News Briefs
Free Gun Lock Kits
The Santa Monica College Police Department is joining a nationwide effort to promote firearm safety, working in conjunction with the government funded Project Childsafe - a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to distribute gun lock safety kits.
"Hundreds of children and teenagers in this country are killed each year by gun accidents," said SMC Police Chief Eileen Miller. "We want to do what we can to save lives."
Area residents and students are encouraged to come to the SMC Police Department to pick up a Project Childsafe gun safety kit for safe storage of their firarms. The kits will be distributed without asking for identification or gun licenses, however, those who want a kit should not bring a firearm to the station.
For more information, call (310) 434-4608 between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Camellia Festival and Parade
A kids-only event (children over 18 prohibited) was held in Temple City Park last Saturday morning on the 26th, starting at Sultana Avenue and Las Tunas, proceeding across Las Tunas and ending at the festival on Rowland Avenue. About 4,000 kids drawing from service organizations, sports teams, marching bands and proud arrays of Brownies and Cub Scouts participated in the parade, many pulling floats designed by their own members and built out of camellias.
Nearly 20 thousand spectators lined Las Tunas to watch the event. The musical entertainment, sights and sounds were free of charge, there was no admission fee to enjoy the festival, however
carnival rides did require tickets.
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A Race for the Cure
Last Sunday, thousands of walkers and well over 10,000 runners covered a 5K route in the streets surrounding the Rose Bowl in the Komen Race for the Cure - an event held to raise money and awareness on the fight against breast cancer. Thousands of people not in the race converge on a Health Expo as a show of support for attending the drive. A breast cancer survivor of seven years, Actress Shelley Morrison - who once played Rosario on 'Will and Grace' lead the Celebration of Life Survivor Ceremony in which hundreds of other survivors are invited to the bleachers at the race's starting line outside the Rose Bowl. Shortly after this emotional demonstration, the race began at 9:30 in the morning for runners and 9:40 a.m. for walkers. An awards ceremony began less than an hour afterwards, with raffle prizes drawn ranging from free airline tickets to personal trainer packages, with trophies handed out as well.
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Aztec Dance
A traditional Mexican dance ceremony - Aztec Dance La Danza Azteca was performed near the statue of Aztec's last emeror, Cuauhtemoc, at Mission Road and Main Street in the Lincoln Park Recreation Center, free of charge at 11:00 a.m.