Celebrating the Great

“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve … You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Thursday, Oct. 25 we are honoring many people who have a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love at our annual Recognition Banquet held at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club. The honorees that we are celebrating for the great work they do in the Crescenta Valley are: Woman of the Year – Mercy Velazquez, Organization of the Year – Foothills Relay for Life, Business of the Year – Caspian Services, Inc., Educator of the Year – Grant Clark of Crescenta Valley High School, Man of the Year – Aldo Mascheroni, Volunteer of the Year – Robert Barney, Beautification Award – Tickle Tree Café, and Student of the Year – Guy Burstein from Clark Magnet High School. We are also honoring our service heroes, California Highway Patrol – Officer Kevin Denmon, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. – Deputy Jeffrey Martin, Glendale Police Dept. Officer – Jeff Rivas and Los Angeles County Fire Dept. – Captain Don Kunitomi. These are all people who consistently give their all to make the Crescenta Valley a better place to live and work.

Mercy Velazquez, the women of the year, is not afraid to get involved in the community. Even in high school she was involved in student government, the campus newspaper, and was president of the Drama Club. She also learned at a young age to cook, sew and play the piano. Mike and Mercy married in 1976, and in 1982 they moved to Glendale. In 1991, Mercy worked with Mike starting Velazquez and Associates. Her famous quote is, “He’s the accountant but I’m the one that counts.”   Mercy has a passion for Kiwanis and was named “Kiwanian of the Year” in 2002 and is the newly elected president of Glendale Kiwanis. She has been honored by Sen. Carol Liu and recognized by several organizations. Mike & Mercy have three children: Michael, Gabriel and Tatiana. She is a fine example of why we give these awards.

Please join us on Oct. 25 at the dinner to recognize Mercy Velazquez and the rest of the fine individuals. Please call or email the chamber for more information and to RSVP. Deadline is Friday, Oct. 19. Thank you to the names listed above and to the unsung additional heroes who work towards the common goal of improving our town.

Please mark your calendars for Nov. 14 for Taste of the Foothills when over 25 restaurants gather to give you a taste of their gourmet cuisine.

Important CV Chamber dates: Oct. 25 – Recognition banquet; Nov. 14 – Taste of the Foothills.

Please contact our office for more details on any event. How to reach us: (818) 248-4957/ crescentachamber@aol.com / www.LaCrescenta.org / 3131 Foothill Blvd., Ste. D.

  julia rabago