Wow! What a couple of weeks for the CV Chamber! Besides our usual monthly board meeting and legislative roundtable, we hosted a mixer, a Day at the Races, and, of course the 29th Annual Smart-a-thon.

This year’s Smart-a-thon raised close to $5,000 which will go straight into the Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund to be distributed among worthy grant recipients next January. A few non-profits already won at last Wednesday’s event! The names Crescenta Valley Instrumental Music and Assistance League of Glendale were both pulled out of a hat and received $500 towards their educational programs. Pearls of Africa Children’s Fund earned a hefty $348.53 when their team members guessed the amount in the Pot o’ Gold (or at least guessed closest – $348.72!). It was the first time playing for the Assistance League and the Pearls of Africa … congratulations!

There were 58 questions on the test and, thanks to Clark Magnet High School that let us borrow its Scantron machine, we were able to score things quickly. To keep things in perspective, the first place team got 34 answers right. Thirty-two teams, representing all aspects of the Crescenta Valley, participated. Starting from fourth place the high scorers were:

4th Place: J’s Maintenance

3rd Place: Pearls of Africa Children’s Fund

2nd Place: Team GUSD (Glendale Unified Board of Education)

1st Place:  Team Schiff (Congressman Adam Schiff’s office)

All players from each winning team went home with a Smart mug filled with candy and a Starbucks gift card plus the sweet awareness that they know just a little more esoterica than the team before them. I’m sure they’ll all be filing away bits of information in the corners of their brains, preparing themselves for the 30th Annual Smart-a-thon which is already set for March 7, 2018.

Many people helped make the day a success but none more than Mary Pinola, the head of the 29-year old Pinola/Chamber Education Fund. Her non-stop energy, commitment and sense of humor made it all happen. From the script featuring lost golf balls and Irish melodies to the 50-plus handmade silent auction baskets to the test itself, full of interesting facts and fun photos, Mary puts her heart and soul into this event and people respond. On top of that, she ran/walked the LA Marathon this past weekend, again raising money for the Education Fund. Thank you, Mary, for all you do for the kids and underserved people in our community.

In her infinite humility, Mary would want me to be sure to thank the following for their help as well: YMCA of the Foothills for bringing in a record eight teams, Rick Dinger and Lt. Marjory Jacobs for co-hosting, Jean Maluccio, Julie Dowse, Edna Karinski, Bobbi Parker, Jo Loomis, Eleanor Wacker, Chris Waldheim, Julia Rabago, Kaipo Chock, Kathy Kovalcik, Steve Pierce, Diana & Mila Arsharuni and Teri & Gary Rice for hauling gear, making auction items, acting in skits, taking care of guests and generally helping in every way possible. And of course thanks go out to Keith Hobbs and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital for allowing us to use the facility once again.

30th Annual Smart-a-Thon is March 7, 2018!

  Lisa DUPUY