Service clubs

Bill Lockwood

Lucinda (Cindy) Frank, president of the Foothill Service Club for the

Blind, called the meeting to order one recent Wednesday and recording

secretary, Jennie Starnes, braille-read the roll call.

Twenty-five members were present. Turkey dinners were then served by

volunteers from the Burbank Emblem Club, who are wives of the Elks Club

members.

These active ladies served coffee, tea and hot meals to three banquet

tables of club members and their guests, plus a table at which the men

and women of the four sponsoring Lions clubs were sitting.

Emblem Club women have been offering this meal service to the Foothill

Club for more than 50 years.

The meeting was capped by the professional piano artistry of Valerie

Wiener, who rendered selections from Bach, Schubert and Beethoven,

without the benefit of music sheets.

How does she memorize so many intricate classical compositions?

“I’ve learned some of them through my study in Braille and some by

listening to excellent recordings,” Wiener said.

To end her program, the pianist played a medley of patriotic songs,

during which club member Allan Gummerus blended his trained baritone

voice. The Foothill Club is sponsored by four Lions Clubs -- Glendale

Host Club, Eagle Rock Lions, Griffith Park Lions and Glendale Northwest

Lions. Six member from the Lions clubs help make up the Foothill Club’s

board of directors.

Foothill Club retains the deciding vote, with its seven members.

Activities for the members of Foothill Service Club for the Blind include

bingo (which is called by sighted volunteer), listening to recordings of

once popular old-time radio programs and craft making.

Some of the exceptional craft creations can be seen in the club’s

glass display case, where they are offered for sale. First Vice President

Eileen Kennedy exhibited a ceramic plaque and a candy dish, both bearing

unusual designs in brilliant color patterns.

When asked how the club members were able to determine harmonious

color patterns, she said, sighted Lions Club members help them with the

colors.

“But our keen sense of touch permits our own selection of shapes,” she

said.

The Lions board members pick up the Foothill members for their monthly

meetings, since Foothill members don’t drive. The Lions draw monthly

checks payment of accumulated bills and review Foothill Club finances.

The Lions also maintain the Foothill Club’s building and grounds. The

mutual feelings of respect and affection shown between the sponsoring

Lions clubs members and members of the Foothill Service Club for the

Blind is obvious to the observer.

The Foothill Service Club for the Blind’s facilities are at 117 E. Los

Feliz, between Glendale Avenue and Brand Boulevard. For more

information, call club president Lucinda (Cindy) Frank at 846-0759.

Students will visit Japanese American Museum

The school board and local organizations are working on a project for

students with hopes participation will help stem the tide of possible

prejudicial reaction directed at some people in our society. The project

is to send 2,600 local high school freshmen for a 60- to 90-minute visit

to the Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles.

Glendale’s Board of Education, representing the city’s Unified School

District, will combine efforts with Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club,

Glendale Noon Club and Crescenta Valley Rotary Club to send the students

to the museum to learn from history about the cruelty of prejudice

expressed by a majority against a minority in any social setting.

During the early stages of America’s World War II engagement, 120,000

Japanese Americans were summarily rounded up and herded into distant

internment camps.

These people were abruptly cut off from their former lives. Today’s

survivors of that fear-impelled American reaction, and their present-day

descendants, now wish to educate Glendale’s youth about the need to erase

prejudice wherever it appears.

Hilton Los Angeles North Glendale and Super Shuttle San Fernando

management groups have donated van transportation for some of the

students.

Other students will be transported by commercial buses. The museum

management will donate $125toward the cost of each bus rented. The

Glendale School Board estimates that 22 round trips will be needed by 44

buses to complete the freshmen’s visits.

Speakers compete on theme of hate

At a recent Executive Toastmasters Club meeting, the week’s theme word

was Hate and the complementary word was Wit. The challenge for the

competing speakers was to use these two seemingly conflicting concepts in

a constructive mode.

Margaret Kerry-Willcox addressed her pet peeves with whimsical humor.

Gregg Van Citters took a more solemn approach by citing the need to

safeguard our nation’s fundamental freedoms of speech, assembly, press

and religion, which are guaranteed in our Constitution and its expanded

Bill of Rights. Van Citters was awarded a Speaker’s Trophy.

BILL LOCKWOOD writes about service clubs on alternating Wednesdays.

Reach him by calling 243-2265 or e-mail WQLockwood@aol.com.