By Ruth SOWBY
More than 50 community residents – all volunteers – were busy assembling packages for 120 patients currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer. On Thursday, Sept. 5 the CCLCF had long tables and chairs set up with all the donated items: makeup from Sephora, colorful beanies from Glendale residents, hand-crocheted blankets and scarves from volunteers from all over the country and straw baskets to hold the overflow of the chemo patient care kits assembled at the Community Cares event.
La Crescenta resident Betsy Ferguson is the executive director of CCLCF.
“I wanted to build a volunteer program at the Center,” said Ferguson. “This program touches so many people who know someone with cancer.”
Volunteer activities are held quarterly at the Center. In fact, one of the volunteers assembling the kits is a cancer patient currently undergoing chemotherapy. Glendale resident Sandra Currano, 65, said, “I wanted to do something good to give back to the community.”
Carolyn Dundee, present at the Community Cares event, is the executive director of Small Acts Big Change. Her organization partners with the Norris Cancer Center Los Angeles where the cancer patients are hospitalized. In the next few weeks, Dundee will help Community Center volunteers distribute the kits to the 120 Norris Center Cancer patients.
Upcoming at the Community Center is its 75th anniversary celebration on Sept. 21.