On the Town: Mayor Najarian honors Comic Cure for its community support
Recently, the Glendale City Council chambers were packed as Mayor Ara Najarian presented his mayor’s commendation to host, emcee and comic Richy Leis and his Comic Cure organization.
Council members Vrej Agajanian, Paula Devine, Frank Quintero and Vartan Gharpetian were present as Leis took to the podium to describe his founding of Comic Cure to support local comedians and local nonprofits.
Leis, through Comic Cure, has worked with more than 250 nonprofits nationwide and locally including the Glendale YWCA, Wellness Works Glendale and Glendale Arts.
Funds generated by Comic Cure for Glendale Arts have come from Leis’s comedy classes and student performances at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena.
The recent Glendale Arts’ “Giving Tuesday Comedy Night” at Glendale’s Greyhound Bar & Grill raised $8,000 through Comic Cure and the restaurant’s donations.
One of the shows at the Alex Theatre produced by Leis through Comic Cure starred 106 comics, breaking the world record for “Comedians in a Single Show.”
Reading from the commendation, Najarian said, “I commend your immeasurable support of our community through comedy shows featuring local community talent. On behalf of the city of Glendale, we wish you continued success!”
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Altrusa International of Glendale is one of our town’s best-kept secrets in spite of having been around for 65 years.
At its recent holiday party at Burbank’s Smoke House restaurant, some 20 members and guests played a getting-to-know-you, “Let’s Mingle” game of questions and answers.
That was just a warm-up to a brief program led by Barbara Crawford, Altrusa president. She described the group as a community-service organization holding small fundraisers throughout the year. This year, Altrusa members will sponsor a family at Christmas by providing food and gifts for them.
Studio City resident Denice Gilb, former Altrusa Governor of District 11, was recognized by Crawford as were members’ guests, including Ed Zayas, husband of past president Pat Zayas.
Donnalee Moninger offered a thankful grace.
A hardy dinner of steak and twice-baked potatoes for meat eaters filled the bill as was a vegetarian option for non-carnivores. Take-home packets of English toffee made everyone happy.
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Area churches have been holding their annual Christmas celebrations. The La Crescenta ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its own on a recent Saturday night. Several dozen church members filled the cultural hall for a pot-luck dinner, which included entertainment.
Most entertaining of all, of course, was Santa. La Crescenta resident Larry Ross donned the traditional white beard and red suit and asked the kids whether they were naughty or nice.
The Lucas daughters were speechless. Abigail Lucas, 3½, gave Santa a halfhearted high five. Daphne Lucas, 18 months, had her doubts about the whole encounter. Good-natured mom, Annalise Lucas, looked on from the sidelines.
Merry Christmas!
