On The Town:

Some 100 supporters dodged the drizzles on the way to the Alex Theatre on Thursday night to attend the kickoff event for the first Glendale Downtown Dash 5K Run/Walk scheduled for March 9.

Guests dined on Damon’s Steakhouse-donated Sloppy Joe’s, chicken wings and meatballs and a heaping relish tray of raw vegetables.

The Downtown Dash aims to call attention to the fight against stroke, No. 1 cause of serious, long-term adult disability in the United States today. To that end, representatives from the Glendale Adventist Medical Center spoke about the importance of stroke education.

Senior Vice President of Clinical Services Gwen Matthews and Neuroscience Institute Director Cynthia Cabatan-Awang led the evening’s short presentation. Event committee chairman and one of Damon’s owners, Patrick Campbell, was an enthusiastic cheerleader for the Downtown Dash. Alex Executive Director Barry McComb and Marketing and Development Director Elyssa Glickman played hosts for the kickoff, held on the second-floor terrace.

Glendale residents attending were Mayor Ara Najarian, Mayor Pro-Tem Dave Weaver, Glendale Unified School District board member Nayiri Nahabedian, city of Glendale Senior Assistant Atty. Lucy Varpetian, city of Glendale administrative analyst Lana Haddad and her children Jordan Haddad-Lott and Jana Haddad-Lott, Glendale Healthy Kids President Kathleen Powers, Glendale Healthy Kids Executive Director Camille Levee, Glendale FastFrame owner Vickie McConnell, Balita Media’s Gary Escarilla and Jo Cameron and Glendale business owners Joe Ayvazi, Harry Hall, Rosemary Montana and Elaine Miller.

Proceeds from the Glendale Downtown Dash will benefit Glendale Adventist Medical Center’s stroke services.

The rain didn’t stop the Norwegian Torsk and Meatball Dinner either. Presented by the Edvard Grieg Lodge of the Sons of Norway, the annual event at the American Legion Hall in La Crescenta on Saturday attracted more than 100 hungry Norwegian food lovers. The menu also included poached cod, pickled beets and Lefse, a traditional Norwegian flat bread made from potatoes.

Glendale resident and lodge member Jo Ness was accompanied by her mother, Gertrude Ness, who will be 102 in April. Jo Ness described how to make Lefse for a large group. She starts with 30 pounds of potatoes, adds flour and butter, rolls out the mixture like a pie crust and grills it dry.