La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild (LCFOG) held its annual Christmas meeting and luncheon on Dec. 7 at the home of Liz Argue, a former active member and currently a sustaining member of LCFOG. Easy De Laney coordinated the luncheon with her committee consisting of Marie Gilhooly, Arlene Massimino, Marie Baker, Maria Gero, Wendy Nicoll and Margaret Dickson.

LCFOG members brought new, unwrapped toys to be donated to Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC) patients who had appointments for OIC’s Calexico Clinic; these toys were packed into the “Ozzie Shuttle” and delivered to Calexico, California the next day. Doctors, nurses, Guild members and other volunteers, along with students from the Orthopaedic Medical Magnet High School, travel by bus to see pediatric patients from the Calexico and Mexicali area each December. The December OIC Clinic in Calexico also includes a holiday party for children.

“It is a joy to attend this party and every member should try to attend at least once,” said member Marie Baker.

Children have the opportunity to receive care from OIC’s doctors and also to receive gifts from Santa Claus, thanks to the generosity of LCFOG members and their donations of toys.

The installation of officers for the coming year was conducted by Mary Beth Perrine, senior director, Development & Community Outreach, and Danielle Barrios, assistant director, Community Outreach & Volunteer Services for Orthopaedic Institute for Children. The installation theme was based on a recipe that requires all ingredients to blend together to complete the finished project. In the same fashion, members of LCFOG work together in various ways to support OIC.

Starting in January, Baker will take over the reins as president with Marianne Jennings serving as vice president. Recording secretary duty will go to Ginney Pruitt while Elinor Bunn will continue her service as corresponding secretary. Joanne Ploszaj will repeat her year as treasurer.

During the installation ceremony, Perrine and Barrios distributed a cooking tool, measuring cup, ladle, spoon or spatula to each newly elected officer as a symbol of working together for a common goal. Several members have been appointed to chair committees necessary for LCFOG to function efficiently. Ways and Means will be under the direction of Joan Cleven and Marie Gilhooly. Jeanne Long will be in charge of Membership while Barbara Self and Judi McClure will co-chair Hospitality duties.

Like the ingredients in a recipe, members of LCFOG will combine and blend together in various ways to support OIC. It has a 60-year history of supporting the orthopaedic needs children served by OIC, formerly Orthopaedic Hospital. Some members donate their time in the It’s a Bargain thrift shop on the downtown campus. Others volunteer at special events/parties, such as the Christmas “Toys and Joy” and the CHP’s Toy Party both held earlier this month. Ginney Pruitt and Arlene Massimino were joined by Joanne Ploszaj, Marie Baker and Caryl Pettit who helped distribute toys to over 1,800 children waiting for Santa’s arrival. Children could catch a glimpse of Santa in a helicopter circling the OIC downtown campus. After the chopper landed, they eagerly waited to see Santa being driven to the party by members of the Los Angeles LAPD SWAT team.

Approximately 69,800 pediatric patient visits were logged this year at OIC, either in the Urgent Care Department, in follow-up clinic appointments, or those children who required outpatient surgery at the new state-of-the-art surgical suites on the campus. The Urgent Care Center was originally built to serve 15,000 children a year and now, with more than double that number of children requiring care, it is time to enlarge the area. Plans for remodeling and enlargement have already begun.

Mary Beth Perrine said, “Thousands of kids’ lives are being changed by surgery at OIC.” One of OIC’s goals is to make certain every child has an opportunity to grow well and play well and, with the enlargement of facilities, more children will have that opportunity.

Those interested in learning more about LCFOG or in attending one of the meetings, please contact Jeanne Long, Membership, (818) 640-9106. The Guild will next meet on Thursday, Jan. 4.

Written and submitted by Arlene MASSIMINO