

The Biggest Secret - Hundreds Surprise Principal Bluemel With Well Planned Flash Mob

CITY COUNCIL 
APPROVES NEW 
FARMERS’ MARKET

The Sierra Madre City Council Tuesday 
approved a 5-year contract to 
bring a Farmers’ Market back to Sierra 
Madre beginning in July. Raw 
Inspiration, which also manages 
Farmers’ Markets in Agoura Hills, 
Brentwood, Century City, Downey, 
El Segundo, La Canada Flintridge, 
Old Town Calabasas, Pacific Palisades, 
Westlake Village, Wilshire 
Center, Sherman Oaks, Larchmont 
Village, Melrose Place, and three in 
downtown Los Angeles, was awarded 
the contract to manage Sierra 
Madre’s Market, beginning July 13th. 
The contract may be extended for 
up to two years beyond its five year 
term.

The Farmers’ Market, formerly operated 
by Scholastic Gardens, closed 
down last September when Scholastic 
Gardens decided not to renew its 
contract. The organization had intended 
to operate as a 501 (c)3 when 
it began running the market for the 
City, but when it did not attain that 
non-profit designation, the company 
decided it did not want to continue 
to operate the Market without it. 
The market also suffered from poor 
visibility at its Mariposa parking lot 
location, which contributed to poor 
attendance and sales, so the market 
never grew to the success that had 
been envisioned. The new market 
will be in a more visible location, 
on Hermosa between Sierra Madre 
Blvd. and Mariposa, next to Memorial 
Park. This location also puts it 
just a short walk from two different 
parking lots. The previous location 
was in one of those parking lots, contributing 
to a shortage of available 
parking during the market.

The contract calls for Raw Inspiration 
to pay 15% of its gross revenue 
to the City every week in which it 
generates $700 or more in gross revenue. 
(cont. on page 3)

 
Never let it be said that people can’t keep a secret. The 
fact is that more than 300 students, their parents, the 
SM Fire Department, and all the staff on both campuses 
of Sierra Madre School were able to surprise 
retiring Principal Gayle Bluemel on Friday Morning. 
For more than two weeks, the word was spread, “it’s a 
secret”, and rehearsals were set up. People practiced 
the dance steps all over town. But most importantly, 
they kept it all from Principal 

Bluemel.

 Then on Friday morning at 8 am, despite the morning 
drizzle, the fire alarm went off. The stu-

dents assembled in an orderly fashion to the main 
yard, just as they have been drilled to do so many 

times before, 
but 
this time, 
they knew 
this was 
neither a fire nor a drill. When the bell rang, the plan 
began to unfold. As planned, the Fire Department 
showed up. 

 When Bluemel came out of the building she saw 
the children and teachers lined up appropriately and 
spotted the firefighters, but just then, teacher Lisa 
Spagai-Perez stopped and diverted her attention so 
Bluemel could not see the adults gathering. 

 When Bluemel turned around, there was music 
playing and a one parent dancing to the sounds of 
the Beatles, “Life Goes On”. Just one. Then, suddenly 
there were two people dancing, then all the teachers 
joined in, followed by the students, and, what, a barrage 
of parents! Suddenly hundreds were dancing in 
step saluting a tearfully happy and surprised Bluemel. 
And to put the icing on the cake, Fire Marshal Rich 
Snyder and two other fire fighters joined in the dance. 
Said Bluemel, “Wow, its always been about this.. our 
community!” Photos and Story by S. Henderson/
MVNews See the Flash Mob in action at: 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr3qjYfeV2A

Inside This Edition...

CALENDAR Page 2 

SENIOR SCAM 
WARNING – 

CITY IS NOT 
SPONSORING 
A HOME 
IMPROVEMENT 
PROGRAM 

 The City of Sierra Madre is 
alerting residents of a potential 
senior scam. A Sierra Madre 
resident informed the City that 
a company had contacted them, 
offering to come to their home 
to do free construction projects 
as part of a program with the 
City’s Senior Center. The City 
is NOT involved or sponsoring 
a home improvement program.

 Any questions or concerns 
can be directed to the Sierra 
Madre Police Department at 
626.355.1414. 

HANGING UP HIS HATS After 22 Years Captain Michael 
Bamberger Retires From the Sierra 
Madre Volunteer Fire Department


Sierra Madre News Page 3

Around San Gabriel Valley Page 4

Pasadena/Altadena Page 5

Arcadia Page 6

Monrovia/Duarte Page 7

Education & Youth Page 8

HAPPY FATHERS DAY Page 9

Good Food & Drink Page 10

Arts & Entertainment Page 11

Legals Page 12

Left/Right Page 13

Opinion Page 14

The World Around Us Page 15

 The Good Life Page 16

Homes & Property Page 17

 FYI Page 18

 It all started 22 years ago 
when a friend asked Father 
Bamberger to do him a favor. 
He asked the young minister 
if he would be kind enough 
to volunteer as the Chaplain 
of Sierra Madre’s Volunteer 
Fire Department. Bamberger 
said yes and has been with the 
Department every since, that 
is until the end of last month.

 In May, Bamberger decided 
to turn the page on that chapter 
of his life. He retired from 
the department as of May 
31st.

 Bamberger attributes his longevity 
with the department to 
a deep rooted “desire to serve”. 
After all, he says, “We help 
people. We protect life, business 
and property”. He says 
that service with the Fire Department 
has really made an 
immediate difference in the 
lives of many.

 As a volunteer firefighter, 
he has been present at all of 
the major events of the last 
20 years, including the 1989 
Downtown Fire, the 1991 
Earthquake, the 1993 Kinneloa 
Fire and of course the 
2008 Santa Anita fire (partial 
listing).

 Bamberger moved to Sierra 
Madre in 1985 under the auspices 
of the church and became 
its director in 1986. He 
has been married for 32 years 
to Debbie and the couple has 
two adult sons, Christopher, 
25 and Matthew, 22. Matthew 
is currently a Petty Officer 
in the U.S. Navy. 

 As a resident of Sierra Madre 
his commitment to the community 
has been extraordinary. 
He strongly encourages 
others who share his desire to 
serve, to join the ranks of the 
Sierra Madre Volunteer Fire 
Department or other community 
organizations, noting that 
it is volunteerism that keeps 
this town together. 

 Hats Off To You, Michael 
Bamberger and thanks.

The Very Rev. Canon Michael Bamberger is just retiring 
five of his many hats. The retiring Sierra Madre Volunteer 
Fire Department Batallan Chief and Captain is also 
the Rector of the Episcopal Church of The Ascension 
in Sierra Madre. Photo and Story by S. Henderson


Read The Paper Online At: www.mtnviewsnews.com