Las Candelas, a philanthropic group that centers on helping children, sponsored a visit from Bruce Shwedick of the Bureau of Lectures to an audience of students from Hillsides Education Center in Pasadena on Nov. 6. He brought many unusual reptiles with him and introduced them to the students, sharing where they lived and what their roles were in nature.

He first presented a yellow-footed tortoise named Baby who was 30 years old, followed by Carlos, a rhinoceros iguana. Some students were invited to come and touch Carlos – carefully. Then, from the snake family, came Jade, a heavy boa constrictor. He weighed 18 pounds and stretched to 18 inches in length.

The students were most excited when Java Caw, a big albino milk snake, was brought out. Java Caw lives in tropical areas such as the southern states of the United States and Honduras, South America. He is from the king snake family and weighed in at 45 pounds and is 18 feet long. Despite its name, the albino milk snake’s coloring was not completely white; Java Caw had many bright yellow markings all down his body and had a complete yellow head.

Las Candelas has assisted children in the Glendale community for over 50 years. The organization provides services for children at Glendale YWCA, Glendale Healthy Kids, Didi Hirsch Center, Hathaway-Sycamores and Hillsides Education Center. The funds to support these are earned through their bi-annual luncheon and fashion show benefit.

Submitted by Sharon ANDERSON

  Sharon ANDERSON