Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 25, 2015

9

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 25, 2015 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

HISTORIC STURTEVANT 
CAMP UNDER NEW 
OWNERSHIP AND 
MANAGEMENT

Princess is a 3 year old Chihauhua mix girl 
weighing around 11 pounds. She has the 
most beautiful soft, reddish brown coat of 
fur that is short and easy to care for. 

 Princess was surrendered to the shelter by 
an owner who was unable to continue caring 
for her. Initially, Princess was confused and 
frightened to lose her comfortable home 
and to be thrust into shelter life. At first 
she was timid around staff and volunteers, 
and not very happy to be living in a kennel. 
Gradually, as she learned that she was in a 
safe place, and that there were kind humans 
who would care for her, she started to relax 
and warm up to people.

 Volunteers have noticed that Princess 
seems more comfortable with women than 
men, but given enough time and patience, 
she should be able to adjust to either. When 
Princess sees someone she is familiar with, 
she smiles and wags her tail vigorously. She loves 
attention in the form of pets, cuddles and belly 
rubs.

 Princess has taken a nurturing role with the 
younger dog who shares her kennel, and the two 
of them have developed a very loving relationship. 
They enjoy going for walks together; Princess has 
a calm energy level, is easy to harness, and walks 
well on leash. 

 
Princess is looking for a secure, peaceful home 
where she can be loved and cared for. She has a 
lot of love to give in return. This sweet, quiet girl 
is not demanding, and deserves a forever family 
to call her own. Please come meet our special 
Princess to see if she is the right royal lady to live 
in your castle.

 Her adoption fee is $120 which includes her spay 
surgery, a microchip, first vaccinations and a free 
wellness check-up at a participating 
veterinarian. Feel free to call us at 
(626) 286-1159 for more information 
on Princess. 

 She currently resides at the San 
Gabriel Valley Humane Society 
located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in 
San Gabriel with her roommate. 
We are located off San Gabriel Blvd., 
north of Mission and south of Las 
Tunas. 

 To arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ 
with Princess, please stop by any 
time from 10:00am to 4:30pm 
Tuesday thru Sunday. Maybe you’ll 
see Princess in the doggie high 
fashion show on the Promenade 
at Westfield Santa Anita this 
month. Mark your calendar for 
our 4th annual ‘Tea for Tails/Taste 
of Westfield’ event on April 26th 
featuring Warren Eckstein and 
Garth Kemp. Guests will enjoy 
great food, swag gifts, raffles and a 
fun-filled silent auction. Call the 
shelter to reserve your tickets. See 
our website at www.sgvhumane.org 
for information and photos of all 
our available pets and more details 
on ‘Tea for Tails’. 


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc


Friends of the San Gabriels (FSG) announced 
last week that, in partnership with Adam’s Pack 
Station, they have, at last succeeded in closing 
the deal on their purchase of historic Sturtevant 
Camp. The US Forestry Service permit was 
still pending two administrative items as of last 
Monday, but the approval has been granted, and 
that is the most important part. This comes as very 
good news to the hiking and camping enthusiasts 
who enjoy visiting this gorgeous part of our local 
national forest!

 Purchasing Sturtevant Camp was no small task 
for FSG, but with generous donations from their 
dedicated supporters and hard work on the part of 
Deb Burgess and her tenacious team of volunteers, 
they were able to raise the $75,000 needed to 
complete the purchase and cover the required 
first two years of operating capital. What a great 
victory for a relatively small non-profit that could 
have easily deemed it too daunting a task to take 
on, when word was heard that the camp may have 
to close in the absence of a buyer.

 FSG came to the rescue, and there could not 
have been a better prospect to take over the camp 
and keep it thriving. The group has a vested 
interest in maintaining the historic camp site, 
by virtue of their strong desire to keep Big Santa 
Anita Canyon the beautiful, natural place that it is 
while at the same time helping keep it accessible to 
other nature lovers who enjoy hiking and camping 
in the area.

 Sturtevant Camp has a long and very interesting 
history that dates back to the late 1800’s. Located 
in the upper reaches of Big Santa Anita Canyon, 
Sturtevant was established as a tent camp in 
1893, originally accessible by way of Mt. Wilson 
via the Old Mt. Wilson Trail. By 1897, proprietor 
William “Wilbur” Sturtevant had refurbished 
an abandoned trail to Winter Creek, extended it 
over Mt. Zion to his camp and constructed wood-
frame cabins for his visitors.

 After a series of subsequent 
delinquent owners, the camp was 
sold in 1954 to the California-Pacific 
Annual Conference of the United 
Methodist Church. “The church” 
made many improvements over the 
years, while maintaining its historic 
integrity and rustic charm.

 Reservations had been declining 
and, especially after the Station Fire 
in late 2009, the church seriously 
considered selling the camp. Not 
wanting the camp to change hands, 
Friends of the San Gabriels rallied 
the troops to save Sturtevant Camp 
from the uncertainty of new ownership. A silent 
benefactor stepped forward with a generous 
donation, and the promise of another upon 
meeting certain performance standards.

 The future is now looking bright for 
Sturtevant Camp, and with the logistical help 
of FSG volunteers, the facility is maintaining 
its reputation of historical preservation, 
cleanliness and hospitality. If you are interested 
in visiting Sturtevant Camp, go to their website 
at sturtevantcamp.org to make reservations. You 
can also read more interesting history about the 
camp as well as other recreational areas and hikes 
located in Big Santa Anita Canyon by visiting 
the FSG website at friendsofthesangabriels.org. 
And, you can keep up with current FSG goings-
on through newsy updates by visiting and liking 
their Facebook page.

 While this new breakthrough of finalizing 
the purchase of the camp is fantastic news, FSG 
acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be 
done. Most urgent among their current projects 
is re-piping of the sewage drainage from the 
manager’s cabin, so if you are plumber who’d like 
to help out by offering your skills to this project, 
I’m sure they would welcome you with open arms!

 They are also planning a training session in 
June for prospective volunteer camp hosts, so 
if this sounds like something you would like 
to participate in, tune into their Facebook page 
and visit their website to get the specific training 
date(s) targeted for the month of June. What an 
awesome opportunity for we local nature lovers 
to enjoy the great outdoors in a rustic historic 
setting, while taking part in a very important 
endeavor to preserve a fabulous Sierra Madre 
treasure. I hope you will all get on board and 
offer your personal skills to help keep Sturtevant 
Camp alive!


DogWalking & Sitting ServicesSierraMadre, Californiawww.canyoncanine.comchris@canyoncanine.comChris LeclercCanyonCanine626-355-8333 626-533-9536CCConCaCanyonCanineCanineeeieCCChris LeclercChris Leclercae,
chris@canyoncanine.com.canyoncanine.comwwwnCaSierraMadrare, CaliforCaalking&SonDogWWalking & Sitting ServicesonCa626-355-8333 62onCayeclercinnia6-533-95362eclerccanine.comanine.comani,CaliforirnanineSittingServiceseaninee
PET OF THE WEEK PEANUT: ANIMAL ID #A4816555


Meet Peanut, a peaceful, 
gentle soul that anyone 
would want as his or her best 
friend. Peanut (A4816555) 
is a 13-year-old white-and-
brown female Jack Russell 
Terrier mix who was 
surrendered to the Baldwin 
Park Animal Care Center 
by her owners on April 9th 
because they were moving. 

Weighing 16 lbs, this elderly, 
royal-family sort of a lady 
is having some walking 
difficulties (her gait is stiff) 
and thus prefers to be carried 
in your arms. She impressed 
us with how curious and 
alert she is—two traits one 
doesn’t always find in a lady 
of her age—and she’s very 
gentle in nature. 

We think Peanut will do best as an indoor pet and love magnet in the home of a person (perhaps a 
senior?) or family who will provide her with what she dearly deserves and needs (a soft bed, warmth, 
affection, kisses, cuddles, loved ones, good care) to make her next years absolutely golden. Do not pass 
up on sweet little Peanut! This treasure of a pup will return your kindness with an endless amount 
of doggie love. To see a video of Peanut, please visit the following link: https://www.facebook.com/l.
php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FhDkFHLAvOjc&h=TAQGNiOIU&enc=AZO6P892Tg96X78vsB_1nNjTbG7I-3pc-O7Wob8R4_Echm0lHUdHAQ7WnfubyQxkLvG8Ku5Pf7At_edc2q8_r3kvR_dZadIqSQsARNmvlNJyBtXrDI0hvyuojj_06EymvQY88HvUxKKwmnMg6UZlTXUo&s=1”https://youtu.be/
hDkFHLAvOjc

 To meet Peanut in person, please see her at the Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, Baldwin 
Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-430-2378 or 626-962-3577). She is currently available now. For any inquiries 
about Peanut, please reference her animal ID number: A4816555. 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 Peanut or the adoption process, contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer 
Adoption Coordinator Samantha at Samantha@hope4animals.org. 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/.

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