By Charly SHELTON

Members of the La Crescenta Woman’s Club are well known for their philanthropy. They host community events at their clubhouse, put on their own events, give student scholarships, donate to charities, help the environment with a recycling program … the list goes on. For their 100th anniversary, local Boy Scout Kevin Tom decided that his Eagle Scout project would give back to the LCWC in the form of a new commemorative bench and time capsule.

“[In 2011, the LCWC turned] 100 years old and we started thinking that we needed something to keep track of all of our history,” said LCWC member Danette Erickson. “So the idea started years ago but, because of Kevin Tom, we finally got it to come to fruition, and it’s done and we’re excited.”

Tom’s project was suggested by then-Scoutmaster of Troop 317 Rich Toyon, who also designed the bench. Tom constructed the bench and organized the workers who helped out, gathering rocks from around the area and inviting other Boy Scouts and members of the LCWC to bring rocks from their homes and gardens. These were used as part of the support for the bench. One rock was flown in by LCWC President Marianne Jennings who was returning from a trip to Arkansas. The rest of the rocks were collected on-site and form the foundation of the bench and the compartment for the time capsule buried within the masonry. Tom donated all of the materials and time to make the bench, a process of two workdays – one in August and one in September. On Saturday, the bench was officially dedicated in a ceremony that included all parties involved in the bench’s construction and many members of the LCWC and community at-large.

“I feel great. It was an amazing experience. Once it was completed, I liked looking at it and it fills me with happiness,” Tom said.

The bench is also inlaid with a commemorative plaque sponsored by the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley and the LCWC. The time capsule, Stuart Byles of the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley said, can be opened when Tom comes back as a 90-year-old man in a wheelchair.

The dedication also kicks off a new renovation project for the clubhouse, which dates back to 1925. Former supervisor Michael Antonovich secured a grant for the LCWC to upgrade the clubhouse, which is well-loved by the community and in need of code corrections. Early this week, the back of the clubhouse was closed to add ADA compliant ramps and entrances to the clubhouse, as well as other overall refurbishments.

“It’s important because the Woman’s Club has a strong record of serving the community and now they will have a first-class facility to continue their work in making La Crescenta a better community for all,” Antonovich said.

  Charly Shelton