By Mary O’KEEFE

Cars, food and lots to do will greet guests at the annual Rotary Club of Glendale Noon event taking place this Sunday.

For the fifth year, the Rotary Club of Glendale Noon is hosting its annual Cars for Cops Car Show this Sunday at Verdugo Park from 9 a.m. to
1 p.m.

Not only is the event fun for the entire family but it’s also a haven for car buffs.

“It’s one of [our] jewel events,” said Pat Magtoto, Rotary Club of Glendale Noon member and a Glendale police officer.

An expected thousand people will visit the Rotary Club event. Magtoto said it is similar to the recent Hometown Country Fair that was held at CV Park.

“There will be vendors, food trucks, music and activity for the kids,” he said.

Activities include a rock climbing wall and face painting.

The event is a fun part of what the Rotary Club does but at its foundation is a very serious commitment to supporting youth and youth programs. Recently the Club held a donation ceremony where many organizations were gifted with much-needed financial support as they work to help kids and their families.

This year the Rotary Club Noon is celebrating 100 years of serving the community. The Club raises money throughout the year and in 2021 raised over $60,000.

“There is a deeper meaning for Rotary,” Magtoto said. Mental health and wellness is what the Rotary Noon Club members focus on and events like the car show give them an opportunity to speak with youth and adults in the community not only about what the Club does but to hear about areas that need attention.

“We look at organizations that support our youth and that have a positive ideology and [promote] programs that enhance and enrich,” he said.

The car show is one of the Club’s fundraisers. Over the years the Rotary Club has raised $200,000.

“We are an organization that puts kids first,” Magtoto said.

The car show was started by Glendale Rotary Noon Club and spearheaded by retired Glendale police officer Oscar Rodriguez and Edwin Voskanian. It began in 2017 and has seen substantial growth since its beginning.

Awards for cars will be given in several categories, including best muscle car, domestic classic, European classic, exotic, special interest, hot rod, off road and Japanese car.

Magtoto added the Rotary Noon Club has some strong sponsorships from local businesses that allows the Club to do the good work its members do. One of the strongest sponsors is Pacific BMW of Glendale, which has supported the Club for years; in addition Adventist Health of Glendale has been a strong supporter of the organization.

Other sponsors for the car show include Glendale Orthodontics-Amir Dadgar-Yeganeh, DDS MS, Sam and Grace Carvajal, Larry G. Tison & Associates landscape architecture, Gharibian Law, Boardwalk Investments Group, The Shirvanian Law Firm, Wescom Credit Union, Law Offices of Arman Grigorian, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, Voskanian Investment Group, Inc., Marlin Dginguerian Real Estate Group, Auto Brokers, Carbyne Motorsport and L.U.L.A.F. (Latinos Unidos Los Angeles Foundation).

The event is free for visitors to attend; there is a charge of $25 for those who wish to add their cars to the display. There is no deadline to participate in the car show; drivers can bring their vehicles to Verdugo Park, located at 1621 Cañada Blvd. in Glendale on the day of the event.

For more details see the ad on Page 11.