LEONA VALLEY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2020

CHERRY CHAPTERSSERVING THE COMMUNITY

FOR 60 YEARS.

TABLE

OF CONTENTS Leona Valley Events Front Page ....................Town Council Report Page 2 ..........................LVIA Board Election Page 3 ...........................Town Council Board Election Page 4 ..............A Look Back Page 5 .......................................Heros in Leona Valley Page 6 ........................Crossword Puzzle Page 7 ...................................LV Queen Looks Back Page 8 .......................Recipes Page 9 ..............................................Notes from MissCellaneous Page 10 .............Art Guild Juried Show Page 11 ......................Membership Form Back Page ........................

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

All events and meetings have been cancelled until further

notice. For information about events and

things of concern in Leona Valley go to the Town Council website—

leonavalleytc.org or LVTC@leonavalleytc.org

The Leona Valley Improvement Association (LVIA) website is—

www.myleonavalley.org

The LVIA Community Newsletter—Cherry Chapters—is a monthly publication by the Leona Valley Improvement Association for and about the people of Leona Valley. Contents are

covered under copyright laws. Material may be quoted with source cited; other use requires the editor’s or LVIA Board’s approval. The newsletter is published mid-month.

DEADLINE: ALL ARTICLES, INFORMATION AND SPONSORS COPY MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 24TH OF THE MONTH BEFORE THE MONTH IN WHICH IT IS TO

BE USED. PLEASE INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION.

PAGE 2 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020

At Your Service…Editor Christine Stoddard 270-9260 ...............................LVIA BOARD MEMBERS President Michael Publicker 310 601-0356 ....................1st Vice President Kathy Bramwell 661-662-5004 ..........2nd Vice President Felicia Publicker 661-414-2095 .........Treasurer Peggy Fuller 270-0771 ...................................Recording Secretary. Nicole Cook 270-9225 .....................Corresponding Secretary Juanita Kirkpatrick 270-0588 .......Newsletter Editor Christine Stoddard 270-9260 ..............COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS Membership Peggy Fuller 270-0771 ...............................LVIA Booster Club Candice Vander Hyde ......................Cherry Parade Pam Thomas 270-0653 .........................Community Queen Pageant Angie Hughes 547-0154 ...Building & Rental Schedules Brian & ............................. Leeann Murray 270-9205. ..............................................Marquee & Sign Brian & LeeAnn Murray 270-9205 .......Miss Leona Valley Madeline Copeland ...........................Gymkhanas/Arena Mike Publicker 310 601-0356 .........Gymkhana Queen Pageant Felicia Publicker ................. 661-414-2095 .................................................................

LVIA MEETINGS Leona Valley Improvement Asso-

ciation meetings are held in the Community Building, 8367 Elizabeth Lake Road. Board Meetings on the 1st Thursday of each month starting at 6 p.m. General Meetings are on the third Thursday of each month starting at 6 p.m.

CHERRY CHAPTERS SPONSORSHIP RATES

Business Card $25 per month $200 per year (12 issues) 1/4 Page $40 per month $320 per year* 1/2 Page $60 per month $480 per year* Full Page $100 per month $800 per year* Inserted Flyers $110 per flyer/per issue

(* 12 Issues) Call Peggy Fuller 270-0771 for details

Our sponsors help underwrite the costs in-volved in producing this newsletter. All sponsorship spaces must be prepaid by the 1st of each month. Checks should be made payable to the Leona Valley Improvement Association (LVIA).

The information you wish to include as a Cher-ry Chapters sponsor should be mailed to the Leona Valley Newsletter, P.O. Box 783, Leona Valley, CA 93551 or left in the Leona Valley Im-provement Association (LVIA) box in Rancher's Market, located at the intersection of Elizabeth Lake Road and 90th Street West.

I have been in contact with Elizabeth Seelman, Government Relations Manager with Southern California Edison in regard to an update with their wildfire work for the Leona Valley and Lakes and Valleys area. I received this information last week so I will take this opportunity to pass it along.

Here is a status update on the wildfire work in Leona Valley. As you are aware, as a result of Senate Bill 901, SCE has a Wildfire Mitigation Plan that they submit annually to the California Public Utilities Commission. This plan is part of a larger ongoing effort and it builds on their $582 million dollar Grid Safety and Resiliency Plan which was implemented in the fall of 2018. One key component of the plan is to make their equipment more fire resistant through infrastructure improvements.

They have a program called “grid hardening” where they have identified key circuits to replace wood poles with composite poles or fire wrapped poles, and to place cov-ered conductor (insulated material that goes over distribution lines) on bare wire. Covered conductor mitigates the risk of sparks occurring when a foreign object touches an energized line or during high wind conditions when distribution lines can sway into each other and create a spark.

The main circuit (called Hughes Lake) that serves Leona Valley was identified for a grid hardening project. As folks in town know, SCE has been conducting this work since the beginning of 2020. They are currently 45 percent complete with the work and they plan to be fully complete with the project by December 2020. This is vital work to protect the public from potential wildfires associated with electrical equipment.

In the next five months, SCE contract crews will continue to perform work. The community should expect helicopter sets, road closures, weekend and nighttime con-struction and outages. SCE contract crews may also need to access equipment on private property. They will work to notify customers prior to entering. Also, to ensure safety during construction, there may be traffic lane closures. Crew members will use appropriate traffic control signs and flags 3-5 days in advance.

SCE will notify customers by phone, text, email and mail at least 72 hours prior to the outage. A “Standard” Outage Notification will be mailed to residents and busi-nesses, and will include an ice voucher. This notification includes dates and times of outage with a brief description of work to be performed.

Given Covid-19, they have been working hard to mitigate for outages impacting customers, and will continue to find ways to minimize the impact of outages moving forward.

Michael Publicker, President Leona Valley Town Council

From the LV Town Council President

Watch Out for Mosquitoes On top of everything else, we may have more problems with mosquitoes this

year. The weather has been conducive to them breeding and Public Health agen-cies which usually do inspections and testing are overwhelmed with other con-cerns. This means it is up to all of us to do what we can to eliminate the threat. Mosquitoes can cause serious illness with their itchy bites. This includes West Nile virus, equine encephalitis, dengue fever and zika.

Steps you can take to help prevent these problems include getting rid of any standing water in your yard. It can be found in old tires, buckets, planters, bird-baths, pools and trash containers. Use covers for water storage containers. Make sure all your windows have intact screens. Wear long sleeves, at least at dusk when mosquitoes are most active. To report infestations or for more information, call AV Vector Control District at 661-942-2917.

LEONA VALLEY TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS President Mike Publicker ................................................................Vice President Chris Benjamin .......................................................Secretary Marie Davis .....................................................................Treasurer Peggy Fuller ....................................................................Member at Large Ed Simms ...........................................................

AUGUST 2020 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS PAGE 3

LEONA VALLEY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION

Board Member Election Notice

The Leona Valley Improvement Association Board’s 2019-20 year of service is coming to a close. The annual election for a new board will be held on September 17, 2020, with the members being seated on October 1, 2020. New candidates are being encouraged to run.

The Leona Valley Improvement Association (LVIA) was formed in 1949 for the promotion and bet-terment of Leona Valley residents. It is incorporated in the State of California as a non-profit organi-zation. It has overseen many community activities and been a voice for the community for over 70 years. LVIA owns and maintains the four-acre community center at 8367 Elizabeth Lake Road. This includes the Community Building and the Lee Rackett Horse Arena. LVIA publishes the Cherry Chapters monthly newsletter for and about the people in Leona Valley. It is mailed to each household and is paid for from funds raised by LVIA and sponsors of the newsletter. LVIA depends solely on membership dues, fundraisers and VOLUNTEERS for its support and operations.

The Building is used on a regular basis by many local groups for meetings, classes and events. These include Leona Valley Racketteers 4-H Club, Back Country Horsemen, Leona Valley Town Council, West Antelope Valley Historical Society, Sertoma and others. It is in this Building and on the surrounding grounds that the Community Queens and Gymkhana Queens are chosen, that com-munity governmental concerns are addressed, weddings, birthdays and memorials are held and the community enjoys social get-togethers and other events.

LVIA currently holds two meetings a month at the Community Building: a Board Meeting on the first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m., and a General Meeting on the third Thursday at 6 p.m. Meet-ings are open to the public and all residents of Leona Valley are encouraged to attend. The LVIA Board’s efforts are directed toward the improvement of life and living in our lovely valley and your support is earnestly solicited. Thousands of residents have devoted their time and energy to LVIA over many decades and, despite a few bumps along the way, kept our organization strong.

Everyone is encouraged to take the time to get involved in helping to keep our unique way of life by becoming a member of the Leona Valley Improvement Association Board.

If you would be interested in supporting our community and its interests by becoming an LVIA Board Member, please contact election Chair Don Blumenshein at 661-609-6524 or donald.blumenshein@gmail.com.

SUPPORT LEONA VALLEY TODAY TOMORROW MAY BE TOO LATE!

PAGE 4 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020

A Call to Service for

Leona Valley Town Council Candidates On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, the Leona Valley Town Council will hold an election for three open seats on the Town Council. Our rural community needs dedicated, service-oriented, Leona Valley residents to represent and protect the interest of Leona Valley citizens. As our community's governmentally recognized representative body, the Town Council serves as Leona Valley's liaison, "watchdog” and action arm in dealing with all government, business and regulatory entities which may influence the Valley's quality of life, interests and rural life style. Serving as a councilperson is an opportunity to make a concrete contribution to a unique community that we enjoy so much.

Duties and demands are modest and are compatible with those of work and family. Service is unpaid, except for the quiet gratitude of your friends, neighbors and government officials. Each council position carries a term of two years and Officers and Directors Liability Insurance is provided at the council's expense. Please consider applying; the rewards of service are well worth the effort.

Leona Valley residents willing to serve their community in this important capacity are encouraged to complete the form below. To be eligible, a candidate must be at least 18 years of age, a Leona Valley resident for at least two years and a registered voter. In order to be included in our local newsletters, submit it no later than September 20, 2020. A "Meet the Candidates" program will be added to the Leona Valley Town Council meeting on Monday, October 12, 2020. The deadline for inclusion on the ballot is October 11, 2020.

For further information, please contact Town Council Election Chair Peggy Fuller at 661-270- 0771 or pfuller@leonavalleytc.org. Additional information and a copy of this form are available at our website: http://www.leonavalleytc.org.

Statement of Candidacy for Councilperson on the Leona Valley Town Council Please submit to: Leona Valley Town Council Election Committee P.O. Box 795

Leona Valley, CA 93551

Name:__________________________________________Email Address:_____________________________________Address: ______________________________________________________ How Long:_________________________ Phone Numbers: ___________________________________________________________________________________ I am a registered voter in the State or California (Yes or No) ________________________________________________

YES, I AM WILLING TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY AS A TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER. Please enter my name as a candidate in the November 3, 2020 election for Leona Valley Town Council.

Signature:_________________________________________________ Dated: __________________________________

Candidate Biography: Please submit a photo of yourself (in digital format) and provide a brief personal biography, stating why you would like to serve and how you will contribute to the Leona Valley Town Council and the community. We will submit your information to the local newsletter and post them to the Town Council web site.

AUGUST 2020 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS PAGE 5

A Look Back……I continue to find old treasures while reorganizing my

house. I came across an old ledger with tabs for each letter of the alphabet and opened it to see what it contained. I was disappointed at first because every page was empty. I almost gave up, but then I came to the letter "L". The page was titled "Leona Service Station" and the date was 1939.

I realized it was the ledger kept by Ralph Schwartz who owned the first gas station/grocery store in Leona Valley. It still exists today as Hemme’s Feed Store. The gas pumps were on the corner where the raised island is. The entries show that Mr. Schwartz purchased the property for $3,000 on December 1, 1939. The building had been there since 1924. Electricity had just come to Leona Valley in the late 30's and Ralph must have wanted to take advantage of that because the first item listed is "wiring building", which cost $66.75. The next item isn’t until February 14, 1940, when he purchased a gas pump and tank for $125. The labor to install it was $12. At the same time, electric light fixtures were bought for $11.59.

Then we skip ahead to carpentry work in August. It must have been a lot of carpentry because it cost $84.50. In September a new roof was added for $100. He also added a cement floor for $15. Business must have improved during the war years or maybe prices just went up. At the end of 1943 he installed a well and pump. It cost $270 to drill the well and $276.66 for the well house, pipe and fittings. He also added a chicken house at the same time for $124.66. The list continues through 1951 with various repairs and additions. Overall, he spent just a little more than $5,000 over 11 years. Seems cheap but remember

that the canned goods he was selling only cost about ten cents a can and gas was twenty cents per gallon.

When Ralph and his wife Evelyn first owned the store, they lived in the back of it. It wasn’t until 1948 that they could afford to build the house that is now on Elizabeth Lake Road just west of the store. When I got to the "S" section of the ledger, it was titled "Ralph Schwartz Home". They must have worked hard to save their money. They made five monthly payments of about $2,800 for the house to be built and lived there for the next 30 years. Good investment!

Peggy Fuller

Live Music Tuesday 7-9 p.m. Acoustic Saturday 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Full Bands

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Celebrating 14 years in Business Open 7 days a week at 8 a.m.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Monday-Taco Night

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Saturday-Prime Rib HOMEMADE SOUPS DAILY

HistoricRockInn.com 17539 Elizabeth Lake Rd. 661-724-1855

PAGE 6 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020

There are Heroes in Leona Valley…… Call Fire Station #140 has been a fixture in Leona Valley since

the 50s. Many fine men and women have been based out of the LV fire station to serve their community over the decades. At one time up to 15 fire fighters worked full or part time there, scheduling shifts so that there was always great coverage. That was years ago. Today only three are answering the calls that get directed to #140. The station is definitely interested in picking up additional team members. More on that at the end of the article.

Bobby Toomer, the station’s supervisor, has worked the Leona Valley beat for 14 years; 20 total years in L.A. County Fire. Steve Neva has been a stalwart at our station for 15 years. Britt Rivera now has five plus years on the team. It’s a misnomer to think that Call Station #140 is a “volunteer” sta-tion. Those who serve do get paid the equivalent of minimum wage per hour worked, though pay is calculated based on two-hour increments of time, known as “units.” Most have other jobs, but there are as many hours available working at and for the station as a firefighter wants to put in.

To work at Station #140, you need to live in the community you serve. The rule is that you need to live within 10 miles of the sta-tion. That pretty much means you are likely to be a Leona Valley resident, as all three current first responders are. Station #140 is a highly needed supplement to other stations outside of our com-munity. Stations like #84 in Quartz Hill, are also dispatched to emergencies in Leona Valley, but can take 12 to 15 minutes to arrive at a fire or other emergency. And that’s if they aren’t already out on a call. Station #140 can be on the scene in just a few min-utes. Each call firefighter has a pager that they keep on them at all times. When a call arrives at the station, they are alerted. Some-times they are already at the station, and other times they race from their homes, throw on their gear, and are off within minutes. The fast response of #140 can mean the difference between small property damage versus large, and other times between life and death.

The call frequencies vary from three-a-week to three-a-month. Fires are relatively rare, but the men at #140 are more often called to medical emergencies or the unfortunate regularity of TCs (traffic collisions). Their district extends from ELR and Godde, west to San Francisquito, and from the crest of Godde Rd., down Bouquet Canyon Rd. to Spunky Canyon. A lot of area to cover, and a lot of dangerous roads that contribute to many vehicle acci-dents throughout each year.

Bobby explained how the alert system works; “A resident calls 911 and is connected to a dispatcher down in L.A. They assess where and what the issue is, and then if in #140’s district, they send an alert to a computer in the station’s office. A ticket is print-ed out, giving address, severity of issue, and other important info, especially if there’s only a description of where the emergency has occurred.” The call firefighters assigned to #140 get paged, and they’re off.

When not on calls, Toomer, Neva and Rivera team up to work daily and weekly tasks related to the facility, and to keeping the truck in tip-top condition. Their pristine rig is a Type 1 engine, with a 500-gallon water capacity. Many times their water has kept a brush fire from growing, giving other units time to arrive. The truck must be inspected, gear checked and supplies checked for re-plenishment on a daily basis. When not keeping the station and truck in perfect running order, the men take on projects to upgrade the facility and the property. When their tasks are caught up, they’ll take time for refresher training, and/or do ride-alongs with other engine companies to keep their skills up. Speaking of how well Station #140 takes care of their equipment, Bobby also men-tioned that the station’s old, open-cab fire truck was in such good

condition, that it is now displayed at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum in Bellflower.

When asked what the most rewarding part of the job was, our first responders said that just being part of the community that they serve means a lot to them. Steve and Bobby both mentioned that the touring and educating of children was at the top of the list. They both go the extra distance to really engage the kids, hoping to inspire one or more to get interested in this exciting career. Steve always looks forward to bringing the truck to the LV Ele-mentary School, remembering how that inspired him when he was young. Bobby really enjoys teaching the kids who come to the station what actually goes on when firefighters are entering a burning home. “It’s not what the TV shows display, that’s for sure” he adds.

What are the three most important requests of Leona Valley residents by our local firefighters? 1) Defensible space around our properties. Our community is pretty good about this critical need. 2) That residents would display their addresses prominently at the road in front of their homes. This is particularly critical when fire trucks from other districts come into our Valley during a large, second alarm fire. They are often times asked to perform structure protection, and are given an address to drive to. Not only can they many times not find the address, but some also don’t realize that the GPS they have with them doesn’t work in our community. When a large emergency like this is going on, retired call firefight-er John Grimm still jumps in his vehicle, races to the address that out-of-town firemen are needing to locate, then puts his flashers on to help guide them to the right property. 3) Keep your ease-ments in decent condition, and if your easement has a gate, don’t lock it. Because of how our valley is laid out, the easements around town could literally be the difference between one of your neighbors escaping a fast moving fire, or being blocked in and possibly losing their life.

So, do we have anyone in Leona Valley that would like to join the team at #140?

Requirements are easier than most realize. You need to be over 18 years of age, have a CPR First Responder certification, and pass a physical. Our station has at least four openings and really needs more good people who want to give back to their community. Check out LACOFire.org for more information. And don’t forget, your hours can be tailored to your other commit-ments, and, you get paid to do it! Thanks to Bobby, Steve, and Britt for the great job they do, and thanks to John Grimm for his previous 19 years at the station, and what he still does for our town today. Leona Valley heroes all.

Jeff Wright (with assistance from John Grimm)

(From left) Bobby Toomer and Steve Neva from Leona Valley’s Fire Station #140

AUGUST 2020 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS PAGE 7

16 "THE ANSWER TO THIS MONTH'S CROSSWORD PUZZLE

WILL APPEAR IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF CHERRY CHAPTERS”

Crossword Courtesy of Jeff Wright.

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Knowing Leona Valley #2

CLUES ACROSS 1. Historic structure on LVIA Property. 4. Another “old west” name for barbed wire. 8. Hydraulic, electric, gas or kinetic device used to make logs into smaller pieces. 9. AV Rural Olympics timed event where you hang out a car window and stab at rows of vegetables on the ground. 11. A variety of cherry. 12. Flying mammal that can eat over 1200 mosquitos per hour. 13. Event where 4-Hers sell their livestock after competition. 14. Adult female horse. 17. One of the U-Pick cherry ranches in Leona Valley. 20. An elevated hunting blind. 21. Mascot name for the Leona Valley Elementary School. 23. A small, hard seed (eg. wheat, barley, rice). 24. 100 years ago, L.A. got most of this staple from Leona Valley and the rest of

A.V. (via tanks transported by covered wagon and train). 25. This wine description can mean that the flavor changes from when you first taste it, until you swallow it. 26. Godde Pass used to be named for this black, grey and white animal that lived there decades ago. 27. Known as a “wine steward,” this person is certified in knowledge of wines.

DOWN 1. Early settlers of Leona Valley were Basque __________. 2. Free-roaming horse of the Western United States. 3. Creek that runs through Leona Valley. 5. Noisy male of the poultry family. 6. Highest elevation point on Bouquet Canyon Road. 7. The only cypress native in the Southwest, this 50-60 foot tree is found throughout Leona Valley. 10. What event is held at rodeos, where

children ride or race sheep (similar to bull riding. 15. Some LV residents raise these South American ranch animals, coveted for their warm, water-resistant fleece. 16. Large, hairy spider that emerges from burrows in the Fall to mate. 18. Pet grooming business in Leona Valley. 19. This reddish-brown Leona Valley snake is long, slim and fast. 21. These large cattle have a humped back, droopy ears and loose skin. 22. Occasionally seen in LV, this nocturnal omnivore is grey with a hint of red in it’s coat 24. Offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

From the Editor’s Desk…..

Once again my grateful thanks go out to those who are helping me put each Cherry Chapter together. My fellow LVIA Board members, the Gymkhana Queens, the Community Queens, Nathan Kerr the reporter for 4-H, and of course, Jeff Wright who puts together the crossword puzzle “Knowing Leona Valley” and “Knowing Your Leona Valley Neighbors game.” These two run in alternate issues.

Now I have a challenge for other members of the community. We all live in a great place and we love living here. How about putting pen to paper, or perhaps type out an email entitled “What I Love About Living in Leona Valley.” Depending on how many responses I get I hope to put several of these responses in upcoming issues of the newsletter.

My email address is……… lvchat909@gmail.com or put a copy

in the LVIA Box at Rancher’s. Thank you in advance!

Christine Stoddard

PAGE 8 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020

Leona Valley Community Queen Looks Back at Great MemoriesAs the days pass by during quaran-

tine, I am starting to remember so many things about my life and what’s brought me to where I am. Many of my childhood memories come from this community and the way it’s pushed me to do great things. Today, I’d like to share my most vivid memories revolv-ing around events that this community hosts.

First is Sertoma’s Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner just a few years ago. As a member of 4-H, my sister and I were asked to serve desserts alongside community member and family friend, Betty Wade. Everyone was so kind, thanking us for serving them and com-plementing our outfits. The community building was warm with the smell of great food. I remember hearing Irish songs and people happily chatting.

Second is the Annual Cherry Pa-rade. My family used to gather in front of Casa Gutierrez to sit with our neigh-bors. One year, my brother and his friends attacked the fire truck with squirt guns. The fire truck stopped and they ended up drenching the kids with their hoses. That’s one of my fondest

memories, it makes my laugh whenev-er it randomly comes to mind.

Next is a lost tradition but till this day it reminds me of a simpler time, the Fourth of July Celebration! It was held at the Community Building. Games were set up in the parking lots and pa-tio. There was a dance floor and live music. My whole family would attend this event. My aunt would help me search for rings and prizes in the Haystack game. If my siblings and I were good enough, our parents would reward us with a cold soda.

These are just three events of many our community is proud to put on. Each one is as outstanding as the last. I know that within these past few months we’ve had to cancel these events, but I’d like to remind you that they’ll be back very soon.

Wishing you good health, Miss Leona Valley 2019

Madeline Copeland Madeline Copeland July 2009 at the Fourth of July Celebration.

Sunday School … 9.00 AM Sunday Worship … 10:30 AM

Bible Study - Wednesday … 6:30 PM

15228 Calle San Luis Potosi Office 661-270-9671

❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅ ❅

AUGUST 2020 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS PAGE 9

JIM KLAUS PHONE (661) 270-9594 FAX (661) 270-9595

CELL (661) 810-5724

LIC. # 920222 C-36

From Little Miss Leona Valley Hi! I’m Ava Bonham your Little Miss Leona Valley 2019. I

have this yummy recipe I wanted to share with you all, it’s perfect for summer and we used fresh Leona Valley cher-ries as toppers for these pretty cupcakes (pictured).

I arranged my pineapple chunks so they looked like flowers and then used fresh whipped cream, but you can use what you have.

I hope these are as much as a hit at your house as they were at mine.

Love, Ava

From My Kitchen to yours  Hi everyone it looks like our kiddos will be home

this fall. I had a great idea for keeping them busy and teaching them a little something also. Cooking uses math and science, plus you can eat what you learn! I ordered Food Network’s,The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook. It is great! Lots of fun recipes and games. Here is one the boys and I made.

Stuffed French Toast Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread+Bananas

Cut four 1-1/2 inch slices of challah bread, careful-ly cut a 2-3 inch slit in each bread slice, to form a pocket.

Mix 1/2 cup of softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup of hazelnut spread.

Put filling into a resealable plastic bag and snip a hole in a corner.

Pipe some filling into each bread slice, add some sliced banana if you want to.

Make the custard: Combine 2 eggs, 1 cup half and half, 1 tablespoon

sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon ground cin-namon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl, whisk until combined.

Cook the toast: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Dip stuffed toast in the custard and soak 20 sec-

onds per side. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet then add 2

stuffed bread slices, cook until browned, 4 or 5 min-u tes per s ide . Place on baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with the r e s t o f b r e a d slices. Serve with maple syrup. My grandsons love this!

Kathy Bramwell

PAGE 10 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020

LV Queens Ways to Stay MotivatedWith the virus hitting yet another wave, and the state

regressing to lesser stages of opening, it can be hard to stay focused and motivated in your goals. Here are 5 ways to stay motivated and keep focused regardless of what's going on around you. 1. Remember why you started and focus on your end goal.

You can start with small goals that are easy to obtain throughout the day or week. Make sure to have a long goal or two to keep you focused on the good to come.

2. Give yourself credit. This is a hard time for all of us, it’s important to give yourself a pat on the back for the small things, even if it is just getting out of bed.

3. Reward yourself. When you complete your goals, small or big, reward yourself. A bowl of ice cream, a new book, or candle. Small rewards can keep you going on your journey.

4. Take it one day at a time. Life is a marathon, not a race, try to pace yourself so that you do not get burned out within the first few days.

5. Surround yourself with positivity. We are what we surround ourselves with, positivity brings happiness around us. Follow inspirational or funny pages on your social media or talk with uplifting friends and family that encourage you.

We are all in this together. Ashlee and I cannot wait to see and mingle with you all again. Until then, we are praying and uplifting you all.

2020 Leona Valley Gymkhana Queen, Karleen Hults “ The grass is greener where you water it “

Notes from Miss Cellaneous….Summertime is usually travel time. We discovered, with our

first child on a trip to Canada, that small children don’t like to spend endless hours stuck in a car seat. After we started out, it was “sit still” in the car time. When we stopped for lunch, it was “sit still “ in the restaurant time. Afternoons were a little better because he would nap. Dinner time was “sit still” in the restaurant again. By the time we arrived at our motel there would be no more “sitting still.” The next morning we headed to the nearest store and bought a beach ball. In the middle of the morning and at lunch time we found a park and spread out a blanket. After we ate a snack or lunch and played ball, we were all ready to sit in the car for another hour or two. This time, when we reached our motel we were all more relaxed and ready for a good night’s rest.

A very helpful thing to have in your car for everyday use is a plastic shoe box (without the lid). In most cars or vans it can sit on the floor behind the driver to serve as a trash box. Anything sticky or drippy won’t get on the floor mats.

When you arrive home from a summer drive with a grill full of bugs, spray it with Spray and Wash and let it sit for a few minutes, then wash. Happy traveling.

“Till next time, here’s to the good life out in the country.” Ruth Perkins

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JULY 2020 LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS PAGE 11

Juried Show Opens August 8 at the Art GalleryPlease join us as we showcase artists at our 2020 Juried

Show, opening Saturday, Aug. 8. The gallery will be open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. to allow visitors to see our new ex-hibit and maintain the required social distancing. Face cov-erings are required in compliance with LA County regula-tions. At 5 p.m. the announcement of the award winners will be made in the garden area in front of the building. Please join us to support our local artists and merchants.

Our merchants are constantly bringing in new unique and affordable one-of-a-kind art, gifts, soaps, lotions and cards. Come and shop and have a fun time while helping to sup-port the guild. A percentage of every item sold goes directly to the guild, which provides art awards, scholarships, edu-cation classes and more.

The guild is looking for dedicated individuals to serve on our Board of Directors. We currently need to fill the following vacancies: Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, Marketing and Communications. For more information, please contact Bridget Razo at lvagpresident@gmail.com

Thank you to those of you who have donated your CRV recyclables (aluminum cans and bottles marked with the California Redemption Value). Your donations help fund our awards for our students and artists. We are unable to re-deem food cans or jars or wine bottles unless they are marked CRV, so please do not leave those at the Gallery.

Those may be taken to our Community Building for recycling. Thank you so much for your support!

We wish everyone continued good health and look for-ward to seeing you at the Art Gallery and Creative Trea-sures. The Lakes and Valleys Art Guild is at 8854 Elizabeth Lake Road. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, For more information call 661­662-5051.

Bridget Razo, President, Lakes and Valleys Art Guild

Thirty years ago, Leona Valley elected its first Town Council. Over 400 votes were received and the winners were Bob Mallicoat, Mary Ann Floyd, Norman Wolstein, Roger Berger, and Juanita Kirkpatrick. There was an update on the Community Standards District proposal. At a meeting with Supervisor Antonovich, they learned that the CSDs were "put on the back burner" while Regional Planning worked on the ones for Santa Clarita. But they felt that they were "progressing right along.” Little did they know that 30 years later we would still be getting the same kind of excus-es from Regional Planning for why our CSDs are not yet done. The more things change....

Mary Ann Floyd wrote about being "Country Proud.” She said, "We're people who celebrate life, respect the land, and

feel blessed to live in a community that mirrors a page out of America's proud, independent past. I'm Country Proud because I believe Leona Valley is the standard for living - not cities like Palmdale. I believe that if other folks want to share in our dream, we welcome them. But don't try to take away our individual dreams that led us here."

From the Past……. Leona Valley Newsletter, August, 1990

COVER PAGE LVIA COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER • CHERRY CHAPTERS AUGUST 2020 Leona Valley Improvement Association Membership Form

• New Member • Renewal • Associate (Non-Leona Valley Resident) Membership Level: • Family—$40 • Individual—$25 • Senior/Senior Couple—$20 I/We would like to make an additional donation of $_________to support our community activities

Please make your tax-deductible check out to: LVIA and mail to P O Box 783, Leona Valley, CA 93551 or put in the LVIA Box at Rancher’s Market

Name: Spouse/Partner: Date: __________________________________________ _________________________ _________________Children: _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________ Day Phone: Evening _______________________________________________________ ___________________________________Phone: ___________________________________________________________

E-mail Address:_______________________________Occupation: ___________________________________________________

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

__LVIA Board Position __Membership Committee __Newsletter __Telephone?E-Mail Tree __Building/Grounds Maintenance Crews __LVIA Boosters __Community Queens Committee __Gymkhana Queens Committee __Horse Arena Committee

EVENT SUPPORTER

__4-H Spaghetti Dinner __Valentine’s Day Event __St. Patrick’s Day Event __Membership Breakfast __4-H Easter Egg Hunt __4-H Memorial Day Event __Community Queens Pageant __Sertoma Events __Cherry Parade & Festival __Gymkhana Queens Pageant __Halloween Contest & Caravan __Holiday Home Tour & more

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

__Town Council __Sertoma __4-H Club __Fire Safe Council __Backcountry Horsemen __Leona Heritage Park and Pioneer Building __West Antelope Valley Historic Society

ACTIVITIES __Horse Related __Youth Related __Social Events __Other_______________

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Leona Valley Improvement Association Newsletter

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