Pacific Palisades Decorates the Fourth of July
By VICTORIA TALBOT
A panel of judges will be walking the parade route to find the most patriotic decorated home and business in Pacific Palisades.
Sponsored by Coldwell Banker and the Palisades Americanism Parade Association (PAPA) the Patriotic Home and Decorating Contest will find the juiciest patriotism in town. Red, white and blue your home or business to enter; there is no fee or application.
PAPA wants to encourage the community to get caught up in patriotic fervor. PAPA president, attorney Rob Webber, Coldwell Banker
Manager Robbie Sedway will be judging, along with “a panel of local celebrities and dignitaries,†said Gina Caruso of Coldwell Banker. “We hope to generate a lot of patriotic excitement along the parade route. This is a great event for Pacific Palisades, and everyone along the parade route can join in just by decorating their homes.â€
Oh, What a Life
Rose Gilbert, who will turn 90 on August 2, has been chosen to be the 2008 Parade Marshall for this year’s July 4 parade.
A teacher at Palisades Charter High School ‘Mama G’ has taught English since the school first opened in 1961. Gilbert, who inherited millions from her late husband Sam, teaches out of her love of teaching and the joy she derives from sharing her love of literature with students.
Beside her presence as a teacher, Gilbert has also donated $1.1 million towards the construction of an aquatic center for the school, named for her daughter, Maggie, a UCLA trust lawyer who died in 2004 of an embolism at age 54.
Gilbert graduated from UCLA in 1940 with a degree in Spanish and a teaching credential. She went to work at MGM as a contract agent. Married to Sam in 1950, he encouraged her to pursue her love of teaching.
Gilbert is active in community service. She stays in touch with her former students. Many of them are teachers at PaliHi. She has nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, but Rose Gilbert has no intention of slowing down. She’s on a roll.
Pacific Palisades Chamber
Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce welcomes a new president, Antonia Balfour. The 59th installation dinner was held at the Riviera Country Club on June 12. The 2008-2009 Board was sworn in with actor Gavin McLeod as honorary mayor for a second term.
Balfour is the co-owner of Oasis Palisades, an acupuncture and massage salon on Marquez. She works with Lester Wood and Marie Steckmest on the Business Greening Committee.
The Best New Business award was presented to Nicole Howard, creator of ThisWeekinthePalisades.com. Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl officiated at the event, praising the Palisades for its sense of community.
The new executive committee includes Brad Lusk, Ramis Sadrieh, John Petrick, Greg Wood, Roberta Donohue, David Williams, Sandy Eddy and Roy Robbins.
The new board includes: Sanda Alcalay, Brett Bjornson, Rena Bornstein, Zara Guivi, Nicole Howard, Sam Lagana, Jennifer Lowe and Angela Parker.
