Ranging in age from 13-years-old to over 80, the culturally diverse attendees of the One Community, One Book program presented by Arcadia’s Best on Friday enjoyed socializing, a potluck dinner, free insulated Shop Arcadia bags provided by the City of Arcadia, and free bookmarks and buttons.
There to share with others in the celebration of the book To Kill a Mockingbird, attendees also won nearly 20 raffle prizes ranging from special edition DVDs of the movie and decorative cloth bags donated by sponsor Creative World, 524 S. First Ave., along with a certificate for three free children’s art classes, to decorative coffee mugs with gifts inside and a gift certificate for a local salon.
The City's 1959 police car.
Six winners of a related Creative Interpretation Contest (listed below, along with a winning poem from each category) also each received the DVD as well as several $2 coupons for Baskin Robbins and other prizes ranging from free Fasching’s Car Wash coupons and REI gift cards to gift certificates for AMC Theaters and Dave & Buster’s.
Upon arrival, attendees first saw the 1959 Ford Galaxy 500 Arcadia police car in front of the door to the Arcadia Masonic Center. The Arcadia Historical Society, which was a partner with Arcadia’s Best in Friday’s program, is helping raise awareness and maintenance funds for the historical city vehicle that is available to for local groups to have at their events so kids and adults can sit in the car and learn about its history.
The Historical Society also hosted a wine and cheese and crackers reception in the lobby, where sponsor and host group tables were set up, including one for the program’s primary sponsor, Chyten Educational Services, at 1012 S. Baldwin Ave.
The lively conversations continued inside the Center’s large dining hall. The Center venue was provided free of charge by Arcadia’s Best Foundation partner Sho Tay, who is also Master of the Arcadia Masons and a board director of the Society.
Against the background music of Elmer Bernstein’s lovely score from the movie playing along with a montage of photos of the author and the original book jacket and movie stills, dozens of attendees enjoyed a feast of potluck dinner entrees, from pizza and lasagna to salads and as many free chili dogs provided by Wienerschnitzel at Westfield Santa Anita mall as they could eat. Tables featured unique grasshopper centerpieces made of metal and bolt nuts provided by ABF partner and Society director Carol Libby.
After an introduction by program host and Society director Scott Hettrick and an announcement that the Arcadia School District this week will install at the northeast corner outside the new music building the Historical Society’s historical marker at First Avenue Middle School that was dedicated in October 2007 during the school’s centennial celebration, Historical Society president Gene Glasco provided updates about other Society programs and membership opportunities both in English as well as his own Chinese translation to the surprise and delight of many Chinese-speaking Arcadians in attendance.
Announcements were also made by program partner Arcadia Chinese Association about their annual Hallowe’en fund-raiser Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Community Center, for which ticket sales are still available. Additional sponsors and supporters of the Friday program were recognized by Hettrick, including Matt Denny’s, The Book Rack, the Arcadia Public Library, local newspaper columnists Lauragene Swenson (Pasadena Star-News Weekly Star) and Floretta Lauber (Arcadia Weekly) and resident Rex Wong, as well as volunteers helping with set-up, food and check-in on the evening, such as Sonny and Sherry Tay, Betty Hettrick, Carol Howard, and many members of the Friends of the Museum (Arcadia Historical Museum), including President Bev Street and her husband Ron, Mickey Ball, Edna Curtis, Roberta Ramsell, and Edie Slemmon.
Left to right: Scott Hettrick with contest winners Emily Zheng, Mary (Mickey) Ball, Karen Hou, and Arcadia's Best Foundation partner Carol Libby. Photo by Lauragene Swenson of Weekly Star.
The program got underway with Hettrick providing facts about author Harper Lee who won a Pulitzer Prize for her one and only novel published in 1960 about life in Depression-era rural Alabama as seen through the eyes of a young girl.
After a break for desserts, including a special cake decorated with the words One Community, One Book, the program continued as members of the audience offered their remembrances and perspectives on various themes and elements of the book.
The evening closed with the announcement of the winning essays and poems, with Hettrick reading several poems, and adult winner Karen Hou reading her winning poem call “Secrets” to conclude the program.
Complete list of contest winners (followed one winning poem from each category):
Adult: * Karen Hou: “Secrets” (poem) * Mary (Mickey) Ball: “Scout” (poem)
Middle School * Emily Zheng, 13, Dana Middle School: “The Moral of the Mockingbirds” (essay) * Joshua Kim, 12, Dana Middle School: “The Trial of the Mockingbird” (poem)
High School * Phoebe Shen, 15, AHS: “It’s Not Me” – the thoughts of Tom Robinson” (poem) * Shiyun (Mary) Zhang, 15, AHS: “Mirrors” (poem)
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IT’S NOT ME – the thoughts of Tom Robinson By Phoebe Shen (15, Arcadia High School)
I thought I was doing the right thing.
Why don’t you believe me? I love my wife. I miss my children. IT’S NOT ME.
Maybe it’s because my skin is black. Close your eyes and you won’t see it. Close your eyes and listen to my plea. Black or white, why won’t you beleve me? IT’S NOT ME.
My left arm is nothing. But I have morals too. I won’t touch her. I don’t understand what she was htinking either. IT’S NOT ME.
All I want is to grow old with my wife. She’s so lovely. All I want is to see my children laugh. They’re so precious. IT’S NOT ME.
Close your eyes if my skin bothers you. But underneath it, we’re one and the same. The good Lord made us all. None of us are trash. IT’S NOT ME.
Red blood, not black. A red heart, not black. Two feet, not four. How different are we than you, really? IT’S NOT ME.
I wake up to the same sun. And say good night to the same sky. But after today I’m afraid I’ll Never See It Again.
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The Trial of the Mockingbird
by Joshua Kim (12, Dana Middle School)
The colored fill up the top floor And the whites fill up the bottom floor.
The eager faces waiting for the judge While the accused is waiting for the lawyer.
The trial is on and the clock is ticking The crowd becomes quiet and the victim takes the stand.
The trial continues And the evidence is summarized.
The trial continues with a bang With many faces that are scowling.
Everyone departs to eat and come back To listen to the final verdict.
The jurors whisper amongst themselves While the crowd chatters loudly.
The choice is made And the colored are grief stricken.
The case is unfair Like killing a mockingbird.
The accused fights to the end By running away.
The case is closed With a loud bang from a gun.
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SECRETS
by Karen Hou (adult category)
Fair Maycomb, Tired and old, What secrets do you hold?
Where has come The chewing gum, Or the dolls so carefully done.
Who has placed the pennies And a watch with a broken chain Into a tree with a tidy knot-hole, Of which, No one can explain.
Why is somebody’s hidin’ place Now, no longer there. ‘Cause it’s filled with cement. It just ain’t fair.
How can a man like Tom be freed? When not enough care. Who is left to protect the innocents? It just, just ain’t fair.
Why is there no justic for Robinson? Why is there no place for Boo?
Why does a place such as Maycomb Keep its heart so cold?
It’s because of a secret — A secret everywhere, You can choose To really never know a man Or — You can choose To walk, walk in his shoes.