I finished telling my friend about our successful “Garden Party†…about the good turnout of neighborhood people, smiling and mingling and laughing, about the political men who had come to spend a little of their valuable time with our community, about the touching poem Geri Lefcourt read and the genuine feeling it generated. She sat silent for a moment and then said, “I envy you. That could never happen where I live; people are different.†I protested at first. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that we do live in a special community. And how lucky we are.
Here in Brentwood, generous giving is the key. And it’s not just money, as some would claim, but also time, thought, effort, and spirit.
The San Vicente Design Review Board and our Community Council guards the beauty and protects the standards of our neighborhood. The Brentwood Village Chamber of Commerce is active in re-creating and updating this important and historic pocket of our community. SOS Coral Trees, Brentwood Beautiful, the Rotary, and Brentwood 90049 all help to maintain and advance the quality of our urban village…and all are volunteers. Business leaders have taken time to organize parades and festivals and decorate the Corals for the holiday season, often without thanks and seldom without criticism. Thank you.
Brentwood Green labors to maintain and improve the playground of the Brentwood Science Magnet School. The learning gardens, the new and stylish play equipment, the running track, the trees and flowers have replaced the school’s old cracked asphalt. Now “The Green†is open for the community to use every afternoon and weekends…a welcome addition of park space. Thank you.
The Brentwood Historical Society’s annual Garden Tour is another example of the generosity and open-handed giving that makes our neighborhood special.
We have depended on Dutton’s as a premier ticket seller in past years. With their closing, we looked elsewhere. The Country Mart’s General Store helped us. Tom Kallete kindly introduced us around Brentwood Village and three stores agreed to sell tickets (Brent-Air Pharmacy, Jennifer Knits, and Aristeia Needlepoint). Many other Brentwood stores put up posters for us. Thank you.
Brentwood Stationers, as usual, was our stalwart supporter. Not only do they always accept the nuisance of selling our tickets but they are always ready to help in any way needed. Thank you.
We ask for small bottles of water and ice and wrapped candies from our community’s stores. Long’s has helped us as has Whole Foods. But Vicente Foods never says no…and makes it so easy and are so gracious that you leave feeling warm inside. Thank you.
Ralph’s, a big corporate entity in our midst, is an important but sometimes impersonal part of Brentwood, poised on our edge at Wilshire and Bundy. Manager Jim Van Ostrand told us he gets as many as 80 requests a month from organizations like ours…with a budget for 10…so he tries to save them for Brentwood. He has given us his company’s help for the last three years. Thank you.
Anthony’s Flowers, Shoko’s Floral Design, and Planet Flowers (in Westwood) made beautiful floral gifts for our Garden owners. And the Y.M.C.A. put up our banner announcing the tour on the Magnet school fence (always an onerous task for us)…and took it down! Thank you.
Michelle Stueven volunteered to make delicious “nibbles†for our guests, laughing away our concern about her time. “I enjoy doing it,†was her reply. And her generous husband, Mark Glode from Brentwood Mailbox, not only underwrote the costs but used his truck on Tour Day to pick up and deliver a variety of chairs and tables and “stuff†we needed. Thank you.
Driving down San Vicente on a bright Sunday, car loaded with Garden Tour necessities, looking at the beautiful sculpture of the coral trees, filled with optimism for a successful Tour… How could I not feel a swell of love and pride? My friend was right; it is special here in Brentwood.
Thank you.
