By Mary O’KEEFE

This year has been one for the record books. It started with fire and is ending with a shot in the arm.

Little did we know that the Australian fires that continued to burn from September 2019 into 2020 was a sign of things to come. In 2020, California saw the state ablaze with over four million acres burned, 31 confirmed fatalities and over 10,000 structures destroyed or damaged, according to Cal Fire.

2020 was also a year of social awareness. The injustices experienced by people of color by some in law enforcement were brought to the forefront as “I can’t breathe” became a rallying cry for those who demanded change. There were also protests to bring awareness of a violent conflict on the other side of the world but was felt in the heart of Glendale. The region of Nagorno-Karabakh had been contested by Azerbaijani and Armenians for years. In 2020, that contested area became a battleground that saw many die and be left homeless. Armenian Americans immediately took action to help by gathering and shipping supplies, protesting to raise awareness and even sent some of their own to help fight. There was an uneasy peace treaty signed but the recovery will be a long time coming.

This year has seen the loss of icons like Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter crash, along with his daughter Gianna, and seven others. Cancer took many including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alex Trebek, Chadwick Boseman, Eddie Van Halen and Congressman John Lewis. Others who shaped the entertainment world who died this year included David Prowse, the actor behind Darth Vader, country star Charley Pride, Little Richard and Sean Connery.

The ongoing tragedy that is 2020 was brought courtesy of the novel coronavirus, a plague the world had not seen in over a century. Although identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019 it did not officially hit the shores of the United States until January; the rest is a history we would rather not be a part of.

Words like “tested negative” or “tested positive” could literally mean the difference between life and death. Even the way people left their homes changed by always making sure there was a face covering in hand to protect themselves from spreading the virus and provide some protection for themselves.
As of Wednesday, total positive cases of COVID-19 reported by LA County Public Health Department since March is 756,116. As of Wednesday, 10,392 new confirmed cases were reported and the County recorded 10,056 deaths. For more information visit http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/.

With all the gloom that 2020 has brought there have been glimpses of the society we strive to be. CVW reporters witnessed so many acts of kindness during this dark time including first responders who lined streets outside of hospitals to cheer on doctors and nurses who risked their lives caring for their patients. A steady stream of much-needed donated food was brought to the Bailey Center, and volunteers at the Bailey Center at the United Methodist Church in Tujunga never ever backed down from helping the rising number of those in need. The community donated over 300 toys for local families, the Armenian Center gathered first aid items for Armenia, kids from high school clubs like Prom Plus, Crescenta Valley Instrumental Music and CV High School Robotics 589 held drives for donations of toys and food for others. And members of the American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614 reached out to help other veterans through Operation Gratitude and to the community through toy drives. Chris Waldheim of J’s Maintenance through his philanthropic outreach to many organizations, including USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, set an example of how local businesses can support their community.

On a personal note, CVW would like to acknowledge those who called into the office asking what they could do to help and those who sent support to the newspaper specifically.

2020 will be ending tonight, Thursday, at midnight and although life will not change immediately for the better there is hope that because of the vaccines and a more empathic leadership on the horizon we will get through this darkness to see the light.