Big Philanthropic News

Last week, the board of Prom Plus announced a new president. After decades in the role, I handed over the reins of this 25-year-plus organization to Joy McCreary.

Joy is well-known in the community. Not only did she attend Crescenta Valley High School, she also attended Prom Plus. She is now a teacher with the LA Unified School District and ran for the Glendale Unified School District board of education. She knows the community and will be a tremendous asset to Prom Plus. I was proud to share with her the involvement in Prom Plus by our community, through donations of time, food, money and working the annual event and various fundraisers.

The PP board also welcomed Jessica Sheen as treasurer. Jessica is a local mom who has worked as an auditor (among other tasks), so she knows numbers! She is replacing Cheryl Davis, who has been on the PP board as treasurer for years and is a volunteer supreme. While on the CV Town Council, Cheryl was instrumental in the Crescenta Valley getting a dog park plus she has worked on the 4th of July fireworks organization and the Christmas Parade Committee … all this while working full time. I know Cheryl is especially happy in welcoming Jessica onto the PP board.

As Joy grows her board, I’ll still be hanging around as the immediate past president. An organization as dynamic as Prom Plus will definitely require a time of transition and I’m proud to be part of that team. Mary O’Keefe will continue working with the student arm of Prom Plus – Prom Plus Club.

The members of Prom Plus Club are some of the best kids around. They are eager to lend a hand, volunteering in a variety of organizations around town. With Mary’s guidance, they have identified areas in which they can be of help, even during the pandemic, and are planning to install a Little Library and a Little Food Box. They welcomed Joy warmly when we had a Zoom meeting this week.

I thank everyone who has taken the time to send me a note of congratulations and thanks; it means a lot. And speaking on behalf of Prom Plus, I thank everyone who has supported the organization and look forward to their continue support.

After all, Prom Plus is saving lives … one prom at a time.

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I would be remiss if I didn’t mention … the fires. Holy smoke – literally! Waking up over the Labor Day weekend and seeing the Crescenta Valley bathed in orange smoke was too similar to the Station Fire 11 years ago. And the heat – yowza! I am truly thankful that we didn’t suffer any power outages and were able to barricade ourselves indoors with the a/c on. Our dogs were grateful, too.

Prayers are with the firefighters as they continue to battle the blazes across our state.

  robin goldsworthy