August is one of our favorite times of the year. As the summer winds down, the dance floor heats up with our 6th Annual Dancing With Our Stars fundraiser! The lights, the choreography, the costumes – it all comes together for one fast-paced evening of sequins, fancy footwork and that small-town support we’re all so proud of. Please join us in congratulating our dancers, non-profits and community partners for all their hard work and dedicated practice. We can’t wait to see you on stage!
In addition to the DWOS event, August brings much to celebrate. Our pages are full this month with community news from local non-profits and businesses, helping keep you in the know as summer events wrap up and the fall season kicks off.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital’s 40th Anniversary Gala on Aug. 22 will celebrate our only community hospital’s growth from 1975 to the present. Yeas ago, the hospital opened with 100 beds, including an ICU and coronary units. Today, Henry Mayo is a 238-bed, not-for-profit with a trauma center and wide range of patient services. We wish a heartfelt congratulations to President and CEO Roger Seaver and Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital for providing world-class health care to our residents.
But if you don’t make it to Henry Mayo’s birthday bash, you’ll have several other chances to support SCV causes. Circle of Hope. Inc. is hosting its Vine 2 Wine Classic on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the City of Santa Clarita Activities Center from 6-10 p.m. Sip and sample some of California’s best wine and beer, along with library wines from Santa Clarita’s expert wine enthusiasts.
If you’d rather support charity through physical activity, the 7th Annual Santa Clarita Century Ride, benefitting Child & Family Center, invites community members to bike toward a better Santa Clarita Valley. The Saturday, Sept. 19 event at Mann Biomedical Park is chaired by Curt Sandoval, ABC 7 sports anchor and avid cyclist.
Even though school is out, parents shouldn’t pass up on a chance to educate their children on the dangers of marijuana. The City of Santa Clarita is hosting “The Immature Teen Brain on Pot,” a symposium that teaches parents the effects of marijuana on a teen’s developing brain. Learn the latest in drug prevention on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Santa Clarita Activities Center.
New to this month’s issue is the Month in Review, a recap of all the good news happening in the Santa Clarita Valley for the month of July. Back after a long absence, this look-back covers everything from the possibility of a new Laemmle Theatre in downtown Newhall to the 26 Veteran families who received keys to their new Habitat for Humanity homes.
As the start of the school year sneaks up on us all, the To Do list grows with tasks and errands to accomplish before the first day. Consult our Back to School Guide to make informed choices when selecting education-related professionals and businesses. Our Business Guide is also available in this issue.
When you do find those business professionals who make your life easier and who earn your trust, make sure to vote for your favorite leading ladies in élite Magazine’s first-ever Ultimate Ladies in Business Awards. We’re very excited to honor Santa Clarita’s powerhouse businesswomen as Associate Publisher Amanda Benson continues to build up the pages and reach of élite Magazine.
With this issue, we’d like to introduce our new editor, Kirsten Quinn, who will be writing for The Magazine of Santa Clarita and élite Magazine. A lifetime Saugus resident, Kirsten comes to us after working as a community journalist, focusing on good-news features and non-profit news in the Santa Clarita Valley. Welcome aboard, Kirsten!
Until next time,
Linda, Moe and Alexander Hafizi