Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 29, 2014

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 29, 2014 5 AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 29, 2014 5 
“What’s Going On?”

News and Views from Joan Schmidt 

2014 St. Baldrick’s Event: Another 
Great Fundraiser in Arcadia 

How, where, and why did 

the St. Baldrick Event begin? In 

Manhattan, in 1999, reinsurance 

broker Tim Kenny issued 
a challenge to colleagues John Bender and Enda 
McDonnell: “How would you give back for you own good 
fortune in business?” 

Enda’s thick head of hair gave John the idea of 
shaving their heads for donations to raise funds for kids 
with cancer. 

On March 17, 2000, at the reinsurance industry’s 
annual St. Patrick’s Day Party at Jim Brady’s pub in 
Manhattan the first St. Baldrick event occurred. The goal 
of shaving 17 heads and raising $17,000 turned into 19 
bald heads and $104,000 which was donated to fund the 
research of the Children’s Oncology Group.

The second event in 2001 raised $140,000. John 
and Enda then planned to expand the fundraiser past 
the reinsurance industry. After 9/11, the founders lost 
hundreds of friends and colleagues, but their dedication 
to the project did not stop. By 2002, there were now 37 
head-shaving events and now $1 million had been raised. 
In 2003, firefighters, policemen and the military-not only 
US bases, but also in Germany and Iraq-began to take part. In 2005, the St. Baldrick Foundation was 
created. In 2012, 30 million was raised and recently the 100 million mark was reached in research 
grant money. It is mind-boggling that one man wanted to give back, and from his gratitude, a program 
of such great magnitude has evolved!

Locally, Matt Denny’s Ale House and Del Sol Salon of Arcadia have been co-sponsoring an 
event for thirteen years. Last year, customers at Matt Denny’s raised $53,000! I attended and met a 
former student, Matt Brayden, now attending Bishop Amat H.S. Matt had raised $3000 on his own!

This year I went on line and found seven registered groups who plan to participate: Arcadia 
Fire Fighters (14 participants), Team Holy Angels School, Arcadia (30 participants), Arcadia Police 
Officers Association (9 participants), Team Sequoyah (18 members), Team St. Rita’s School, Sierra 
Madre (5 members), Team Del Sol Salon, and Team Santa Fe Springs Fire-Rescue. When I arrived at 
the event, I met other individuals and groups who had decided to participate. It was heartwarming. 
There was live music, great food, and a dedication group of individuals of all ages who came together 
to raise funds for childhood cancer research and care. 

Although the event is over, the need for donations never ends. St. Baldrick’s Foundation is 
located at 1333 S. Mayflower Avenue, Suite 400, Monrovia. Their number is 888-899-2253. You can 
also visit them on line to learn more. www.stbaldrick.org/faq/ 

to over 800 wildfires that have 

CAL FIRE MOVES 

“Even with rain in March, our charred nearly 2,300 acres. In TO PEAK STAFF-fire activity has remained 200 an average year for the same ING IN SOUTHERN percent more over average time period, CAL FIRE would 

statewide,” said Chief Ken Pim-typically respond to under 275 

CALIFORNIA 

lott, CAL FIRE director. “The wildfires for approximately DESPITE SOME rain has been great, but it has 1,000 acres. 

not been enough to make up for 

RAIN IN MARCH 

our dry winter and California’s CAL FIRE continues to ask FIRE ACTIVITY RE-drought. homeowners to ensure that they MAINS HIGH are prepared for wildfires by 

While CAL FIRE never was able maintaining 100 feet of Defen-
Sacramento – Despite recent to transition out of fire season sible Space. For more informarainfall, 
CAL FIRE continues to in 2013, the return to peak staff-tion on preparing for wildfires 
respond to a significant increase ing means all equipment and fa-and defensible space visit www.
in wild-fires, especially in Cen-cilities will be staffed around the ReadyForWildfire.org. 
tral and Southern California clock. The move comes several 
where rain totals have done months earlier than normal, but Visit Drought.ca.gov to learn 
little to combat drought condi-is needed as spring tempera-more about how California is 
tions. Starting Monday, March tures rise and dry out condi-dealing with the effects of the 
31, CAL FIRE will move to peak tions even more. drought, and for more water 
staffing levels in San Diego, conservation ideas, visit SaveORiver-
side and San Bernardino Between January 1 and March urH2O.org. 
Counties. 22, CAL FIRE has responded 

DR. MARY WALKER - ONLY WOMAN TO 
RECEIVE THE MEDAL OF HONOR By Joan Schmidt 

A little while back, I attended a very special assembly 
at Arcadia High. Its guest speaker, Staff Sgt. Salvatore Guinta 
was the first living person since the Viet Nam War to receive 
the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. 

Prior to Staff Sergeant Guinta’s moving address, the 
students were shown an informative slide presentation tracing 
the History of the Medal, which, first a Navy award, expanded 
to include Army acts of Bravery. The Medal evolved in the 
early 1860’s- the Civil War Period. Theodore Roosevelt was the 
only president to receive this Medal and the Nobel Peace Prize. 

In conjunction with Women’s History month, I must 
mention Dr. Mary Walker, the ONLY WOMAN EVER to 
receive the Medal. Mary Walker, a REAL trailblazer, was 
born in Oswego, New York on November 26, 1832 into an 
abolitionist family. Her father strongly believed in education 
for his five daughters. It was a hard road, but Mary became a 
physician, actually the Second woman in America to do so. 
(Elizabeth Blackwell was the first.) But Mary was more than 
that. She hated the tight-fitting women’s dresses, and in 1856, 
when she married her husband, another physician, Dr. Albert Miller, she wore trousers, a man’s coat 
and kept her own name! Together they set up a medical practice in Rome, New York, but people at 
that time weren’t ready for a “female doctor”, so their practice failed and they divorced thirteen years 
later. 

When the civil War broke out, Mary went to Washington and tried to join the Union Army, 
but was turned down. In September, 1863, Walker was FINALLY appointed assistant surgeon in the 
Army of the Cumberland. She also was surgeon of the 52nd Ohio Infantry, and during that time 
served as a spy. Mary crossed Confederate lines to treat civilians. Consequently she was captured in 
1864 and was in a Richmond Prisoner of War Camp for four months. 

Mary was released back to the 52nd Ohio as a contract surgeon, but spent the rest of her life 
practicing at a Louisville female prison and an orphan’s asylum in Tennessee. 

On November 11, 1864, President Johnson signed a bill to present Dr. Mary Edwards Walker 
with the Congressional Medal of Honor for Meritorious Service. Thus she became the ONLY woman 
ever to receive this honor. 

In 1917, Mary and 910 men had their medals taken away. But in 1977, an Army board 
reinstated her Medal. There is SO MUCH MORE about Dr. Mary Edwards Walker. Please go on line 
to learn more-you won’t be disappointed! 


GOLDLINE EXTENSION UPDATE 

Construction on the Pasadena to Azusa segment of the Foothill Gold Line continues to be at the most 
active pace of the project, with many visible activities taking place throughout the alignment. 

Three of the six stations now have their canopy structures: Arcadia, Monrovia and Duarte. Soon, 
these stations will be transformed, as they quickly go from skeletal to completed. As you can see from 
the photos below, some of the stations will have one center platform, while others will have two side 
platforms. Each will have unique colors and materials, as well as custom artwork currently being designed 
and fabricated throughout the region and the country. 

All of the six future stations will have parking, and work is underway on four of the parking structures: 
Arcadia, Monrovia, Irwindale, and APU/Citrus College station. Foundations for the Overhead 
Catenary System are more than halfway installed, and the first few traction power substations (which 
will deliver power to the overhead wires that provide electricity to the light rail trains) have been installed 
in Duarte and Azusa. Miles of retaining and sound walls are now built; and track, ballast, rail 
and ties are being installed in many sections of the 11.5-mile corridor. 

The Construction Authority recently released its first newsletter for 2014, and readers can click the 
link below to download, print and read the latest in-depth information on the station platforms, station 
art, safety and grade crossing improvements. 

Rail is being pulled along the right-of-way in Duarte. 

Crews are completing light rail track installation at the Myrtle Ave grade crossing in 

Monrovia. 

Canopy structure at the Arcadia Station, which is a center platform.