Salvation Army

Crescenta Valley High School's Key Club members help distribute toys to needy children.Ellen McNeill put a variety of toys ranging from trucks to stuffed animals in a plastic bag and waited to hand it out to boys and girls. "I really like helping kids," the high school freshman said. Ellen and 16 students from Crescenta Valley High School's Key Club volunteered their time on Saturday to help distribute toys to needy children and their families at the Salvation Army in Glendale.

GCC to host food fair and rummage sale NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Members of Glendale Community College's Cultural Diversity Program on Thursday will host an ethnic food fair and cultural rummage sale. The rummage sale is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the food fair is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Both events will be on Plaza Vaquero at the college, 1500 N. Verdugo Road. The event is free and open to the public. The food fair will include German, Italian, Korean, Armenian and Chinese dishes.

Man arrested in alleged racially motivated fight NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- A Utah man attending a wedding reception this weekend was arrested on suspicion of starting a fistfight after allegedly antagonizing a black patron, according to Glendale Police reports. Greg Keshishian, 35, of Utah was booked Saturday on suspicion of battery after noticing the black man at the party, allegedly provoking him to fight and then allegedly punching him, police said.

MEALS ON WHEELS Meals On Wheels Drivers provide home-delivered meals for the elderly and home-bound in Glendale. Meals are picked up at The Salvation Army at 10:30 a.m. and then delivered between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Most routes only take one hour. The program runs Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Volunteers must have a valid driver?s license, insurance and use their own vehicles. For more information, call Rick White, volunteer coordinator at the Salvation Army (818)

"We didn't fully realize the implications on the Salvation Army, and how much they rely on us to met their fundraising goals." -- Mervyn's spokeswoman Katie Winter on the company's decision to welcome back the Salvation Army's bell ringers in front of the chain's department stores. "I wasn't sure I was eligible since my home is in the Glendale High School area." -- Glendale resident Eric van der Werff, on showcasing his home on the annual Hoover Tour of Homes fundraiser.

Alecia Foster NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Paul Bandy was at a meeting with local health leaders when he heard the news: The local nonprofit group Glendale Healthy Kids was looking for an executive director. Bandy asked for a job description. "By the time I got back to the office, I had already received a phone call," he said. Bandy, then director of social services for The Salvation Army Glendale Corps, was invited to apply for the position. Soon after, he was offered the job and accepted.

JOHN C. HAMMELL John C. Hammell, 87, a longtime Glendale resident, died Aug. 30, 2002, in a Glendale hospital. Mr. Hammell was born Aug. 14, 1915, in Bronx, N.Y. During World War II, he served in a motion-picture unit of the Army Signal Corp. He worked for 50 years in the Motion Picture Industry, much of that time as a music editor at Paramount Studios. After his retirement, he volunteered as a driver for the Meals On Wheels program sponsored by the Salvation Army in Glendale.

Hoping to return to local church When our family first moved to La Crescenta seven years ago, my wife and I decided to enroll our 5-year-old in St. Luke’s of the Mountains’ summer youth program. We were happy to find an Episcopal church nearby and were attracted to its beautiful stone work, which is an excellent example of local La Crescenta rock. Before the summer session began, however, we learned that some of our friends and family (who were practicing Episcopalians)

Ben Godar The holidays often inspire people to volunteer their time to a good cause, but some organizations say many of those folks disappear along with the tinsel. The Salvation Army sees its volunteer force increase from 10 or 15 people a week to more than 100 during the holidays. "They come out of the woodwork," Capt. Jim Sloan said. Partly to take advantage of the extra volunteers, the Salvation Army does a number of special projects during the holidays, including a toy drive, Thanksgiving feast and, of course, the bell ringers.

John Metzger walked up to Carol Quane's mint-green house and rapped on her screen door. "She always wants you to take her lemons," Metzger said, holding the Salvation Army-issued, pre-packaged hot meal and cold dessert in his hand. "I often walk away from here with a big box of Cheerios." Metzger, 69, of Glendale, said he gets all kinds of treats from Quane, one of his favorite people on his seven-stop Meals on Wheels route through Glendale. Every Monday Metzger drives an hour-and-a-half-long route to deliver food to the sick, elderly and agoraphobic through the Salvation Army's program.