Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 14, 2012

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

 Mountain Views News Saturday, April 14, 2012 

A Musical Respite from 

Delivering Papers

 Parts of my Saturdays are spent dropping off the Mountain Views at 
various restaurants, coffee shops and the libraries. It’s something I enjoy 
doing driving through our friendly, pleasant cities of Arcadia, Monrovia 
and Duarte. In fact, people in the various establishments have begun to 
recognize me and look forward to our papers.

 This past Saturday, a sign caught my eye as I approached the Arcadia Library, 
“Nina Zhang, Piano Recital”. I really enjoy classical music and the concert was 
due to start at 2pm. Since it was 1:55 and 
this was my last paper drop, I thought, 
“Why not?”

 So I walked into the Cay Mortenson 
Auditorium, which is to the right after 
you enter the library. I felt a little undressed with my slacks 
on! All in the audience had on their Sunday best! However 
I immediately was approached by a kind gentleman who 
welcomed me in to enjoy the concert. (I later learned he was 
Nina’s father.) Nina was introduced, and a stunning young 
woman wearing a beautiful shocking pink evening gown came 
in and sat at the piano. She began, and I was mesmerized. 
I just sat there and just enjoyed her immensely. After Nina 
had begun, another lady came into enjoy the concert. She 
introduced herself as “Mary Swendson”. She had grown up 
in La Canada Flintridge and lived in Arcadia. Mary shared 
that she had attended a Christmas concert in Arcadia at the 
Library and it was wonderful.

 Nina’s first selections were Bach’s 1st Movement 
Allegro, 2nd Movement Andante and 3rd Movement Presto, 
followed by Beethoven Sonata in G Major, 1st Movement 
Allegro, and Sonata in E Major, 1st Movement Vivace.

 After Nina’s performance, Michelle Zhao chose works 
by Shuman and Kabalevsky, followed by Hayden and Shubert 
selections by Benjamin Chen. Continuing the Program were 
Annette Cai who chose Chopin and Liszt for her selections, 
and Rebecca Hwang performing Mozart and Moszkowsky.

 The Program closed with Nina’s performance of 
Chopin’s Etude in G Flat Major, Op10, No. 5 Vivace and Copland’s The Cat and the Mouse Moderately.

 Following the Recital, there were pictures and refreshments. It was great to meet all of these 
talented performers and their parents. These fine aspiring pianists should be commended. It is obvious 
there have been many long hours of practice. However there should be mention of Kelly Kuo Fan of 
Monterrey Park, their dedicated teacher who has guided them along their path to succeed.

 Arcadia Library also provides a series of concerts. The last of the current series will be A 
Classical Kaleidoscope on Wednesday, April 28, 2012, from 7:00-8:30 P.M. at the Cay Mortenson 
Auditorium located in the Library. The performers include David Buck, flute, Allison Allport, harp, 
Paul Stein, violin, Aaron Oltman, viola ,and Maksim Velichkin, cello. Doors open at 6:30. Following 
the program, you are cordially invited to meet and speak with the musicians. No reservations needed. 
Admission is free. Seating is limited to the first 150 people. See you there!

PET OF THE WEEK: JOKER: Animal ID #A-4411893

“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt


Meet a big guy with a huge 
loving heart, the amazing 
Joker (A4411893). Joker is 
a supersized two-year-old 
black male purebred Labrador 
Retriever who was discarded at 
the Baldwin Park Animal Care 
Center on April 1st. Weighing 
one hundred twenty-five 
pounds, which is about fifty 
pounds too much, Joker will 
do anything for food, including 
sit on command. This playful 
boy is friendly with other 
dogs, and we think he will be 
exceptionally good with kids. 
Joker is a big, jolly, friendly boy 
who will be the ideal indoor 
pet for an active individual or 
family living in a private home. 
To see a video of Joker please 
visit: www.youtube.com/
watch?v=bNERcvUyLmc

To meet Joker in person, 
please see him at the Baldwin 
Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. 
Elton, Baldwin Park, CA 91706 
(Phone: 626-430-2378 or 626-
962-3577). He is currently available now. For any inquiries about Joker, please reference his animal 
ID number: A4411893. The shelter is open seven days a week, 12 pm-7 pm Monday-Thursday and 
10am-5pm Friday-Sunday. This is a high-intake shelter with a great need for adoptions. For more 
information about Joker or the adoption process, contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer 
Adoption Coordinator Samantha at samanthasayon@gmail.com or 661-309-2674. To learn more 
about United Hope for Animals’ partnership with the Baldwin Park Shelter through its Shelter 
Support Program, as well as the many dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes available for adoption in 
local shelters, visit http://www.unitedhope4animals.org/about-us/shelter-support-program/. 


CHRISTOPHER NYERGES SPEAKS....... 

PEFogo_(BW).jpg


PASADENA EDUCATIONAL 
FOUNDATION 2012 SUMMER 
ENRICHMENT PROGRAM OPEN 
FOR REGISTRATION

 PASADENA, Calif. (April 10, 2012) The Pasadena Educational 
Foundation is still taking registrations for its ninth-annual 
Summer Enrichment Program that’s open to all students in 
the San Gabriel Valley. The popular program for kindergarten 
through 6th-grade students takes place from June 18 to July 
19, 2012, at PUSD’s Franklin, Hamilton, and Norma Coombs 
elementary schools. 

A Middle and High School Summer Program (grades 6 - 12) takes 
place from June 13 - July 17 at Marshall Fundamental School. 
High school students can earn five to ten units of high school 
credits in classes with fewer students. Students can take SAT 
Prep, Math, Science, and English classes, as well as Scriptwriting, 
Letterpress Printing, and even Beginning Bridge taught by a 
certified American Contract League Teacher.

The wide range of enrichment opportunities for elementary 
studenets include Intro to Kindergarten and First Grade, a variety 
of Math, Science, and English classes as well as Music, Art, Chess, 
Cooking, Robotics; Writing, Spanish, Engineering, Fitness, and 
many more.

All classes are taught by credentialed teachers. Full brochure 
and online registration at www.pasedfoundation.org. For more 
information call 626-396-3625.

WHAT: Pasadena Educational Foundation 9th Annual Summer 
Enrichment Program for K-6 and Middle and High School 
Summer Program.

WHEN: June 18 to July. 19, 2012, Monday through Thursday, 8 
a.m. to 12 p.m. for grades K - 6 and June 13 - July 17, Monday 
through Friday, 7:50 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. for grades 6 - 12.

WHERE: Franklin Elementary (K-6) 527 W. Ventura St., 
Altadena; Hamilton Elementary (K - 6) 2089 Rose Villa St., 
Pasadena, 91107; Marshall Fundamental School, 990 N. Allen 
Ave., Pasadena 91104; Norma Coombs Alternative School (K-6) 
2600 Paloma St., Pasadena 91107 

TUITION: PUSD Students: $375 first enrollment; $350 per each 
sibling. Non-PUSD Students: $450 first enrollment; $425 per 
sibling. High School classes costs $225 - $425, depending on 
number of units.

REGISTRATION: Full brochure and online registration at www.
pasedfoundation.org. For more information call PEF at 626-396-
3625.

 
By Christopher Nyerges

[Nyerges has been teaching wild food and self-reliance 
classes since 1974. He is the director of the School of Self-
reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041. He is also the 
author of 9 books including “How to Survive Anywhere.” His 
class schedule can be seen at www.ChristopherNyerges.
com.]

 

 Early this year, I appeared 
on the first installment of 
National Geographic TV’s 
“Doomsday Preppers” 
show. I had an interesting 
and enjoyable experience 
with the film crew. I was 
doing my best to convey my 
beliefs and teachings, all the 
while fulfilling their agenda 
to create a news segment 
about people who prepare for 
emergencies. And like many 
things that are done for TV, 
you never really know how 
it’s going to be presented 
until you actually see the 
final edited product.

 They contacted me because 
they’d heard of my nearly 
40 years of teaching about 
wild foods, self-reliance, and 
survival skills. They wanted 
to film me in action, and they 
preferred a more dramatic 
backdrop. So we ended up 
filming along the L.A. River 
in a very harsh urban setting. 
It certainly wasn’t where I 
normally teach, but I liked 
the idea of showing skills in a 
challenging environment.

 When we began, I knew 
that the show was about 
“preppers.” This is a term 
that I never use, but I was 
vaguely aware that it’s often 
used for those who prepare 
for emergencies.

 We decided to focus on 
foraging for wild food and 
medicine, making fire with 
primitive methods, and the 
contents of a “survival pack” 
that you might grab if you 
had to evacuate your home.

 I spent the first day with 
the camera crew at the 
Glendale Farmers Market, 
which I manage for the city. 
We also spent time in my 
backyard as they asked me 
lots of questions about a lot 
of related topics. 

 We spent the next day 
exploring spots along the 
L.A. River – both near 
Griffith Park, and below 
downtown Los Angeles – 
where I showed which wild 
plants could be used for 
food or medicine. I made a 
wild food salad from what I 
gathered. I also showed how 
to make fire with a hand drill, 
and I showed the contents of 
my pack.

 I was told that I needed 
to state what I was preparing 
for. “I’m not preparing for 
any one thing in particular,” 
I told them. “I do these 
things because I enjoy them, 
and I prefer living lightly.” 
However, the structure 
of the show required 
that I state something I 
was preparing for, so I 
stated I was preparing 
for the possibility 
of a devastating 
earthquake in the city 
of Los Angeles. While 
worrying about an 
earthquake doesn’t 
dominate my every 
waking minute, the 
things that I teach 
would, and do, make 
one better prepared for 
a serious earthquake. 

 Then, at the very 
end, I was told that 
some “experts” had 
been reviewing our 
tape, and analyzing 
my skill level.

 “Really?” I responded. 
“Who are these experts?”

 We can’t say, was the 
response. Nevertheless, I 
responded to the experts’ 
analysis, some of which I 
agreed with, some of which 
I didn’t.

 And as much as I enjoyed 
the overall experience, the 
show’s producers did end up 
with the mistaken notion that 
if there was a major quake, 
my first course of action 
would be to be a lone wolf 
and wander the streets of 
Hollywood! Not so. In fact, 
I’d almost certainly not leave 
home and wander around the 
L.A. River in the aftermath 
of a major quake. I’d check 
on the safety of family and 
friends, and do my best to 
offer assistance, but I can 
hardly imagine a scenario 
where I’d wander 

around the L.A. River south 
of downtown. Don’t believe 
everything you see on TV, 

not even the so-called “reality 
TV.”

 Still, I felt that there is 
value to be derived from 
such a television program, 
especially for those whose 
sense of preparedness is 
“hoping something bad 
doesn’t happen.” There are 
plenty of positive solutions 
out there that we can all 
utilize to become just a little 
more prepared and self-
reliant every day. And each 
little step we take makes 
us just that much more 
confident and less fearful.

DOOMSDAY PREPPERS


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