Pacific Palisades residents gathered about 100 days after they evacuated their homes, which burned. Many others cannot return until homes have been remediated from smoke damage.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
People were happy to see their neighbors in person on Saturday.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
About six weeks ago, Amalfi Founder Anthony Marguleas, who lost his home in Pacific Palisades had an idea. “I thought it’d be a good to get the community back together since people were getting so zoomed out and we’re miss seeing their neighbors and their friends,” he said.
After the January 7 Palisades Fire, residents were forced to find apartments and rentals throughout Southern California. The neighbors that people spoke to and saw daily were in the South Bay, in Santa Barbara, in other states.
“In the wake of the devastation, I felt there was an urgent need to create a space where our community could come together,” Marguleas said, noting this was not just about grieving what was lost, but to “reconnect, support one another, and begin healing. This event was about reminding each other that we’re not alone, and that together, we will rebuild stronger than ever.”
With 1Pali Founders Ben Perlman and Andrew Grant, the three planned an event that was held at Clover Park in Santa Monica on April 19. Aided by Sue Marguleas and Anthony’s assistant Rachel Aronson, the park was filled with nearly 2,000 people who gathered to visit booths, have food, such McConnell’s ice cream and pizza supplied by Flour. The owner Robert Flutie, not only lost his Palisades home but his shop on January 7. He has since opened a place in Brentwood, but has plans to also come back to Pacific Palisades. Shawna McConald of the Band 1969 sang the National Anthem.
With stalwart Palisadian Sam Lagana as an emcee, the Palisades High School band was first to perform. The high school had also burned and have not been able to hold practices since January, although with a special invite they had played the National Anthem at the Hollywood Bowl in early April.
The Palisades High School band played the “fight” song.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
The band played the PaliHi fight song that is played at football games. Lagana said it was written in 1962 by then orchestra/band teacher Joel Lish, who also founded the Palisades Symphony (also now displaced).
Lagana said the day reminded him of when you went to the grocery store or the church in town, you would run into people you knew and this day was important for everyone after the isolation caused by the fire.
“People also liked engaging with Colonel Swenson and Councilwoman Traci Park,” Lagana said. “They were happy and floating around and enjoying the company of people they knew and they met. The power of positivity reigns in the people of Pacific Palisades.”
Swenson, who is charge of the Army Corps of Engineers said, “It’s an honor to be here today.” He noted that there were 97 crews currently working in the Palisades, and “there is a huge push on PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).” Governor Gavin Newsom wants to open PCH at the end of May, and clearing the houses along that road is necessary.
“Our goal is to get our part done as rapidly as possible, so you can rebuild safely on your lots,” Swenson said, “and get you back in as soon as possible.”
Councilmember Traci Park said, “It is wonderful to reconnect in person.” She said that the Corps is moving at warp speed, and that rebuilding should be “community led and government supported.”
Past Palisades Honorary Mayor Jake Steinfeld, who also lost his home in the fire, read a poem that was given to him when he was cut from his 8th grade basketball team, “Don’t Quit.”
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said, “That poem really hits you in the heart.” And spoke how this recovery would be the fastest in the nation. “From the grief, we turn to the hope,” she said. “I will stay with you until you’re home.”
Marguleas told CTN that “Yesterday’s event was a powerful reminder of the strength and spirit of our community. While many of us are still rebuilding, it was deeply moving to see neighbors, friends, and families come together in solidarity and hope. The support shown reflects the heart of the Palisades — resilient, compassionate, and united.”
(Left to right) Anthony Marquleas welcomed Colonel Eric Swenson, Jake Steinfeld and Sam Lagana to the gathering of Palisades residents.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT/CTN
Palisades High School Fight Song
By Joel Lish
Oh we are the Dolphins so get get nervous
While we are here we will make you serve us.
Palisades! Palisades!
All is right with the blue and the white!
So head for the hills and don’t look behind you,
When we get through they will never find you.
Palisades! Palisades!
On to Victory !!!
Sue, I believe there is an error in this article. I don’t think Joel Lish was yet at Pali in 1962, but I’ll try to check that. I believe the Pali Fight Song was more likely written by Pali’s first music teacher, Samuel Browne. I’ll see if I can confirm either of these items. In the meantime, no need to contradict what Sam Lagana said. I don’t want to compound any errors.
Thanks,
Ruth Mills
Sue,
With a little research, I was able to confirm at least one informational error in the story about the Palisades get-together at Clover Park. First, instrumental music teacher Joel Lish did not begin teaching at Pali until 1965, which was a fact included in his L.A. Times obituary.
Pali’s first music teacher, part of the original faculty, was Samuel Browne, who transferred to the new high school in 1961 after many years of teaching at Jefferson High School in Los Angeles. While I can’t prove that Browne wrote the Pali fight song, I’m quite sure that he wrote the school’s alma mater.
I started at Pali as a student in 1967, and as you know, I spent my career teaching there. I retired in June of 2020, and over the decades I spent there, I saw the list of Pali’s charter (original) faculty many times, as it hung in the school’s Main Office.
I hope my institutional memory is helpful. In fact, during the tenure of instrumental music teacher Arwen Hernandez, I helped her introduce her orchestra and band students to both the Alma Mater and the fight song, since both those songs had been nearly forgotten. I recorded the songs for her by singing them, and Arwen orchestrated both of them, bringing back two important pieces of Pali’s musical history. Sometimes it helps to be older than dirt!
We’re so sorry we were unable to attend the Clover Park gathering, but it coincided with the beginning of debris removal from our property by the Army Corps of Engineers. We wanted to be at our property when they started. It happened at 11:00 am on Saturday. They think they will be done by Tuesday. They had a break today: Easter Sunday. It’s amazing to see they work.
What a wonderful day the Pali gathering was! What struck me most is that the community is now tighter than ever before. We have literally been through fire together and we all now share a common special language of loss and resilience. It takes a village and we ARE that village! 90272 strong! Thank you to everyone who organized and who came to support and enjoy eachother’s company. It felt good!