By Mary O’KEEFE

If there is one thing you can say about the Crescenta Valley residents it is how much  they love a good game of bingo. Luckily there is another chance to play the game on Oct. 18 benefitting Friends of Rockhaven (FOR) and Crescenta Valley High School Falkon 589 Robotics. 

“It is a daunting task,” said FOR president Joanna Linkchorst about partnering with 589. “We hoped they would be able to help [by volunteering] so we just decided to make it a joint fundraiser.”

FOR is the organization that has been the champion and, at times, protector of the historic Rockhaven Sanitarium property. The City of Glendale purchased the property over 15 years ago but has not done much with it since then. FOR held a spotlight up to Rockhaven and its important history. 

Rockhaven was a woman-owned and operated sanitarium at 2713 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose started by Agnes Richards in the mid-1920s. 

Richards was a nurse and had seen how dreadfully women were treated in sanitariums. She began buying houses in Montrose before it was annexed by the City of Glendale and created a safe place for women who needed mental health support. 

The relationship between the City of Glendale and FOR has been a rollercoaster (to say the least) over the years, and just recently the City began construction/remodeling of the historic location.

“The City does not reach out to us,” Linkchorst said. 

She added she finds out about Rockhaven issues via mass emails that go out to the public; however, that hasn’t stopped the FOR from continuing its Rockhaven work. 

“Right now we are focusing on cataloguing and archiving all of our materials, getting them protected and getting the information out there for anyone wanting to learn about Rockhaven,” Linkchorst said.

This is the first bingo that FOR had held. In addition to the game, ticket holders will find a 50/50 drawing and food that will be available for purchase. The event is being held at the Verdugo Hills Memorial Hall [American Legion Post 288], 4011 La Crescenta Ave. The first game will begin 6 p.m. and is sponsored by CVW. 

Tickets can be found online at www.friendsofrockhaven.org, at the CVW office, 3800 La Crescenta Ave. Ste 206, and at the door the night of the event. 

Proceeds will help offset travel expenses to competition events for Falkon 589 and FOR with its supply needs and helping to catalog the historical documents of the facility.