By Mary O’KEEFE
The Character and Ethics Project at Glendale Unified School District held its virtual ceremony on May 13. Among the honorees were local residents Harry Leon and Joe Allen. For those in Crescenta Valley these two names are well known.
Leon accepted his award while traveling for work in Europe. He said he was humbled by the recognition.
Leon is the president of the Crescenta Valley Town Council. He joined the Council in 2010 but prior to that he was supporting his community in several ways including as a volunteer on patrol with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept.-CV Sheriff’s Station. Although the pandemic curtailed many community events, he has still been working on issues for residents via CVTC and keeping in touch with the many non-profits he supports.
“It’s a big deal,” he said of being recognized by the Character and Ethics Project. “I am proud and humbled to receive the [recognition]. It is a reflection of my community.”
He added he has learned from his family, community, friends and colleagues on what character and ethics truly means.
Leon is also on the Sheriff’s Citizen Advisory Board, and is a commissioner for Consumer and Business Affairs with the Los Angeles County. In addition Leon volunteers for and supports GUSD, the Armenian Community and Youth Center, Prom Plus and the Fire House youth center. He is a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.
Leon said he is driven to help others because of those who supported him throughout his life. He was born in Iraq, but grew up in Lebanon. He lost his father when he was 3 years old and was very aware of the village of people that surrounded and supported him.
“Their [support] made me feel important,” he said. “It was a community of [support].”
He added the way he lives his life is a “reflection of what people did for me.”
Leon moved to America in 1979 and attended Capistrano High School before finding his home in La Crescenta in 2002.
He said there are many diverse opinions within the CV community but feels when the time comes his community works together to help each other, like during the Station Fire and the floods that followed.
“What I like about this [area] is [we are] a close-knit community, [one that] respects each other and is family-oriented,” Leon said.
His positive and uplifting attitude shines through at every event, every volunteer opportunity and every time he is called upon to help.
Another local recipient of the Character and Ethics Project was Joe Allen, who recently retired from the Glendale Police Dept. Allen will be well known to many throughout La Crescenta and Glendale.
He is regularly seen volunteering whether as a board member of a non-profit organization like Prom Plus and Montrose Chamber of Commerce or in the role of president as with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a founding member of the CV Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition and of the Fire House youth center. He promoted literacy by reading to elementary school students and donating dictionaries through the Elks.
Allen has been a recipient of the prestigious Enrique Camarena Award, both at the regional and national levels, and the Alfred E. Stewart Award. But what the Character and Ethics Project recognized him for last week was all about Santa.
“I have a long relationship with Santa,” Allen confirmed.
It was about 25 years ago when Allen, aka Santa, went to the elementary school at Holy Redeemer. Since then Allen’s Santa was found at numerous events including at schools, at non-profit organizations and with Cops for Kids during its holiday donation drive.
“My dad used to be Santa in [my hometown] in Kentucky at the fire stations,” Allen said.
During COVID-19, families needed a little more cheering up but because of restrictions there was no one-on-one allowed with Santa; but that didn’t stop Allen.
“Santa went that extra mile,” he said.
Santa hopped into a GPD vehicle and was able to reach children throughout Glendale, including Crescenta Valley/Far North Glendale.
Allen said all ages were able to enjoy a visit from Santa and it was so popular they may continue that type of outreach even after the pandemic restrictions are lifted.
Allen accepted his award while in the hospital after a car accident. He said the accident gave him a new sense of being grateful for his life, and for others.
But Allen never seemed to be far from being grateful and paying it forward, rather it be with a teen who needed someone to talk to or a little kid who just needed a Santa wave, Allen has always been there.
Honorees have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to at least three of the guiding principles: respect, honest, trustworthiness, loyalty, courtesy, self-discipline, integrity, fairness, responsibility, cooperation, citizen, and compassion.
Additional 2021 honorees are:
Armine Agazaryan | Balboa Elementary School,
Honorina Aniceto | Wilson Middle School Parent,
Ceaser Enciso | Crescenta Valley High School,
Karen Enriquez | Wilson Middle School Parent,
Janelle Evans | Crescenta Valley High School,
Youra Ghazalian | Uratu Coffee,
Nick Ghazarian | Hi Star Auto Sales,
Angelica Guerra | Mann Elementary School,
Karen Hayhurst | Glendale Unified School District,
Noushig Manoukian | Glendale Unified School District,
Alden Marriott | Crescenta Valley High School,
Dr. Mary Mason | Glendale Unified School District,
Carole Mulder | La Crescenta Elementary School,
Chrissy Padilla | Warner Brothers,
Alex Parajon | Glendale Sunrise Rotary,
Lucy Petrosian | Armenian National Committee of America,
Kathy Reformina | Wilson Middle School Parent,
Katren Sarkesian | Balboa Elementary School,
Vache Sipanian | Hoover High School, and
Marilou Sosa | Mann Elementary School Parent