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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Warner Bros. Opens Studio Doors for Firefighter Event

This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area businesspeople and companies. Warner Bros. Studios hosted on May 7 the 14th annual Quest Rally, a program in which firefighters and civilians volunteer their services to assist those that have been affected by burn injuries. A caravan of fire vehicles with lights flashing and sirens blaring arrived at the Warner Bros. Ranch escorted by the California Highway Patrol. It was one of more than 100 locations the caravan visited to collect donation to assist survivors of burn injuries and their families, as well as burn center, foundations and associations. Warner Bros. Studios representative Frank O’Donnell presented a check to the Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors organization in in memory of Rick Mehling, former chief with the Burbank Fire Department. Event raises $85,000 The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley raised $85,000 at its annual Club de Cuba fundraiser. The money will be used to support the club’s after school programs for local children, many from disadvantaged circumstances. Guests enjoyed casino games, music, dancing and bid on live and silent auction items at the Caribbean-themed event. “The funds raised at this year’s event will help us keep local youth off the street and safe during after school hours,” said Board Chairman Gary Thomas. “The number of community members who attended to show their support for the Club was outstanding.” Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year Oswaldo Galicia from Canoga Park High School was presented with the Ron Richlin Scholarship check for $2,000 and will receive an additional $3,000 per year from Club board members to help cover his living expenses while attending Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. The Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley was founded in 1995. Employee Honored Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne employee Judy Clarke was honored for giving more than 350 hours to raise money for toys for patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The John W. Bradley Community Service Award is given to the employee who volunteers to make the community a better place. The award was presented May 10 in conjunction with National Volunteer Week. In addition to her work with Children’s Hospital. Clarke also volunteers for the Special Olympics; MEND – Meet Each Need with Dignity in Pacoima, which helps people transition from poverty; and The Painted Turtle Camp in Lake Hughes, which offers recreational activities for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. “This award really means a lot to me,’ Clarke said. “I volunteer for the love of the kids and the love of the community. I don’t do it for recognition.” s The John W. Bradley Community Service Award is named after Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s former vice president of Strategic Planning and Initiatives, who continues to volunteer and serve on various boards of directors throughout Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley. Habitat Homes Women professionals from the science, engineering, technology and entertainment industries built six new homes for working families during Habitat for Humanity;’s Women Empowerment Build in Pacoima. The Gas Co. and Entertainment Industries Council sponsored the three day event, which also included the planting of an urban community garden and recognition of women in the construction industry. The construction of the six homes took place on May 23. Professionals from Boeing, other aerospace companies, tech industry innovators, television actresses joined high school and college campus volunteers to build the homes. “Many of our families have women heads of household,” says Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys CEO Donna Deutchman. “We wanted to do more than just have a day where women build. We wanted to help our mothers and their daughters realize they too can be active agents of change to make a better community for themselves and their neighbors. School to Career Program Arkady Milgram will continue for a third year to participate in the School to Career Program at high schools in the Conejo Valley. Milgram is both a parent and industry volunteer with the Area Coordinating Team program through Newbury Park High School, which his son Tony attends. Milgram visits the school to discuss with the students about handling money, including investments and savings. “Providing financial education in our schools is extremely important in helping young people better understand how to manage and protect their assets,” Milgram said. “This is not normally taught as part of school curriculum, so we help fill in some gaps in this part of the educational process.”

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