New Season with Plenty to Do

Summer will soon be a memory as fall arrives tomorrow, Sept. 22. Like many of you, it arrives none too soon as it brings cooler temperatures with it. To me, this summer seemed particularly brutal as far as weather – but maybe I’m just getting older and more sensitive to the heat.

In addition to the calendar, there are other indicators for me that fall is drawing near. For example, the beginning of the school year, the anniversaries of CV Weekly (Sept. 4) and the Station Fire all signal to me that summer will soon be behind me. And one of the biggest indicators: the big reveal of those chosen as The Finest by readers of CV Weekly!

The last week of September is typically when we share with our readers those chosen as the very best in their field. The reveal is the culmination of months of hard work, tallying ballots, notifying winners and creating the popular magazine (appropriately named The Finest) that includes the names of all the winners plus those who choose to celebrate their achievement by buying ad space. I’m very proud of this magazine; it’s a beautiful piece – four-color glossy and newsprint – that has a shelf life of one year. It’s a handy reference guide and I am so glad that CV Weekly annually gathers and presents this information for our readers. You should be receiving a copy in next week’s copy of CV Weekly.

Capping the completion of The Finest is the annual party that has been held at Deukmejian Wilderness Park these last six years. (Deukmejian Wilderness Park has been named The Finest Sunset View year after year.) The party is to acknowledge and celebrate the winners and their accomplishment and it is also a time to celebrate the anniversary of Crescenta Valley Weekly.

As an aside, I never would have dreamt eight years ago when I first started the CV Weekly that the paper would be hosting such a prestigious event. It’s exciting and rewarding.

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With the arrival of fall, community calendars fill up quickly. I was at the monthly meeting of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and we reviewed what’s coming up. In addition to the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce’s Oktoberfest on Oct. 7, the MVCOC is hosting an Oktoberfest-themed mixer on Oct. 4.

The CV Chamber is hosting its anniversary mixer on Oct. 11 when local businesses will be recognized for their years of membership in the CV Chamber.

On Oct. 21 is the CV Chamber’s annual Halloween Fun Run, a 5K run/walk that begins and ends at Two Strike Park in La Crescenta. This is a fundraiser for the chamber (a portion of the funds are given to local non-profits) and medals are awarded to runners in a variety of categories. The fun begins at 7 a.m. with sign-up and the run starts around 8 a.m.

Also coming up in October is the annual recognition banquet hosted by the CV Chamber of Commerce. It’s slated for Oct. 26 at the Oakmont Country Club and it showcases those local people and businesses that add so much to the Crescenta Valley. Honorees are still being notified, so make sure to follow Lisa Dupuy’s article every week in the CV Weekly business section to learn who will be recognized on Oct. 26. By the way, everyone is invited to the banquet; tickets will be on sale through the CV Chamber office.

In addition to this Sunday’s 70th anniversary celebration of the Montrose Search and Rescue team (see Mary O’Keefe’s cover story), the Kiwanis Club – La Cañada, in partnership with the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Rosso Wine Shop, is hosting the 15th Annual Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting at Memorial Park. There will be more than 20 vendors ready to let ticket-holders sample their exceptional food plus a variety of wine will be poured. It’s from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. and there will be live music, too. Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. To learn more, visit http://www.lacanadakiwanis.org/Page/20227 or call (818) 790-9901.

This is just a sampling of the all the great things going on in our valley. I’ll be at most of them and hope you will, too.

  robin goldsworthy