‘Cruise’ To New Beginnings

It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself as the new executive director of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce. I have been a part of this amazing community my whole life. I attended local schools and am now fortunate to be raising my own family here. While Foothill Boulevard and the landscape of our Foothills may have changed a bit over the years, what remains constant is the richness of our community, the relationships of many generations and the collaborative effort of many organizations to improve, build and work together to make what is already a stellar place even better. It is no surprise that our town continues to be a destination for new families and why businesses, large and small, desire to hang their “open” signs here.

People laugh when I say that I literally live my life within a five-mile radius.  Sure, I venture out of my zip code every now and then, but all I really need is right here. My children were born at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and now attend the same elementary school that both my husband and I did.

I am excited to have this opportunity to work with the chamber of commerce.  Having worked for many years with our board members, I can attest to their sincere desire to uphold the strong reputation of this local business community and the service that it provides our community. Not only do we work to foster an attractive business climate and promote economic success, we also give back to our community and support our local schools and organizations. It really is a circle of life, and one that I hope continues for years to come.

With the holidays nearly behind us, I hope you had a chance to shop locally and support our neighbors. Back in high school, we used to “cruise” Foothill Boulevard, which seems silly now, but I challenge you to take a “cruise” through our town and visit a new store or try a new restaurant. Many of us are creatures of habit, but you never know what you can discover and what may become your new favorite!

As we start planning for 2014, we have some events for your calendar!

Boulevard 34 is a unique gift shop at 3427 Ocean View Blvd. in Montrose. They will be hosting our January business mixer. CVHS grad and owner Anna Yagodzinski is planning a fun New Year’s themed event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You will not want to miss it.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, the chamber will have its 89th installation luncheon at 11 a.m. at Oakmont Country Club. As with tradition, outgoing officers and directors will be honored and new officers and directors will be installed. Grants will also be awarded from the Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce Education Fund. This is always an enjoyable occasion and a fun way to kick off the new year.  The registration form is now available on our website: crescentavalleychamber.org or you are always welcome to call us at (818) 248-4957 for more information.

Until next week, enjoy the last few days of 2013 and Happy New Year!

  Leila BELL