American Red Cross

Comedians incited a laugh riot at the 15th annual Fritz Coleman Comedy Night on Sunday. The Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross presented four joke-smiths to a packed house at the Glendale Centre Theatre with Coleman hosting. The annual show and fundraiser has gained steady momentum in attendance, said Ron Farina, executive director of the Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, and has earned as much as $18,000 in a single year of donations for the organizations disaster relief fund.

Damon’s Steak House officials presented two $3,500 checks to Glendale/La Crescenta Chapter - American Red Cross and the Glendale Kiwanis Club on Tuesday at the Glendale restaurant. The $7,000 was proceeds from lunches and dinners served on April 4 at Damon’s for Japanese earthquake relief. Each organization has pledged to apply the money toward relief efforts in Japan, especially those for children, following the earthquake and tsunami. Those attending Tuesday’s check presentation were Ron Farina of the American Red Cross, Glendale/La Crescenta Chapter; Glendale Kiwanis Club President Bruce Hinckley and members Susan Dell and Irshad UL-Haque.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- New York and Washington D.C. are thousands of miles away, but residents here -- like those the rest of the country -- have been stepping forward to offer help in whatever ways they can. Today the Glendale-Crescenta Valley chapter of the American Red Cross will have its weekly blood drive. It is starting four hours earlier than usual to accommodate all the requests the group has received. "The phones -- all seven lines -- have been ringing off the hook," said Carvel Gay, a spokesman for the local chapter.

Student council holds blood drive The Pasadena Christian School Junior High Student Council and the American Red Cross will hold a blood drive to supply much needed blood for the L.A. area on from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 27. The blood drive will be held in the school library. Anyone who wants to donate blood is invited to participate. All participants will receive a $10 gift certificate to Mimi’s Cafe. The school is at 1515 N. Los Robles Ave. in Pasadena.

Amber Willard Members of the state National Guard were busy Tuesday at the armory in Glendale transforming themselves into soldiers for their imminent deployment. Officials said activation could come as soon as this afternoon but declined to say where the group might go. About 100 members of Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry of the 40th Division of the California Army National Guard will be briefed this morning, along with their families, by the American Red Cross about the services available to them after deployment.

Amber Willard NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- In addition to 187s (murders) and 459s (burglaries), Glendale Police will be looking for a few A, B, AB and O's. The department, with the American Red Cross, is sponsoring a blood drive from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at its headquarters at 140 N. Isabel St. Donors from each of the above blood types are needed. Appointments are required and can be made by calling Sgt. Rick Young at 548-4818. Proof of identification is also required and all donors must be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health.

On the heels of the destruction in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, Mesa Verde Country Club is joining forces to aid victims of the catastrophe with a golf fundraiser tournament on Sept. 22 with a 1 p.m. shotgun start. All greens fees of $250 will be donated to the American Red Cross. Mesa Verde has played host to several professional and United States Golf Association tournaments, including the Toshiba Senior Classic in 1995, LPGA Tour events and PGA Tour events.

A Burbank man and a Glendale woman appeared in federal court Monday to face allegations of impersonating American Red Cross volunteers taking donations for Hurricane Katrina relief outside an electronics store in Burbank. Tino Lee,44, of Burbank, and Gina Liz Nicholas, 22, of Glendale, were charged by the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles with false impersonation of American Red Cross members to solicit money under false pretenses.Lee and Nicholas were taken into federal custody on Monday morning by FBI agents at the Burbank Police Department jail, where they had been held since their arrest Thursday night at the Empire Center shopping center.

Gretchen Hoffman GLENDALE -- A Glendale woman and the Glendale Fire Department were chosen as recipients of the American Red Cross' prestigious Golden Bear Award. Glendale resident Sue Rothhammer is this year's recipient of the statewide award for Outstanding Volunteer, and the Fire Department received the Golden Bear for Partnership. They made many of the services provided by the Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross possible, said Robert Reynoso, Emergency Services Director of the local chapter.

The youth volunteers of the San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross will hold a car wash and bake sale event on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 76 Gas Station, 2390 Huntington Dr. in San Marino to raise funds for training and leadership camps. Members of Red Cross clubs in five local schools ? Alhambra High School, South Pasadena High School, WestridgeHigh School in Pasadena, San Gabriel High School and Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada Flintridge ?