Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, January 7, 2017

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Mountain View News Saturday, January 7, 2017 

Walking Sierra Madre…The Social Side 

by Deanne Davis

ROD AND JOAN SPEARS NAMED SIERRA 
MADRE 2016 CITIZENS OF THE YEAR

 
They thought it was going to be just another 
Thursday night out dining with friends, but 
little did Rod and Joan Spears know that there 
was a surprise waiting for them as they gathered 
at Nano's in Sierra Madre.

 Carol Canterbury representing the Sierra 
Madre Chamber of Commerce and with the 
help of their friends former COTY winners Joe 
and Jacquie Pergola and Judy Webb-Martin, 
surprised the couple with the announcement 
and the evening was all big smiles after that!

 The Chamber selected the Spears after receiving 
an overwhelming number of nominations for 
the couple.

 The Spears moved to Sierra Madre in 1999 
have immediately became involved in activities 
that support the preservation of Sierra Madre. 
Rod served as a Volunteer Firefighter and set 
up the city's Community Emergency Response 
Team (CERT), and is currently on the Library's 
Board of Trustees. Joan became a volunteer for 
the Police Department, an active member of 
the Civic Club and is currently on the Senior 
Commission. They have five children, eight 
grandchildren and one great grandchild.

 The COTY award is granted to outstanding 
Sierra Madrean(s) who are the personification of 
the town’s spirit of volunteerism. The Chamber 
has bestowed this honor upon 54 citizens since 
1966. Recent honorees include (partial listing) 
Clem and Nina Bartolai (2015), Dave Loera 
(2014), Joe and Jacquie Pergola (2013), Marlene 
Enmark (2012), Richard Mays (2011), Glenn and 
Amy Putnam (2010), Paul and Louise Nieby 
(2009), Angel Throop (2008), Pete Siberell 
(2007), Bud Switzer (2006), John Grijalva (2005), 
Hank Landsberg (2004), Rob Stockly (2003), Bill 
Messersmith (2002), Carol Canterbury (2001) 
and Marilyn McKernan (2000).

 The COTY dinner honoring Rod and Joan will 
be held on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at Nano's 
322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, Ca. 
Reception at 6:00 p.m. - Dinner at 7:00. Tickets 
are $30 per person/Tables of 10 $275.00. Tickets 
are available at The Bottle Shop, Beantown 
and Savor the Flavor. You can also purchase 
them online after January 10th by going to the 
Chamber's website, www.sierramadrechamber.
com.

 Established in 1946, the Sierra Madre Chamber’s 
Mission is: “To encourage a healthy business 
environment by advancing, promoting and supporting 
the businesses serving Sierra Madre.” This includes 
providing a voice for local businesses when dealing 
with local government, creating networking 
opportunities monthly, supporting other non profit 
groups and sponsoring events such as the Wistaria 
Festival, Winter Festival and the COTY.

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise! Surrounding the Spears are (left to right), past COTY 
Recipients Joe and Jacquie Pergola, Judy Webb-Martin, Rod Spears, Chamber Board 
Member Carol Canterbury and Joan Spears. 

Photo by Judy Webb-Martin

“My New Year’s resolution list usually starts with the 
desire to lose between ten and three thousand pounds.” 
Nia Vardalos

 Happy New Year, dear fellow Sierra Madre walkers! 
We’re still saying it to folks we pass on the early 
morning cold streets, happy to see Christmas trees 
waiting to be recycled. Speaking of Nia Vardalos in 
the quote up there – she’s the woman behind My 
Big Fat Greek Wedding which came out in 2002 and 
was a really fun movie. She made My Big Fat Greek 
Wedding 2 last year and we finally got around to it 
on Netflix over the holidays. If you haven’t seen it, 
it’s funny and you’ll enjoy it. Trust me. We also saw 
Passages with Jennifer Lawrence – the girl from 
Hunger Games, when daughter, Patti, son-in-law, 
Dave and their three splendid children, Nicole, Blake 
and Luke treated us on Christmas Day. Being the 
incurable romantic I am, I loved it. My movie/walking 
buddy, John, not so much...but he’s an engineer, folks, 
which explains a lot!

 We’ve been wined and dined and eaten enough 
cookies, cake, fudge, chocolate and various other 
Christmas goodies to make us want to leave the room 
if anyone else offers us dessert for months to come. Of 
course, by the time next week rolls around, I won’t feel 
that way, but we’ve got to get back on track as far as 
food is concerned. New Year’s Monday – parade and 
Rose Bowl Game Day (way to go, Trojans!) – was 
noteworthy for the amazing guacamole our grandson, 
Michael made. We’re ashamed to report we just stood 
there by the bowl, shamelessly devouring chip after 
chip drowning in guacamole. By the way, I never saw 
Egg Nog ice cream anywhere over the holidays. And I 
really like that, too. 

 Wasn’t the Rose Parade great this year? Best one 
ever, we think, and our float, The Cat’s Away, design 
for the second year in a row by Richard Burrow, 
was perfectly stunning. The animation was beyond 
amazing with mice balancing on a teaspoon and 
cups teetering back and forth. The genius behind 
our animation is Dick Sappington, so if you run into 
him, tell him he totally rocks. The Cat’s Away won the 
Mayor’s Trophy and was the best city entry, national 
or international. Just between us, it really was the 
best one in the parade! Our Princesses, Samantha 
Grijalva, Camille Buckles, Sarah Adams and Ashley 
Conlon were so sweet in their Alice in Wonderland 
outfits and, believe it or not, the Sierra Madre Rose 
Float Association is already gearing up for 2018 and 
if you’ve got an idea that’s so good you can’t wait to 
share it, don’t wait! Share it!

 Getting back to this brand New Year and a few 
resolutions, here’s what a really good writer/blogger 
friend of mine, Michelle Griep, suggested:

 “It’s a new year. Be awesome. Wear a helmet. Don’t 
forget to call your mom. 

Or your therapist. Whatever. Be real.”

 To that I would like to add: floss your teeth, write 
thank you letters for anything someone gives you, or 
for something nice someone does. Read your Bible. 
Yeah, I know, you’ve already read it, but it’s not The 
Girl On The Train, friends, it’s God’s letter to us, telling 
us He loves us. Look around you. Notice stuff. Like 
flowers and trees and butterflies and bees. And people. 
Buy a tomato plant at OSH or Home Depot and put it 
in a pot in a sunny spot and water it once in a while and 
you’ll be so excited when a tomato appears. Say nice 
things to people. Smile. Hug.

 Eat healthier. Walk more. Look at sunrises and 
sunsets and what other people are doing in their yard. 
Be silly once in a while. Find a cause to believe in. 
I believe in the Union Rescue Mission. I believe in 
Children International where I share in the support 
of the cutest little nine year old girl in the Philippines, 
Ezekiella Crishay Palma, who is in third grade and 
sends me letters telling me about her life. I believe in 
Food for the Poor where a huge sack of rice is only 
$12.00. I believe in St. Jude’s Children’s Research 
Hospital and I believe in Smile Train, where $250 can 
fix a horribly disfigured little child, born with a cleft 
palate, doomed to a life of pain and rejection. 

 Learn to do something new. Last year I learned 
about the joy of growing succulents. And how much 
fun it is to send board books to toddlers. My book club 
now embraces four little boys and my two Texas girls, 
who aren’t toddlers but love new books. Amazon.com 
will send your book anywhere in the world to a little 
person...or a not so little person. And read. Read a 
lot. Get involved with the Sierra Madre Library’s One 
Book-One City selection, The Rise of the Rocket Girls! 
Rejoice because you’re alive! And for the last time: 
Happy New Year!

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Blog: www.authordeanne.com

 “A Tablespoon of Love, A Tablespoon of Laughter” is 
available from me!

Kindle readers, give yourself the gift of: 

A Treasure Map, A Drunken Owl & 47 Rattlers in a 
Bag – True Tales of Early California

It’s on Amazon.com on my book page!

Follow me on Twitter, too! https://twitter.com/@
playwrightdd

WINE, WOMEN & WEALTH EVENT

January 11th at Jade’s Fashion in South Pasadena

Wine, Women, and Wealth is a nationwide community of women led by many top female 
producers at Five Rings Financial. The goal is guiding women to financial success through 
education, support and mentoring. These lively events are being hosted across the country to 
connect with women who desire to take charge of their financial future, expand their knowledge, 
and build their confidence regarding money and wealth.

Amazing things happen when women team up – especially when you add fine wine to the mix. 
Whether you’re at the end of your rope or the top of the corporate ladder, there is always more to 
learn about how you can make your money work for you.

This local event is co-hosted by Kayleigh Smith. We encourage you to attend in order to meet 
some of the amazing women in our community. Don’t forget to bring lots of business cards! For 
FREE registration and a full calendar of upcoming events, view the calendar at Eventbrite.co 
(Type in “Wine, Women and Wealth, South Pasadena, CA). 

Wed, January 11, 2017

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM PST

 Jade’s Fashion

1959 Huntington Drive South Pasadena, CA 91030

1-2-3 PLAY WITH ME: A PARENT-CHILD 
WORKSHOP AT THE SIERRA MADRE LIBRARY

Sierra Madre Public Library’s fun and interactive 
five-week Parent/Child Workshop starts this 
month. 

 This free program for parents and children 
from birth through 36 months features different 
aspects of parenting, including early literacy, 
speech, hearing and language development, child 
development, nutrition, music, play, and health. 

Sessions allow parents to spend time having fun 
with their young children, develop a network of 
other parents, and interact with specialists on 
child development. 

 Always popular, the workshop series at the 
Library will take place on Wednesday evenings: 
January 11, 18, 25, February 1, and 8. from 6:00 
to 7:30 pm. Sessions include toys, crafts, books, 
and play, in addition to discussions of parenting 
issues and concerns. Enrollment is free, but pre-
registration will ensure your spot in the program. 

For more information, please call Christine Smart, 
Youth Services Librarian at (626) 355-7186. 

 

 Read, Discover, Connect @ Sierra Madre Public 
Library, 440 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, 
CA 91024, (626) 3557186, Text: 626-662-1254, www.
cityofsierramadre.com/library


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