Time for Reflection

It has been a busy couple of weeks here at CV Weekly. With the ballot tallying done, the Finest winners have been notified and our sales staff has been working hard to make sure that everyone who wants to be a part of our Finest magazine secures their ad space. With that task nearing completion, our design staff has begun mapping out what this year’s magazine is going to look like and, may I say, it is going to be fabulous.

This is the seventh year that we have offered our readers a voice in sharing who they feel are the best, the finest, in a variety of categories. Unlike previous years, though, this year I had the pleasure of actually presenting a couple of the certificates to some important people.

Earlier this month, Mary O’Keefe and I made our way eastward to Glendale Fire Station No. 29 on Honolulu Avenue where I presented the certificate to the firefighters there, with Chief Greg Fish, and congratulated them.

Wednesday this week I was invited to the Glendale Police Dept. where, with Chief Carl Povilaitis, I presented this year’s recognition as the Finest law enforcement officer to Matt Zakarian.

You might be wondering, “Why is this so important?” Our quality of life here in the foothills and the surrounding areas, including Glendale, is predicated on the hard work of our safety personnel. I’d like to share a personal perspective.

Just over 25 years ago, when my son Danny was barely two months old, he stopped breathing. I called 9-1-1 while Steve began working to get him breathing again. In no time, firefighters, paramedics and deputies were at our door, ready to assist and transport my now-pinking up boy to the hospital.

Today Danny is a proud airman in the U.S. Air Force.

I’m sure this is just one story of many reflecting the response by our safety personnel to a potential tragedy that had a happy ending.

______________________

With so much of my attention turned to Finest, it would be easy to forget how far we here at CV Weekly have come. It was nine years ago that the Station Fire ignited the hills behind the homes of many of us, filling the skies with smoke. It was also nine years ago, on Sept. 4 to be exact, that the first issue was distributed of the Crescenta Valley Weekly.

I look back at that issue, with its large type and wide spacing, and realize that we have come a long way. From what was one woman’s dream to today’s reality I am eternally thankful to everyone who have made this journey possible and who have worked so hard to make CV Weekly the reliable go-to resource for our community.

  robin goldsworthy