Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, May 5, 2018

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Mountain View News Saturday, May 5, 2018 


WALKING SIERRA MADRE... The Social Side By Deanne Davis


“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do 
today.” Tim Fargo

“Almost every successful person begins with two 
beliefs: the future can be better than the present and I 
have the power to make it so!” 

 Who I am today, dear friends and neighbors, is a 
person who can type “A” with impunity as my little 
finger now works like the other ones! My hand surgery 
was a complete and total success and I couldn’t be 
more pleased. There was practically no pain and I was 
out planting some new lavender plants in just a day or 
two. Duypuytrens Contracture is no longer part of my 
life and as soon as I get the stitches out on May 14th 
and do my exercises – making a fist and then seeing if 
I can press my whole hand down flat – I will be typing 
with all ten fingers to my heart’s desire. I appreciate all 
those of you who sent good thoughts and prayers my 
way; it helped!

 There was an article a few days ago in the Star News, 
“ ‘Empty Bowls’ event flips idea of a soup line,” by Steve 
Scauzillo, regarding an opportunity by Family Promise 
of San Gabriel Valley to choose a ceramic soup bowl 
created by a local artisan and partake of some soup, 
some fellowship, some really nifty cookies and a 
chance to walk away with a tremendous prize at the 
silent auction. Sierra Madre Methodist Church hosted 
Family Promise last Sunday, April 29th from noon to 
three. Entry was $30 in advance or $35 day of event and 
all the proceeds go toward families who are struggling 
to regain homes. I walked away with a gorgeous hand-
thrown footed bowl in variegated blues and greens, 
which was held for me while I took a few pictures, 
by Jackie Satti. Everyone there couldn’t have been 
more friendly and welcoming and I was astonished to 
learn this was the nonprofit’s seventh annual Empty 
Bowls event. Family Promise has a network of fifteen 
churches in the San Gabriel Valley where families can 
seek shelter, “helping homeless children by assisting 
their families to stay intact and regain stable housing 
and employment within a supportive, volunteer-driven 
community.” The ultimate vision of Family Promise is 
to empower local communities to end homelessness in 
the San Gabriel Valley. Now that’s a really worthy goal!

 Here are a few of the folks who provided food: 
Green Street Restaurant, Heirloom Bakery, Margarita’s 
Mexican Kitchen, North Woods Inn, our own Poppy 
Cake Baking Company, Souplantation, Subway, Urban 
Plates and a bunch of others. Soup choices included 
Beef Barley, Italian White Bean, Corn Chowder, 
Minestrone, Chicken Posole, any of which you could 
have ladeled into your beautiful new ceramic bowl. 
There were at least a couple of hundred people gathered 
around round tables in the fellowship hall at Sierra 
Madre Methodist, laughing, chatting and mopping up 
their soup with the gorgeous bread which was on each 
table. Of course, there were occasional dashes toward 
the silent auction to up bids on the prizes...which were 
really super prizes!

 Trader Joe’s put up more than one basket; there was 
the Home Spa basket which included robes, vanilla 
shower gel, a shiatsu massage pillow and Ghirardelli 
mint chocolates. There was a 50” TV, a nice basket 
from Claim Jumper and many more.

 Shirley Tatsuno, who has been part of Family 
Promise since 2011, showed me a mockup of what the 
churches involved with Family Promise provide for 
families who are in need. This included a nice mattress 
with sheets centered on a tarp, a lovely children’s area 
with books and toys and, being inside a church facility 
meant safety and security as host congregations take 
turns housing families each week, offering meals and 
warm hospitality. Children go to school during the 
day and parents work or meet with case managers 
at the HOPE Center to find jobs and stable housing. 
The picture here is of the soup area and I wish I could 
show you the table where Jackie Satti was helping folks 
choose their beautiful, one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl. 
All I can say was this was just wonderful and I plan to 
go again next year. If you’re interested, you can contact 
Family Promise at: www.familypromisesgv.org. You 
already know that about 58,000 people are homeless 
in Los Angeles and more children and families are 
experiencing homelessness than ever before.

 Plant something this week! I put in a new geranium, 
some dahlias, a pink petunia and a couple of lavender 
plants. They all look spectacular and my camellia is 
still blooming mightily, which makes me smile every 
time I walk out my front door! Sierra Madre is filled 
with flowers. We are so blessed!

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 

Kindle books of all sorts and hardcover Tablespoon of 
Love are on there!

Star of Wonder the CD is now on TuneCore! Take a 
look!

Blog: HYPERLINK “http://www.authordeanne.com” 
www.authordeanne.com

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

KIWANIS CLUB OF SIERRA 
MADRE

JOIN US FOR LUNCH!

 EVERY TUESDAY AT NOON!

 

Lunch begins at 12:00 and is $10. 

PROGRAMS BEGIN AT 12:30 

AND ARE FREE!

 

Want to join us? Call: 626-688-2273

Save The Date: Saturday May 12, 2018

Our Annual Dance The Night Away & Chili Cookoff


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