Fashion show part of 100th celebration

Even if the economy is still in a slump, the ladies at the La Crescenta Woman’s Club evidently don’t know it. The clubhouse was bursting with 180 members and guests for a full morning and afternoon of activities on March 26. After a brief business meeting, out came dozens of silent-auction baskets, tickets for opportunity prizes and lunch. And all that was before the live auction and fashion show.

Co-presidents Genny Bundick and Carol Huntwork reminded their audience that this annual fashion show is one of many activities going on this year representing the club’s 100 years of community service. Event co-chairwoman Dea McCrory made a spirited auctioneer while her co-chairwoman, Carol Benedetti, played Vana White, showing off sparkling baskets of treasures.

A favorite prize was dinner for four at Fire Station 63. Winner Sharyn Gunter snapped up the chance to eat the firefighters’ fine cooking for a mere $300. Another popular live-auction item was a ride-a-long with members of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. Winner Lisa Tush paid $180 for the opportunity. Posing with Sheriff Detective Rodger Burt for a quick snap, Tush explained the ride-along is for her son, Marshall Tush, 17, a student at St. Francis. Lisa Tush is a teacher at Holy Redeemer School. For this event, she supervised her students, who were efficient waiters and waitress for the luncheon. They were joined by students from St. James School.

Carolyn Robinson from Draper’s and Damon’s performed fashion-show commentating duties. Models were all members of the club. The star of the show had to be Jean Bates, who had just celebrated her 90th birthday. Huntwork’s husband, Dick Huntwork, was model escort, so there was nary a stumble down the cat walk.

Expected proceeds of between $6,000 and $8,000 will benefit the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Department and Fire Station 63. (Fire station personnel are looking forward to a brand new rescue saw from the proceeds.)

+++

The 37th annual Big Strike Auction, presented by the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America, had a first. Two scouts who had just received their Eagle Scout awards were introduced by master of ceremonies Chris Erskine. The crowd of 340 supporters listened to Armen Ter Zakarian and Matthew Diradoorian describe their roads to Eagle.

“I earned 10 merit badges in one summer,” said Matthew, who was sporting a total of 28 merit badges on his uniform sash.