Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 22, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, July 22, 2023 


WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side

by Deanne Davis

FRIENDS OF SIERRA MADRE 
LIBRARY GIVES BIG BOOST 
TO RENOVATION PROJECT

By Kevin McGuire

The city has accepted donations from the 
Friends of the Sierra Madre Library (FOL) for 
$695,000 for the Library Meaningful Improvement 
Project. The announcement of the contributions 
was made as part of the approval of 
the Consent Calendar during the City Council's 
regular meeting on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. 

City Council were dressed in their Hawaiian 
best; all topped off with colorful leis. Councilmember 
Robert Parkhurst was not present, 
but a quorum was present. 

The donations for renovations of the library 
came from three different accounts managed 
by the FOL, and specific terms were laid out 
in a letter from Julie Bencosme and the Board 
of the Friends of the Library. The letter included 
a breakdown of how the funds should be 
utilized. 

A donation of $400,000 for new building renovation 
costs comes from the Mary Tumilty 
Fund. As a result, the new library will be dedicated 
to Friends of the Library, the Partners, 
and Mary Tumilty. Ms. Tumilty was the head 
of the Sierra Madre Library and devoted decades 
as a librarian and member of the FOL. 
She died in 2010 at the age of 95. 

Another $145,000 from the Friends of the 
Library Partners will be used for specific requests 
by the City Librarian. This would include 
requested space for bi-monthly book 
sales and storage for future sale items.

An additional $150,000 from the FOL General 
Fund for the Friends’ Bookstore/FOL dedicated 
space in the renovated building and other 
library needs as requested. 

The total $695,000 in funding is earmarked 
solely for the Library Meaningful Improvement 
Building Renovations from the FOL. The 
letter stated the “importance of making the 
newly renovated library to be the best it can 
be, serving various needs of the community.”

Mayor Garcia and other Councilmembers 
thanked the Friends of the Library for their 
generous donation and commitment to this 
cause.


JULY IS NATIONAL ICE 
CREAM MONTH!

“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream, 
which is pretty much the same thing.”

 Janet Lee Logan

“An ice cream a day keeps all the tensions away.”

“Without ice cream, there would be darkness and 
chaos!”

“Life is like an ice cream cone, you have to lick it one 
day at a time.”

Charles Shulz (Peanuts Creator)

July is National Ice Cream Month! Ice cream is probably not the first subject you 
think of when it comes to famous songs. Instead, you’ll likely think of songs about 
love, nature, discovery, and other things. Just not the world’s most delicious substance. 
So, to get you thinking in the right direction, here are a few of the best ice 
cream songs: 

 “I Love Rocky Road,” Weird Al Yankovic - This is also a song with “ice 
cream” in the lyrics. It starts with the line, “I hear those ice cream bells, and I start 
to drool.”

 “Ice Cream Man,” Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers – This 1977 
song brings back memories of childhood when the ice cream man comes down the 
street. It reflects the excitement a kid feels when they hear that melody coming down 
the street.

 “Ice Cream,” MIKA - This particular oldie but goodie mentions ice cream 
along with sweltering summer heat, sunburns, sweat, yellow grass, and bright blue 
swimming pools.

 “Ice Cream,” Sarah McLachlan – This one opens with “Your love is better 
than ice cream.” Seriously? Has she had fresh peach ice cream?

 And last but best of all… “Ice Cream,” The George Lewis Ragtime Jazz of 
New Orleans contains the classic and unforgettable words: “I scream, you scream, 
everybody wants ice cream!”

I was looking at my Cuisinart Ice Cream maker and I need to! I have to! I want to! 
make some Vanilla ice cream. It’s beyond easy; a little milk, a little sugar, 2 cups 
of whipping cream, a tablespoon of vanilla and in half an hour you have soft, succulent, 
sinfully delicious ice cream. I’m ashamed to admit I haven’t made ice cream 
once this year. I’m about to repent. 

In case you didn’t know, you have Kentucky to thank for National Ice Cream Month. 
In 1984, Senator Walter Dee Huddleston of Kentucky introduced a resolution to 
proclaim the month of July National Ice Cream Month and the 15th of that month 
National Ice Cream Day. Ronald Reagan signed the bill into law the same year, and 
the rest is history! 

Of course, we in Sierra Madre are so close to incredible ice cream at Mother Moo’s 
Creamery. Karen Klemens, owner and Chief Moo of Mother Moo’s Creamery, is 
famous for her small-batch, hand-crafted ice cream and sorbet, using organic and 
locally sourced ingredients. Mother Moo’s is our own personal ice cream mecca. 

The International Dairy Foods Association tells us… “Americans consume about 
22 pounds of ice cream and related frozen desserts each year, on average. Ice cream 
has historically been a key feature of American communities. According to an International 
Dairy Foods Association survey, most ice cream companies are family 
owned and have been in operation for more than 50 years! Here’s more sweet news: 
Ice cream companies help support the U.S. economy, contributing more than $13 
billion directly to the national economy and supporting nearly 29,000 direct jobs 
that generate $1.8 billion in direct wages! 

America’s top 10 favorite ice cream flavors are, supposedly:

 • Vanilla

 • Chocolate

 • Cookies N’ Cream

 • Mint Chocolate Chip

 • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

 • Buttered Pecan

 • Cookie Dough

 • Strawberry

 • Moose Tracks

 • Neapolitan

I’m not sure I agree with that. When Fall rolls around and Pumpkin Ice Cream starts 
appearing in the ice cream freezer at the market, all self-discipline disappears and 
I’ve been known to stockpile several gallons of it in my freezer at home. Then, even 
worse, just a little later in the year, Egg Nog Ice Cream shows up and I’m doomed. It’s 
not the Christmas cookies that put extra weight on me, it’s the seasonal ice cream. I 
really love Pumpkin and Egg Nog Ice Cream.

I guess I’m becoming so rhapsodic about these delicacies that are still months away 
because it’s hot and humid and August isn’t even here yet.

Take time to drop in at Mother Moo’s for some peach ice cream. Ta

ke a friend along, sit outside and enjoy the beautiful place where we live. The picture 
is my fabulous vanilla ice cream in a crystal goblet. The stuff of dreams and 
fantasies!

Mother Moo Creamery ™ 17 Kersting Court, Sierra Madre CA 91024

626-355-9650

Open 7 Days a Week!

 Noon to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday

 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday, Saturday

 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Where you’ll find the Emma Gainsworth Kindle novelettes, 

Along with other goodies like “A Treasure Map, A Drunken Owl

And 47 Rattlers in A Bag” True Tales of Early California


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