Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Heroic fashions and a new era of bliss
By: David Laurell
Burbank Leader
Mayor Marsha Ramos cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand reopening of Bliss
Unlimited in the Burbank Town Center Mall on Thursday evening. The event
also honored Assistant City Manager Mike Flad for his years of support of We
Care for Youth.
Originally opened in November 2005, Bliss Unlimited operates as a nonprofit
subsidiary of We Care for Youth, a Burbank-based nonprofit organization
founded in 1991 by co-executive directors Jose Quintanar and Linda Maxwell.
Having moved to their new location, on the mall’s third floor near Mervyn’s,
Bliss Unlimited will now enjoy a much higher profile in which to offer their
art, jewelry and other unique items inspired and created by young people.
The business started as a coffee brokerage in 1995 and then evolved into a
retail store providing corporate gift baskets.
It was during that time that Quintanar and Maxwell proposed a
business-to-youth mentor program in which teens would be trained in job
readiness.
They then developed a curriculum on small-business management that offered
high school course credit in exchange for work. Exceptional students were
even offered the opportunity to apply for sales and management positions.
Among those who came to honor Flad and stayed to enjoy the food and music of
the pop band Strange Radio featuring Greg Erba and the beautiful Kira
Nichole were Flad’s wife, Julie, and daughter, Bella, Vice Mayor Dave
Golonski; Jim O’Neil, executive vice president of Crown Realty and
Development who manages the Burbank Town Center; Sunder Ramani, president of
Penta Resources; Burbank Chamber of Commerce President Gary Olson and Parks,
Recreation and Community Services Deputy Director Teri Stein.
Others on hand included Dave Ramos, Arin Haghverdian, Diana Shaginian, Jeff
Prutz, Joseph Solis, Marci Wacker and Diana Makosian.
From peaceful bliss to the roar of lions, this past Saturday saw models
representing local Lions Clubs team up with Stein Mart as the service club
organization staged the annual district 4-L1 luncheon and fashion show.
Presented with a superhero theme, the event held in the Castaway
Restaurant’s Mountain View Room gave members and guests the opportunity to
shop with various vendors who donated a portion of each sale to the Lions
Club.
On the local level, funds raised at Saturday’s event will support the
district’s eye mobile, which is used to offer free eye screenings at
community events, eyeglass recycling, Guide Dogs of the Desert and Canine
Companions.
Along with the welcoming remarks by the event chairwoman Marcia Newyear and
District Governor Yasin “Lucky” Lakhani, the assemblage enjoyed, lunch, the
fashion show and a modern dance performance by Dancin’ N Action.
Among those whose work and presence made the day a success were Past
District Governor David Stewart, who served as the event’s master of
ceremonies; Zina Lakhani, Janet Lowney, Joann Wayland, Pam Burdick, Lita
Guidotti, Carla Schultz, Eva Hebebrand, Barbara Wood and Marva Murphy.
Others in attendance were Frank Wayland, Ron Burdick, Bill Newyear, John
Mclane, David Santos, Justin Hillermann, Alannah Pique, Theresa Kitts, Chris
Anderson, Robyn Lyons, Celena Johnson, Lindsay Harris, Jose De Hoyos, Jamie
Ellis, Ginny Goodenough, Lita Guidotti, Mike Janiszewski, Sandy Madsen, John
Severino, Jean Shimotsu and Bhavna Shodham.
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