On June 15, Kiwanis of La Cañada hosted Clergy Recognition Day honoring Mark Yeager.

Yeager has been a longtime resident of the foothills community and his volunteer involvement includes local school districts, athletics, civic organizations, faith based organizations, law enforcement and youth organizations. His current involvement with the YMCA of the Foothills Board, Crescenta Valley Sheriffs Clergy Council, GUSD SARB and Disaster Relief Response fills most of his volunteer hours.

He has been a community advocate for youth and families running two separate youth programs in which thousands of youth have participated. He has received two honorary service awards as well as city, county and state recognition for his work in the foothills. He serves as a disaster relief chaplain with deployments to national and international incidents. He has been a clergyman/chaplain in the foothills for 22 years with multiple congregations.

Yeager and his wife Corinna started a church in 2003 that focuses on serving the needs of people in their community. His work with orphans, human trafficking victims and malnourished children led him to found the nonprofit Heartstrings International. Heartstrings currently feeds more than one thousand children each month in part to build relationships that foster assistance and rescue to these children. Heartstrings collaborates with multiple organizations to rescue children in Los Angeles County, Manila, Davao City, Coimbatore, Tijuana, Haiti and New Delhi – one child at a time.

The event took place at Descanso Gardens Van De Kamp Hall, at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada.

Information on the club, its service and meeting times is available at its website http://www.lacanadakiwanis.org. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Descanso Gardens and new members are always welcome.