Oakmont Country Club was the venue on May 28 for the final meeting of the Las Candelas for the 2025-26 year of service. At the conclusion of the business portion of the meeting, Past President Cathy Keen presided over the installation of the coming year’s officers and committee chairs. Glendale resident JC Byer will be repeating as the group’s president. Vice-presidents include First Vice-President Lynne Naeve, Second Vice-President Pauline Beebe, Third Vice-President Margaret Cline, Fourth Vice-President Cathy Keen, Fifth Vice-President Debbie Hinckley and Sixth Vice-President Carol Ann Burton. Other officers and committee chairs include Rosina Maize, Pam Ropfogel, Patti Baker, Ellyn Semler, Nancy Stone, Carolyn Beaton, Monica Sierra and Jeannie Flint. A luncheon celebrating a successful year of service followed the installation in the main dining room at Oakmont. 

Las Candelas is a group of community women founded in 1953 whose purpose is to give volunteer service and financial assistance to help improve the lives of children and youth in vulnerable situations and to support awareness of their mental health needs. These ladies provide services and funding to Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services of Glendale including their Our Third Place program, which provides a safe place and mentoring to young adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Las Candelas also provides funding for the art therapy program for children who are residing at Ascencia’s  Interim Housing Shelter and are regular participants in Ascencia’s Guest Chef program. Las Candelas contributes annual support to the YWCA Glendale and Pasadena’s  Domestic Violence Program and Camp Rosie, a week-long summer day camp for pre-high school girls designed to empower and educate them through STEAM, arts, life skills, healthy relationships and leadership. The organization is also a regular contributor to Hillsides Youth Moving On in Pasadena, a transition age youth program designed to help young people aged 16–25 move toward lasting independence, stability and self-sufficiency.  

The group will reconvene in September with a social mixer to kick off the 2026-27 season. 

To learn more about Las Candelas, visit the website at www.lascandelas.org. 

Submitted by Cathy KEEN