HAPPY - BIRTHDAY -AMERICA 

VOLUME 20 NO. 27VOLUME 20 NO. 27SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2026 
SUNDAY, JULY 5TH 
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM 
561 SIERRA MEADOW | SIERRA MADRE 
Open House 
JUDYWEBB-MARTIN626.688.2273SevenGables.com 
DRE #00541631 
THERE IS STILL NO PLACE LIKE SIERRA MADRE! 

Editor's Note: In Sierra Madre, there is no 
other event that exudes with civic pride more 
than the July 4th Parade. As we celebrate our 
nation's birthday, let's take a moment to visit 
Sierra Madre's Past, Present and Future. 

OUR HISTORY 

A Doug Hayes recollection 

Here's what I recall from the early days of the 
"4th of July Committee".....

 In about Feb. of 1987 there was a small article 
on the front page of "The Sierra Madre News". 
As you would recall the newspaper came 
out on Thursday at the local news-racks and 
this meeting was as I recall that very night at 
the City Hall council chamber. I was prettyhorrified that any mention of the parade being 
on thin ice, so I decided to attend and just sit 
in the back. Many of the pillars of the city were 
there, so it seemed as though some solution 
could be at hand. David May ran the informal 
meeting. He, being the representative from 
the Chamber of Commerce which had run the 
parade for all the previous years (I believe the 
first parade was 1965). 

The Chamber's concerns were that they lacked 
the volunteers to run the parade and were 
looking to the community for suggestions. 
Some people in the audience suggested 
starting a committee to run the parade 
and the related activities. That was how the 
meeting ended. There was about 40 people 
in attendance as I recall, so there seemed to 
be plenty of volunteers to make this happen. 
David May said that there would be the first 
"4th of July Committee" meeting the following 
week at City Hall in the conference room. 

I thought I'd show up the following week and 
just a handful of other people did. Over the 
next few months ,the membership had grown 
to be Jeanette Griffith who would be our Chair,
Ed Wellman, Bill Thompson, Fran Powell,
Nancy Miller (who's father, Walter Fader was 
instrumental in funding the new bandshell 
which was completed in 1987 to replace the 
one ruined by a windstorm). Also on the 
committee was Sheri Burnett, John Wagner, 

potties". Bill Thompson came up with these 
Ollie Gardener (VFW), Len Cummings 

plastic mini-porta-potties that were coin After the Whittier Earthquake of Oct. 1987, 
who was the head of the local "Sierra 

banks about ten inches tall. He (had the Jeanette Williams left California. She dropped 
Madre Ham Radio Club" which provided 

nerve) placed them in many local businesses off her paperwork at my house in the Fall of '87 
"communications" by their volunteers along 

and collected the coins on a weekly basis. and said, here ya go, you're the new Chair! So, 
the parade route (nobody had cellphones in 

That was our first real income. After the 4th in 1988 I became the chair with no idea what 
1987) in case of any emergency. I, also, was 

of July in 1987 we were fortunate enough to to do next. Thankfully the 1987 parade and 
there to do "whatever" I could do to help out. 

pay back the VFW AND have some operating activities were a success thanks to Jeanette's 
capital for 1988! Also, a HUGE help was leadership, so all I had to do was rinse, repeat,

In the next few years we would also add 

having our 4th of July booth just north of the rinse and repeat.

Hank Landsberg, Helen Walker, Jack Wolfe, 

small stairs in Memorial Park where we took

Celeste McCrarey, JoAnn Williams, Jim Little, Our first real purchase with our new funds

in hundreds of dollars in donations into our 

and Carrol Brown. There, no doubt, were was the glorious parade banner. I went to pick

jar on a folding table. The public REALLY dug

others too that are slipping my memory. My it up but the LONG wood pole was a problem.

deep and filled the jar with cash. Our t-shirts 

apologies to them.... Being 16 feet long, it was almost as long as my

sold out and we went home happy and proud.

Our first year in 1987 was a struggle with old, trusty Dodge van. The guys at the shop 
no money and no idea of what to do. Ollie We knew that the parade's future was alive and used rope to hold the rear of the pole to the 
Gardener from the VFW came to our rescue! well as the good people of Sierra Madre really hinge of my right rear door. The front theyThe VFW loaned us enough money to buy pushed us over the top. The Chamber ran placed over my right-side rear-view mirror. 
t-shirts to sell and to provide some source of the beer garden, the Rose Float Association Then the remaining part of the pole dangled 
money to operate. One of our members drew made the burgers and the other local groups out front almost to my front bumper. For the 
up the artwork for our first t-shirt. provided pizza, lemonade, ice cream, etc...and sake of safety, I took surface streets home. That 
the 4th of July Committee got a fraction of the was and is one fabulous banner. Long May It

We also had to raise money for "port-a


profits for our treasury. Bring Joy to All That See It Coming!! 

ARNOLD’S FRONTIER HARDWARE CELEBRATES 23 YEARS OF SERVICE 
& THANKS THE SIERRA MADRE 
COMMUNITY FOR ITS SUPPORT 
On a clear summer afternoon, blue, red and white balloons hang in front 
of Sierra Madre’s iconic storefront, Arnold’s Frontier Hardware. Inside, 
residents, community members, and employees fill the aisles celebrating the 
anniversary of the store and owner, Basil Kruger, for the 23 years of service 
to the Sierra Madre community on Friday, June 26. 
“It’s been incredible, Sierra Madre is so wonderful. They want to shop in 
town, they want to help each other…support all the local businesses, 
restaurants, everything,” says Basil. “It’s been so nice and it’s such a welcoming 
community.” 
Previously known as Arnold’s Hardware, the store has been a staple within 
Sierra Madre since 1947. Robert Hatfield had operated the store until his 
retirement in 2003 with Kruger coming into ownership in June 2003. 
With around 45 years of hardware experience, Kruger’s history begins with 
working at Frontier Hardware in Duarte, CA in 1980, eventually becoming the manager of Frontier. Within 15 years, he had managed both the 
Sierra Madre and Duarte hardware locations with the latter closing in 2017. 
“It was always a dream of mine to own a hardware store, so being able to run two…it was fantastic,” shares Kruegar. Today, Kruger continues to 
support the Sierra Madre community with his dedication to providing hardware, information and support to any customer walking through the 
doors. He shares his favorite part of operating the store has been, “all the good customers, all the friendships they’ve made over the years,” and 
how that shows what Sierra Madre is all about. 
If you’re in need of hardware or gifts, please visit Arnold’s Frontier Hardware store located at 297 W Sierra Madre Blvd., and say ‘hello,’ to Kruger 
and his staff. 
SG DRE #00745605