By Mary O’KEEFE

The public is invited to enjoy a night of country and western fun while helping to support the local sheriff’s station and the community.

“This is the first time the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Support Group has offered such [an event] as this – backyard country-western night,” said Linda Taix-Paccone, president of the CVSSG. She and her husband will be hosting the event on Saturday night at their home.

The support group is a board of volunteers who assist in raising funds for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. – Crescenta Valley Station.

“Our board maintains the important connection between our community and the Sheriff’s Department,” Taix-Paccone said.

The night will include a steak and barbecue chicken dinner, live country and western music, dancing, a silent auction, bourbon tasting and cigar corner.

Former CV Sheriff’s Station Capt. Dave Silversparre will be on hand to accompany Mike Perry’s band Title Wave, and Taix-Paccone said Sheriff Jim McDonnell will also be stopping by the event.

“The idea came from my husband (Fred),” Taix-Paccone said. “My husband and I have talked about throwing a western party for our friends and what better way but to throw a bigger scale party for the community to attend and to help support our local law enforcement?”

The CVSSG is hosting the event but it is actually sponsored by the community, according to Taix-Paccone. The funds raised will go toward the purchase of a Mobile Command Post.

“[The Command Post] will help our sheriffs respond to large-scale emergencies,” she said. “A Mobile Command Post is an over-sized motorhome vehicle that is equipped with the tools and technology that can be deployed on a moment’s notice from the CV Sheriff’s Station.”

The mobile post will allow more efficient and effective on-site service to better protect and serve the community, Taix-Paccone added.

The end goal is to raise $150,000 for the mobile command post. In the past the CVSSG has raised funds to pay for specialized equipment and to help the station by remodeling the jails and purchasing off-road motorcycles for emergency response in areas like the Angeles National Forest. The mobile command post, however, is the group’s most ambitious project to date.

Tickets for the event are still available. The pre-sale cost is $75 per person, at the door tickets are $100. There will be a no-host bar and western attire is required.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Lisa Dutton at (818) 378-6054.

  Mary Okeefe