Remember, Honor and Respect . . .

Our Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Early Rodders classic car group are proud to present a morning of remembrance on Friday, Sept. 9. At precisely 8:45 a.m., the annual 9/11 Remembrance Motorcade will leave the La Crescenta Ralphs Marketplace to “Remember, Honor, and Respect” the thousands of lives lost on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 during the terrorist attack on America.

With guidance from the California Highway Patrol, Glendale Police Dept. and Crescenta Valley sheriff deputies, the Motorcade will travel past five fire stations, the Crescenta Valley Sheriff Station, Montrose Shopping Park and local La Crescenta and La Cañada schools. While our nation remembers Sept. 11, 2001 in many different ways, the Crescenta Valley’s annual Remembrance Motorcade is unique and the only one of its kind in the country.

For those of us who have participated in previous Remembrance Motorcades it is an emotional experience as we travel by the schools with students waving American flags and chanting “USA, USA, USA …” or the neighbors gathering on their sidewalks holding hands of small children and waving as we pass by. Personally. I will never forget our first Motorcade as we passed along La Crescenta Avenue at Franklin Street and seeing Don and Esther Norbut standing together with their hands clasped and holding on to an American flag.

Let each of us take a few moments to remember and honor those we lost at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and UA Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on the fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001.

Announcements: Our Chamber’s August mixer, hosted by Robin Goldsworthy and the CV Weekly newspaper, was a huge success with new members Maddie Madsen (Current Music) and Robin Johnson (Robin Learning Systems) receiving their Chamber business wall plaques, and our introduction of Danny Goldsworthy as the new owner of Bonners Party Rentals.

We also had a presentation from Montrose Search and Rescue team member Robert Sheedy regarding the team’s Saturday, Sept. 24 fundraising event at Crescenta Valley Park from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event celebrates MSAR’s 75^th anniversary of rescuing those in need. Featuring live music, inflatable rides, food trucks, a petting zoo, climbing wall, Early Rodders classic cars, Rosemont Middle School Cheer team, the CVHS jazz band, and Montrose Search and Rescue demonstrations, the day promises to be a fun-filled day for everyone.

The Montrose Search and Rescue group is composed of volunteers who are highly trained professionals with expertise in rescue techniques. While most of us assume MSAR team members are well paid it’s just the opposite. Members of the MSAR team receive $1 a year and much of the gear that is required is purchased out of their own pockets. They need our help so please consider a tax deductible donation by visiting their website www.montrosesar.org and clicking on Donate.

September is the month our Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce gathers nominations for Woman and Man of the Year, Business of the Year, Organization of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Educator of the Year, Student of the Year and the Beautification Award, and those special individuals who work with law enforcement. They will be honored at our annual Recognition Awards on Thursday, Nov. 10^th at the Glendale Elks Lodge. Anyone who would like to nominate an individual or business/organization for recognition should contact me at the Chamber office or can use our nomination forms, which should be available soon on the Chamber website www.crescentavalleychamber.org. Nominations should include a paragraph or two as to why you feel the individual or business/organization deserves consideration.

Emergency Preparedness Tip: Update your list of family emergency contacts who are located outside the area you live. Assuming cell service may be compromised during an emergency situation, please have a land line number as a secondary contact number. It is important to designate one family member, located outside the area, to be the central contact for all family members.

CV Chamber Membership Opportunities: If you are a Chamber member we are available to help your business plan a ribbon cutting, a grand re-opening of your business or even help you organize promotional opportunities. For those of you who are not business or residential members there are numerous advantages of a CV Chamber of Commerce membership. For details, simply call the CV Chamber office at (818) 248-4957 or email us at info@crescentavalleychamber.org. You may also access our Chamber website at www.crescentavalleychamber.org.

Remember our Chamber motto: “Our Business is Your Business.”

Steve Pierce, Executive Director
Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce
(818) 248-4957
info@crescentavalleychamber.org