Service Clubs:

The Kentucky Derby race and festivities always touch so many people, not just those who make the trip to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., but people throughout the world.

Right here in Glendale, members of the Kiwanis, Rotary and Soroptimist clubs turned out in force on Derby Day in support of the work done by the Glendale Assn. for the Retarded. The club members and many others from our community filled the Royal Crest Room at the Pickwick Banquet Center in Burbank for lunch, race watching and bidding at silent and live auctions. A trip to Acapulco, tickets to the Hollywood Bowl, special dinner events and more than 100 gifts filled a side room for the silent-auction shoppers.

The real winners at Derby Day were the clients served by Glendale Assn. for the Retarded. The money raised from the ticket sales and auction items will make a significant contribution to support many developmentally disabled adults in our community. Don’t miss Derby Day next year. Talk to your friends in Soroptimist, Rotary or Kiwanis to reserve a seat for Derby Day 2009.

Glendale Kiwanis Club meets at noon every Friday at the Glendale Elks Club, 120 E. Colorado St., Glendale. Call Vic Legerton at (818) 354-8838.

? Community to paint out graffiti at annual event

Today marks the 20th annual Great Graffiti Paint Out Day for the city of Glendale. More than 500 people are expected to volunteer today to help remove graffiti and trash from many areas of our city.

The event starts at 9 a.m., with everybody gathering in the 100 block of North Isabel Street in Glendale. Everybody who volunteers is teamed up with a city staff person to remove graffiti.

In support of the paint-out, the Jewel City Kiwanis Club sets up its food trailer at 8:30 a.m. to give toasted bagels to the volunteers to start Paint Out Day.

The event goes until 1:30 p.m., when the volunteers return for prizes, entertainment and a barbecue sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. The Kiwanians will be cooking hot dogs and nachos as the food treats to celebrate Paint Out Day. Food will be free to all the volunteers.

Jewel City Kiwanis Club meets at 6 p.m. every Tuesday at Clancy’s Seafood Broiler, 219 N. Central Ave., Glendale. Call Rich Jessup at (818) 370-6930.

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Little Leaguer Wins $5,000 Essay Contest

Eight-year-old Crescenta Valley Little League Player Scott Vinceri won $5,000 and a new lawn mower for his Little League by winning the annual Briggs & Stratton Company’s nationwide essay contest for Little League Players.

Scott was the guest of honor at the Crescenta Valley Rotary Club three weeks ago where he read the winning essay and answered questions about the contest. Scott said he wrote the essay about what Little League has taught him. When asked about his future, he said next year he was going to win $10,000 in the essay contest.

Scott’s mother and father, Sharon and Mike Vinceri, plus his sister Karlie and grandfather David Moffeti joined in the celebration. Scott’s coach Todd Erickson told about Scott’s baseball skills and that he has hit 21 home runs this season.

Crescenta Valley Rotary Club meets at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at the Grandview Palace Restaurant, 2650 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta. Call Joe Kroening at (818) 249-2016.

?BRUCE CAMPBELL can be reached at (626) 403-1010, cell phone (626) 664-2223 or bruce@equityresults.com.