Hometown Heroes

I don’t know if you caught it in last week’s paper, but the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced their honorees for this year’s Hometown Heroes. Those being honored are Mickey DePalo, Michele Gonzalez and David Worley. And me.

So, how did I get on such an esteemed list that includes a Vietnam War veteran, a school resource officer with the Glendale Police Dept. and a decorated Air Force lieutenant colonel? I seriously have no idea. But far be it from me to question the wisdom of the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Along with the prestige that comes with such a recognition, I have the pleasure of attending tonight’s (Thursday’s) Clippers vs. Jazz game at the Staples Center, courtesy of Tobi’s Heroes, “a Clippers player inspired program that honors people in our community that inspire children through sport, community service or education,” according to their website. I am so excited – and honored.

There are many people in our Crescenta Valley who qualify as hometown heroes. Many were found on Saturday at Sadler Hall at St. Luke’s of the Mountains. That was where the memorial for Brett Tyler was held. An estimated 300-plus people attended the memorial – a testament to an incredible kid who meant so much to so many. I dedicated myself to kitchen duty and grew concerned as more and more people arrived for the memorial. But, like Jesus and the loaves and fishes, we never ran out of food. The call had gone out earlier in the week for donations of food and our hometown heroes showed up bringing everything from cheese and crackers to homemade meatballs. We even had leftovers.

Heroes can be found in the most surprising of circumstances. Brett’s parents Rob and Karen asked that any financial donations be made to Prom Plus, an organization that Brett loved and was an active member of. To date, Prom Plus has received over $1,300 from people who want to honor Brett’s memory. I am thankful for their donations and for the generosity extended by Rob and Karen.

On a lighter note, this Saturday night, thousands will be cheering on the Montrose Christmas Parade as it winds down Honolulu Avenue. Kudos to the dozens of hometown heroes who volunteer to put on this holiday tradition for our community. Melinda Clarke of the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber offers some fun facts about the parade in her column on page 25. They give you an idea of how important – and longstanding – this event is for our community. I invite you to stop by the window of the CV Weekly office at the corner of Honolulu and La Crescenta avenues for some cookies and coffee or hot apple cider between 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday. We’ll be serving there before boarding a vintage fire truck and making our own way down Honolulu.

  robin goldsworthy