Community Members Help Refugees

Community leaders for Saturday’s “Community Service Event to Help Refugees” are, from left, Mary Mary Emily Myers, La Canada Presbyterian Church; Trish McRae, La Canada Kiwanis; Linda Fors, Neddy Wilson, Event Chair Marilyn Bayles and Connie Wright. The last four women represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Photos by Ruth SOWBY

By Ruth SOWBY

Members of the Relief Society of the Church of Latter-day Saints, La Crescenta Ward, sponsored a well-attended community service event on Saturday. Four stations were manned by over 100 LDS members from La Crescenta, La Cañada, Sunland-Tujunga and Glendale. Also participating were representatives from the Bailey Human Care Center, the La Cañada Kiwanis, the United Methodist Church on Tujunga Canyon Boulevard, and the Tujunga Volunteers.

LDS member Marilyn Bayles welcomed more that 100 community volunteers with songs and videos. Music was provided by Coleen Thatcher, Linda Allen and Linda Fors. 

Bayles referenced the high numbers of refugees who have arrived in the United States. Afghans alone make up 74,000 refugees. 

Most of the give-away goodies prepared by the Relief Society of the Church of Latter-day Saints, La Crescenta Ward are earmarked for refugees living in Southern California.

After the opening program, busy fingers assembled household kits, painted Welcome to America signs, tied fleece blankets, sewed cotton pillowcases and filled giant bowls with 66 dozen cookies baked earlier. 

Added to the cookies were homemade bread and salads for a big “thank you” to the many volunteers participating.

The blanket tying station is manned by, from left, La Crescenta resident Anne Anderson and Glendale resident Lydia Merrills.
La Crescenta resident Peggy Stephens greets community volunteers.
Leticia Candanoza assembles kits with items needed to function in a new home.
Glendale resident Amanda Duvall paints a welcome sign to be displayed at Saturday’s Service Event to Help Refugees in the Cultural Hall of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.