More than 200 People Enjoyed Lunch

Councilmember Traci Park’s office and Team Palisades hosted a luncheon celebrating Palisades community elders, today June 5 at Rustic Canyon Park.

Nearly 200 people attended and the comradery and the sense of what all had shared with and during the Palisades Fire, seemed to pull people closer. There was a strong bond as people shared hellos and stories.

Palisades Garden Café provided a wide variety of sandwiches and Kim Kedeshiank of K’s Bakery provided several dessert selections. Sharon Kilbride had brought a large container of lemonade – hand squeezed from lemons on her tree.

Team Palisades are all volunteers and made up of block captains in different neighborhoods, “Our mission is to get people together,” said Livorno block leader Durragh Danton, who had lived on that street for 25 years before her home burned. “We’re working really hard as volunteers – we’ll work together as a community.”

Long-time resident Sam Lagana, who serves as the stadium voice of the L.A. Rams was the emcee. “We’re all in this together and we’ll all get out of this together,” he said. Lagana reminded people that many of Councilmember Traci Park’s staff were new to their jobs and had started on January 5.

Park said, “On January 7, when we got up that morning none of us would have anticipated what was in store for us that day.”

L.A. Mayor Bass was also in attendance and said, “It’s been five months.” And even though she acknowledged progress she said, “It’s not fast enough as long as you are out of your homes.”

She spoke about how the building staff are supposed to turn permits around in 30 days, but “If it’s not happening, let us know.

“We won’t stop until you’re back in your homes,” Bass said.

One of the problems seniors expressed during the luncheon was because of their ages, they didn’t feel like they wanted to spend their remaining years in construction, waiting for their lost homes to be built.

The ever-lovely Sylvia Boyd, who for years worked on the 4^th of July parade, organizing volunteers is now settled in an Atria in the Valley. She said she liked it – but it didn’t have the beautiful view she had at her property in the Palisades. Several people were brought by their families specifically for the luncheon from areas all over Southern California.

“This is the greatest town in America,” Jimmy Dunne said. “Our sense of town pride is stronger than it’s ever been. Wherever you are, is where the town is.”

Dunne read a poem he had composed for the day, The Heart of a Town, that brought tears to many people.

At the end of the luncheon, Lagana reminded everyone that when the Palisades is rebuilt “this is going to be the most amazing place in the world to live.”

“The Heart of a Town”
(A Palisades Story)
By JIMMY DUNNE

A tale of the thief—on that forever cursed day
Who scorched our dear town, turning life into clay

All of our lives have been tossed in the air
Scattering helplessly, just everywhere

We now are all wondering—just what is a town
Is there a heartbeat somewhere to be found

The real question is—what’s the heart around here
The magic, the thing—that we all hold so dear?

I used to think—it’s the homes in our town
And the trees arching over our streets all around

And our Village, so stunning—to stroll by the stores
Even if you never walked in a door!

Is the heart all the restaurants—sipping drinks with a friend
You can walk to ’em all—your choices don’t end!

Or the treasure we share—stunning mountains surround us
With breathtaking trails and views that astound us

Or our backyard—the beautiful, warm ocean sea
With bike paths and beaches to sun you and me

But maybe, just maybe—this fire, you see
Lit a new light—for both you and me

The wondrous thing—it isn’t a thing
It isn’t a thing that makes Palisades sing

The people, you see, that’s the thing that’s so dear
The thing that I love is the people right here
. . . .

The churches and synagogues—the places we pray
All the clubs that we join—at the end of the day

All the great families at all of the schools
These are the harbors of all our town’s jewels

These places, they’ll come back—maybe better, who knows
And when those doors open—just watch the joy flow!

All of these places are pillars, you see
They ground us, engage us, they guide you and me

Scouts, and the sports teams, the seniors’ clubs, too
Belonging. The home of all that we do

. . . . .

It’s a hundred years now since our settlers came
They gave us far more than the “Palisades” name

Our town was born from the dream that they shared
To build something special—as no place compared

From under an oak tree, they gathered around
The same dreams they had are alive in our town…

“To a place in the world where kindness is king
To a place with the doors to be anything

To family, sweet family—a most precious word
To the voice of our youth that needs to be heard

To living a life where integrity shines
Where listening is the most exquisite fine wine

To finding a wonder in all that we see
To savoring each note of life’s symphony”

. . . . .

Tonight, when you’re home—when you turn out the lights
Step out of your place—and look up at the night

Look around, and look up at that painting of stars
To remember how truly grateful we are

. . . . .

Back to the question that we asked tonight…
What truly is the Palisades’ light?

So often in life, we don’t recognize
When an answer is right there in front of our eyes

I’m so happy to know as I’m looking around
It’s you—my dear friend…

You’re the heart of our town