Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 29, 2012

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 29, 2012 


HISTORICAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY HOLIDAY 
CELEBRATION ‘REMEMBERS WHEN’

41ST ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT WALK DRAWS 
HUNDREDS Photo and history by Bill Coburn


Over sixty members and invited guests 
were in attendance at the Sierra Madre 
Historical Preservation Society’s 
December Holiday Dessert Celebration 
at the Hart Park House on the evening 
of December 20th. Attendees were 
treated to a sampling of delectable 
desserts, wassail, coffee, and cranberry 
punch. President Amy Putnam began 
the evening by welcoming everyone 
and introducing local city officials 
and landmark homeowners. The 
evening’s entertainment was provided 
by Remember When, a Big Band/ 
Vocal Jazz Group. They sang a variety 
of modern Christmas songs. The 
evening concluded with a raffle of four 
succulent plant wreaths donated by 
the Sierra Madre Garden Club. The 
proceeds from the 
raffle will fund the 
City’s museums’ 
landscaping 
project. The 
museums, Lizzie’s 
Trail Inn and 
Richardson 
House, are 
operated by the 
Sierra Madre 
Historical 
Preservation 
Society 
(SMHPS). The 
landscaping 
project is a joint 
project between 
the Sierra Madre 
Garden Club and 
the SMHPS.

If you are interested in joining the SMHPS, please visit the website at www.smhps.org for more 
information and a membership application. Photos by Dixie Coutant


On Sunday, Dec. 23rd, at 7pm, the 41st annual 
Sierra Madre Candlelight Walk was held, beginning 
at St. Rita’s and proceeding down Baldwin 
Ave. to Kersting Court. There, the baby Jesus 
was placed in the creche, and caroling took place 
along with reading of Scripture. This year also 
featured live jazz. .

 

History of the Candlelight Walk

 

The first Candlelight Procession was in 1971. 
In 1970, Pastor Bob Vander Zaag of Bethany 
Church had held a holiday concert in Kersting 
Court, with the church choir on risers singing 
hymns and carols for the people shopping in the 
local shops. In a conversation shortly thereafter 
with Rev. Richard Anderson of Congregational 
Church, Vander Zaag suggested that as nice as 
the concert had been, it might be even better if 
local pastors gathered their parishioners in a procession 
through town. Starting at St. Rita’s and 
walking down to Kersting Court was suggested, 
and agreed upon, and Fr. Gara’s parishioners 
were added to the mix.

 

Interestingly, there’s some back history that 
makes the evening even more special. Back in 
about 1918 or so, some members of Congregational 
Church had split with the Church, forming 
Bethany Church and for many years, things 
weren’t always real friendly between the two 
churches. Shortly after Rev. Anderson’s arrival 
at Congregational Church, the two churches had 
a mass of reconciliation, and over time, Pastor 
Vander Zaag and Rev. Anderson became very 
good friends. The Candlelight Procession, which 
was started shortly after the mass of reconciliation, 
is undoubtedly one of the factors that, in 
the Christmas tradition of old friends coming 
together after a long separation, helped the two 
churches to set aside their differences and work 
together with their common goal of serving 
Christ.


AND FROSTY CAME TO TOWN TOO!


Andrew Graper, Dave Forrester and Augie Eck continued the tradition of building a snowman 
in Kersting Court, this year on the same day as the candlelight walk. The snowman 
has come to town since 1988 (with the exception of 2010), and people look forward to it 
each year. Enjoy the photo gallery of the building of the snowman. - By Bill Coburn

BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND 
GLENDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

VOTE TO OPPOSE STORM WATER TAX

 LOS ANGELES COUNTY – The effort to defeat the Flood Control District’s parcel tax 
is growing in momentum as both the Glendale Chamber of Commerce and the Burbank 
Unified School District voted to oppose the new tax, announced Supervisor Michael D. 
Antonovich. 

This opposition comes on the heels of the West Covina School District, the Long Beach 
Unified School District, the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Coalition of Chambers and the 
United Chambers of the San Fernando Valley voting to oppose the proposed parcel tax, announced 
Supervisor Antonovich. “The new tax effort continues losing the support of school 
districts and businesses despite the fact that the flood control district is making deals with 
schools with promises of funding in exchange for support.” 

The “Official Notice to Property Owners of Public Hearing” was mailed early this month. 
County property owners may protest this new fee by returning the enclosed protest form. 
“While the mailing looks like junk mail, it is an important document that allows one to protest 
the proposed parcel tax,” Antonovich added. 

Residents have until January 15 to file their objection by returning their protest form or 
protesting at the public hearing on January 15, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. in the Hearing Room of 
the Board of Supervisors at the Hall of Administration. If a majority of the property owners 
do not object, the Board of Supervisors can approve a mail-in-ballot to be sent to all 
property owners in March. Passage requires only a simple majority. If the mailer has been 
misplaced, a new mailer may be requested by calling (800) 218-0018 or emailing water.
info@dpw.lacounty.gov.