Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, October 8, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, September 10, 20228 Mountain View News Saturday, September 10, 20228 
MAKING THE FUTURE A LITTLE BRIGHTER: FOOTHILL UNITY CENTER 

By Joan Schmidt 

Foothill Unity Center recently celebrated its 23rd Annual Golden Plates Gala honoring exceptional 
individuals who support the Center and our communities. The evening began with a warm welcome from the 
Center’s Chief Executive Officer, Tashera Taylor, who graciously thanked the generous donors and sponsors, 
caring staff, selfless volunteers, hard-working Board of Directors, and of course those using the gala.

This year’s theme was “Help Us Make the Future A Little Brighter”. All the honorees certainly have contributed 
to making the future brighter for so many people in need. Rao and Indira Yalamanchili received the 
HEART IN HAND HUMANITARIAN AWARD. They came to the US from India in 1971. Rao first worked 
as a civil engineer. In 1975, he and Indira became property managers of their apartment building residence; 
then began buying and managing more apartment buildings full time. They moved to Arcadia in 1977 and 
community involvement became a top priority. They are local benefactors in the founding of Hindu Temples 
in Baldwin Park, Montebello and Riverside. Rao has served on the Board of Directors of Watts Learning Center 
Charter School since 2015. Both Rao and Indira are honored to support the Foothill Unity Center. They with 
their family and company employees volunteer many hours at the Center’s events helping to fulfill the Center’s 
mission of helping neighbors in need. 

The 2021 Neighbors 
Helping Neighbors 
Business Award honoree 
was Donna Baker. Donna 
came to Monrovia with 
husband David in 1987 
and began volunteering 
with the Monrovia Historic 
Preservation Group. She 
continues to support many 
community organizations, 
Foothill Unity Center, Monrovia Schools, City of Hope Blood Drive, youth baseball and Monrovia 
Chamber of Commerce. 

The 2012 Neighbors Helping Neighbors Youth Service Award was given to Kiwin’s Club of Pasadena 
High School, a division of Key Club International founded by William Wallius and Remy Rabideau. 
Their 20 member club has volunteered at the Salvation Army and Foothill Unity Center to distribute 
food to low income individuals family. They also work with Amigos De Los Rios, to bring nature back 
to parks and schools through gardening in the Emerald Necklace. 

2021 Carl Foote Legacy Award honoree David Steinmeyer, a longtime Center volunteer, joined 
the Board in 2004. His favorite programs are the Thanksgiving & Holiday distributions where he directed 
logistics from 2005-2016. 

Foothill Unity Center DOES “Make the Future a Little Brighter”. Look at the 2021 stats : FOOD 

IMPACT:1,021,260 total meals; 5,306 food boxes to seniors & disabled,25,407 meals for homeless,3,722 
Thanksgiving and Holiday boxes; COMMUNITY IMPACT: 13,820:Individual served:2X more than Pre-pandemic 2019; 61% :Families new to the Center,7,400 families served; 6,326: 
Case Management Services provided to 399 families; 247Nursing School Trainees, 45 work-experience trainees & 17 interns, 38,400 Volunteer Hours by 1,247 Volunteers; HEALTH IMPACT:
3,525 Vital Health Screenings, 2,868 Dental Services, 17,850 Covid Masks, supplies, educational material and scheduling services 426 Covid Vaccines & Tests, 58 Families Placed 
in Permanent and Temporary Housing;
The goal for the event was $200,000. I last heard $192,000 and counting!
Please visit www.foothillunitycenter. They need volunteers and donations! They are a major source of food, health services and crisis assistance for thousands of low income families. 
Thank you. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
The Chef Knows By Peter Dills 
PIE N’ BURGER - The Best of everything - Burgers and Breakfast 
The day the earth stood still, was about fifty years ago, that must have been when 
Pie N' Burger was first opened. This is the quintessential Hamburger Stand in 
Pasadena. For my memory they tried a few other locations, but the Pasadena stood 
the test of time. Why? above average grub and some real how you doin... Darling 
type service. The owner "Mike"started working here as a cook and is a Trojan fan, 
so we'll go right to manager "Stephanie" (Normas Daughter) sweet lady that runs 
the place like it was her own. They tell me that Steph drives up to Sierra Madre at 
least three times a week to Taylor's meats and buys the trimmings for those deli-
cious burgers. , Is it the best burger in Pasadena ? Arguably so says this restaurant 
adventurer. The burger is oh so juicy, and unlike the other over tendollar burgers 
I have fallen in and out of love with up the street on Lake Street his one is consis-
tent!!! The cheese can be upgraded/added for a little a bit more. 
Pie N' Burger is like that old couple that has lived in the same house for years; you 
just know you should stop in and see them. But pass by many times. I'm not a 
real big breakfast fan but I've been told by more then one person that when Orel Hershiser is in town he and Fred 
Claire make that there stop for breakfast. If Orel likes it must be good. The dessert menu has pies, well duh... Pie n' 
Burger. I ordered the Pecan Pie, and I asked my lovely server to warm it up, a run added to the score board it was 
quite good. They even have the old school type of Coca Cola, hard to explain but they mix the syrup with the soda. 
Used to be On the side billboard it mentions the chili, hmm, that’s long gone Yes, if you are looking for a good 
burger, I do recommend Pie N' Burger for sure!!!! I have read a few complaints about the price of the burger, but 
I think you get what you pay for. Sure you can get a $5 burger somewhere else, but have you ever had a good $5 
burger, ok, maybe In' n out. The only thing I would change is the French Fries, this would be the perfect restaurant 
if they made their own fries. Ahh. I can only dream 
Pie N’ Burger Lake and CaliforniaJust me this Sunday evening on AM 830 KLAA for my radio show 
ONE DEM MINUTE - THE VIDEO 
Swing Left (swingleft.org) is a national grassroots organization dedicated to turning swing states blue in 
all elections since 2016 and now in the upcoming November 8 election. Swing Left San Gabriel Valley 
(SL SGV) is one of hundreds of local community affiliates. 
Two members of SL SGV, Melanie Rothschild and Lotti Pharriss Knowles, came up with the idea of 
offering the public a chance to create short videos to submit to the inaugural One Dem Minute Film 
Festival. The videos covered the following categories: Economy, Reproductive Rights, Climate Change 
and Getting Democrats to Vote. The idea was to refute Republican/right-wing talking points on these 
issues, focus on the facts and strengthen Democratic voter turnout. One Dem Minute partnered with 
Civic Power of Change, an organization that creates pro-bono campaigns for down-ballot candidates 
nationwide. 
The Awards Gala on Zoom was September 18th. There were fifty submissions and twenty finalists. The 
One Dem Minute team invites the public to watch the videos and share them in the most effective ways 
and places to get the word out about the importance of the November 2022 election. 
The link to the Dropbox with finalist videos & release forms:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/47t6fmvi271sknw/AAC5yTOn4vKTXnZf71BTglZMa?dl=0 
The link to the entire Zoom Film Festival on YouTube: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YWkc4tO5aU 
For questions, contact: 
One.Dem.Minute@gmail.com