Organizers of this year’s La Cañada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild (LCFOG) 60th Annual Book and Author Luncheon announced that local author James Stratton and Jennifer J. Beck M.D. will be rounding out the speakers at this year’s luncheon on Oct. 24.

Stratton is a former college professor and past recipient of both a Ford and a Danforth fellowship. He will present his recent book “Picture Business: LA Stories, Poems and Portraits” and his most recent work, “100 Guilty Pleasure Movies.” He is well known to many La Cañada residents as an author and also as a former public school administrator, most recently the superintendent of La Cañada Unified School District

Dr. Beck is one of the few female double fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeons specializing in pediatric sports medicine in the state of California. She will be speaking about women in orthopaedic surgery. Dr. Beck is a former OIC fellow and recently completed her second sports medicine fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. She returned to Southern California to help expand OIC’s sports medicine program in partnership with UCLA Health. She holds the position of associate director, Orthopaedic Institute for Children Center for Sports medicine. She will be speaking on “A Winding Road to Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.”

The pair joins authors Joyce Gittlin and Janel B. Fattal who will also be speaking at the luncheon. The luncheon will be held at the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 Godbey Drive, La Cañada Flintridge.

In addition to the speakers, guests may be enticed by silent auction items and gifts from the Bonus Board. Mary Beth Perrine, OIC Foundation senior director, Development and Community Outreach, and Danielle Barrios, assistant director, Volunteer Services and Community Outreach, will be on hand to assist the Guild with silent auction duties. All profits from the luncheon, including the sale of books, is donated to OIC so more children who have orthopaedic conditions can be treated and ready to “Grow Well and Play Well.” In its 100 years of service to children, OIC (Orthopaedic Hospital) has not turned one child away for lack of funds or insurance.

The Guild is celebrating 60 years of service to Orthopaedic Institute for Children (OIC), formerly Orthopaedic Hospital.

The luncheon is by invitation and space is limited. Those interested in attending can contact Registration Chair Marianne Jennings at (818) 398-7323 to request an invitation.

Submitted by Arlene MASSIMINO