The Arcadia Chinese Association‘s Spring Festival was a successful event Saturday.

The annual program was held at Westfield Santa Anita, for the first time outdoors at the Promenade.

Mayor Gary Kovacic presented certificates to ACA president Josephine Louie and Westfield marketing director Amanda Farnsworth Glover.

Many groups of all ages and skills performed, twenty $50 gift cards were handed out, and sponsor tables offered many services.

Many additional photos from the event can be found at the ArcadiasBestNews Facebook page.

– By Scott Hettrick 

The Arcadia Rotary Club, along with Boy Scout Troop #358, held a special day of “work, fun and fellowship” earlier this month at Camp Trask Scout Reservation.

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by Anne Donofrio-Holter
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Located on the camp grounds, nestled in Monrovia Canyon, sits a full-size fort known as Fort Rotary, where Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Webelos work on crafts such as ropes, knots, leatherworks, basketry and wood carving. Other activities include metal works, first aid training, environmental science, soil conservation, wildlife/mammal/bird studies, astronomy and more.

“Several years ago Arcadia Rotary helped build and underwrite Fort Rotary for the San Gabriel Valley Boy Scout Council,” said Rotarian Jack McRae. “Arcadia Rotary continues to honor its commitment by maintaining the facility and the grounds on which it sits.”

Arcadia Rotary Club president Brad Miller said, “We are here to clean up the grounds and rehab aging parts of Fort Rotary as part of ongoing maintenance and to provide an avenue for community service for the Boy Scouts, Rotarians and others joining us here today.”

The approximately 85 volunteers, which also included Duarte Rotarians, Arcadia High School students and other community members, fanned out canvassing the grounds of the camp, which was dedicated Tallman H. Trask Scout Reservation in 1972, conducting general cleanup along with some overdue maintenance to the fort.
After several hours of hard work and a well-deserved lunch, the volunteers were pleased with all they had accomplished.

“We are so grateful to Arcadia Rotary for maintaining this facility for our scout troop,” said one member of Troop 358. “It’s been fun today working up with club members for this cleanup.”

Miler said. “Our priority is to keep Fort Rotary usable for the Boy Scouts and others for camping and related activities. We want to thank everyone who joined us here today and did such a great job.”

The Arcadia Chinese Association recently named Assistance League of Arcadia President Maryanne Gibson as the recipient of this year’s ACA Community Service Award and is also about to embark on a busy two weeks of providing community activities and donations, beginning with the charitable group’s annual Spring Festival from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Westfield Santa Anita.

For the first time, the Festival — a celebration of the Chinese New Year with something of interest for all cultures — will move outdoors to the Promenade area of the mall. Organizers say that the new location will offer opportunities to expand the scope of the decorations, including lanterns and flowers.

Performances will include dancers and Chinese dragons. $1,000 in Westfield $50 gift cards will be given away in several prize drawings every 45-minutes or so starting at 1:45 p.m.
The event will also feature fortune tellers. Heaters will be provided in the event the weather is a little chilly.

Less than a week later, at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, the ACA will host its annual Senior Citizen recognition lunch at the Community Center at 11:30 a.m.

Finally, the ACA will show its appreciation to City employees by presenting all 350 of them with a coupon for a free Fasching’s car wash. The presentation will be made at the regular City Council meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

– By Scott Hettrick

The plight of women in Afghanistan will be the focus of a Feb. 1 Arcadia Woman’s Club luncheon talk and a short award-winning documentary film by an expert who survived suicide bombings in Afghanistan during her past nine years working in the country.

The presentation by Taraneh Salke will be hosted at the Woman’s Club,  324 S. First Avenue at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1. Tickets are $20 for club members; $25 non-members; $15 for program only. Call 626-355-6845 for reservations.

Salke is a cultural anthropologist and is founder and Executive Director of Family Health Alliance, to which 65% of ticket prices will be donated as a tax-deductible contribution. She co-produced and co-directed the short documentary, “Where are the Men?,” with her brother, Arcadia Weekly Publisher / Editor In Chief Von Raees. The movie discusses the importance of involving men in family planning and reproductive health for advancement of women’s health and development, and the value of understanding and considering local culture in design and implementation of developmental programs. The 2011 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival presented the movie with awards for Best Film, Best Narration, and Best Director.

Salke, who lectures regularly at universities and conferences on women’s global health issues, holds an MPH degree from UCLA.

– By Scott Hettrick

Four days after 100 mph winds knocked out power in Arcadia, 67 stalwart Rotarians and spouses gathered at the beautiful home of Gitta and Terry Earl for the annual Partners in Rotary (PIR) sponsored Holiday Party which raised an estimated $2,000 to support community and Rotary projects next year.

Susan Motander with Judge Bruce Marrs

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By Denice Masterson Orr
Photos by Sandra Caldero
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The first question guests asked each other was, “Do you have power yet?” Mayor Pro-tem Bob Harbicht answered, “No. The storm didn’t discriminate; council members lost power too.”
The second question to him was, “When will my power come on?” Harbicht explained, “Arterial streets are prioritized and cleared first, then side streets. Our emergency responses started at 3 A.M. during the storm.

Mayor Pro Tem Bob Harbicht and Bob Hoffman

And the city hired an extra 50 contract employees to help our crews clear the nearly 500 downed trees in the streets.”

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Bruce Marrs’ home in Monrovia also lost power. Susan Motander said tree damage was widespread in their neighborhood.

Cheers rose when (PIR) President Julie Miller thanked the Earls for hosting under difficult circumstances. Gitta Earl said, “Our power just came on this morning.” Plans were in place to have the party even by flashlight and candlelight.

Hosts Gitta and Terry Earl

Gail Jensen wasn’t surprised at the great turnout for the event. “It shows the spirit of Arcadia and Rotary. Even now we still get together and have fun. It’s a sign of what a good group and city we have.” As a result of the storm, the Jensens brought their mother home from a nursing home that didn’t have power or generators. Everyone at the event had different problems to overcome.

Dave Totten with prize Kindle

The festivities that evening included the luckiest raffle ticket which won a Kindle Fire for Barbara and Dave Totten. Barbara Bushnell won a shawl woven by the women of Kashmir, India and a Jaipur necklace. Janet Chapman won a certificate to Matt Denny’s Ale House. Rosie Mares received Christmas decorations and DVD.

Five Arcadia High School students from the Rotary sponsored Interact Club served dinner and desserts.