‘Happiest Time of the Year’
Hard to believe that summer is well underway when school begins in just over a week! That’s right – the summer ends for local public school students on Aug. 10 when the bell rings announcing the start of a brand new school year. I remember growing up when school always started the day after Labor Day. Even when my boys were little, Labor Day weekend signaled the end of summer fun and, for them, back to the grindstone.
For many parents, the return to routine was a welcome thing. One of my favorite commercials was for a stationery store like Staples or Office Depot. As the Christmas song, “The Happiest Time of the Year” played in the background, Dad was joyously pushing a full cart down the aisles stocking up on school supplies as his kids dragged their feet depressingly behind him. That commercial made me laugh every time I saw it.
Next week is our Back to School issue when we’ll be highlighting some of the changes our students can expect when they return to school. We’ll also be letting parents know where some of the bargains are whether for clothing or supplies and reminding them of the offerings at local schools.
At CV Weekly, many of us have sent our kids off to college and know that it can be a stressful time. It’s not just about packing up our kids and sending them off, but the worry that comes with long hours away from home – even if it’s at a local school or college. That’s why we’re proud to present Campus Safety, a seminar on Aug. 10 where experts will talk about how students can prepare for the next phase in their academic career. The information will take a look primarily at how to be safe on college campuses but will also give some safety tips for high school and middle school campuses as well. Speakers include the Glendale Community College Police, and college and high school students. There will also be a presentation on disaster preparedness for college students. All are welcome and encouraged to come to this free event that is being held at the La Crescenta Library community room (2809 Foothill Blvd.) at 6:30 p.m. The information that will be given may touch on subjects that you’ve already considered or present some new ideas that you hadn’t thought of before. I hope that you’ll take time to stop by.
But not everybody is looking to send the kids off to school. For some, it’s the perfect time of year to do a deep cleaning of the home after all the company that the summer months can bring. And remember that an El Niño is (hopefully) expected, so making sure that the roof is in good shape, and drains and gutters are clear are good ideas, too.
Some events associated with summer are drawing to a close – the last two Cal Phil concerts are Aug. 8 and Aug 22 (seats are still available), Starlight Bowl closes its regular summer concert series on Aug. 9 and the City of La Cañada’s Music in the Park at Memorial Park ends on Sept. 7 with the rescheduled performance by Pacific Coast Highway.
But for me I look ahead with anticipation to the beginning of fall – Sept. 23 – because the next day is the celebration of the winners of The Finest! Finally the tallying is finished and the winners are being notified that they were chosen as The Finest, that is the best, in their category by readers of the Crescenta Valley Weekly.
Being named The Finest is no small feat. We received over 10,000 votes that were counted to learn who were considered The Finest in over 100 categories. We’ll be assembling all the winners in a book that will be distributed on Sept. 24 with information on those chosen as The Finest. This is a great resource guide that can be used all year long. Need a plumber? Find out who was chosen as The Finest. Looking for the best patio dining? The Finest will have that restaurant listed.
All the winners will be invited to an exclusive party given by Crescenta Valley Weekly that will also celebrate our six year (!) anniversary.
Who knows? We may even make sure that “The Happiest Time of the Year” is playing in the background.