SRO for Society’s Sanders speech

It was a packed house this afternoon to hear George Sanders discuss his experiences during World War II from age 18 to 22.

Sanders, a longtime owner of the former Colonial Pharmacy on Baldwin Avenue, was the featured speaker at the General Meeting of the Arcadia Historical Society at the Association of Arcadia Realtors on First Avenue.

Sanders was born in Hungary to an American mother and a Hungarian father. When his father passed away when George was 12 years old, his mother had to leave Hungary because she was not a Hungarian citizen. George joined his Mother in New York when he was 14. Not understanding English, George was placed in high school and quickly became fluent. Four years later he joined the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Sanders became a graduate of USC’s Pharmaceutical School and is fluent in many languages. He was a Pharmacist in Arcadia for 55 years and has recently been speaking at local high schools at the request of history teachers, sharing his stories of training for the Army, Military Intel, his experiences overseas including the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge during the war in Europe, as well as post-combat and Reserve duties, and his Return to Civilian Life.

The program was arranged by Bev Street, Society director in charge of member programs. President Gene Glasco, who presented a special pin to Sanders, also introduced several other board directors to provide updates on Society projects including the Thoroughbred Racing Walk of Champions and History Lives Here markers.

Glasco also announced the introduction of a new annual Friends of the Society Edward Ostashay Scholarship for a young Arcadia Police Explorer or Cadet. Lieutenant Ostashay was responsible for sourcing and maintaining the vintage 1959 Ford police patrol vehicle that the Society has “adopted” in order to keep it in good maintenance and showcase at community events, such as this coming Sunday’s second Carcadia @ Route 66 in the parking lot behind Denny’s. The scholarship will embrace the Police Department’s philosophies, goals and expectations. “This gesture will honor the legacy of Lieutenant Ostashay while at the same time reach out to our community’s youth by establishing an annual scholarship sponsored by the Arcadia Historical Society,” Glasco said.

The Society’s speaker at the next Member program at 4:30 p.m. March 20 at the Realtors Association, 601 S. First Avenue, will be Dale Carter, a docent at the Santa Anita Depot. Carter will provide an illustrated overview of Lucky Baldwin’s Santa Anita Depot, the Santa Fe Railroad Depot that served Elias Baldwin’s ranch and Sierra Madre from 1890 to 1940. To make way for the 210 Freeway, it was relocated to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and has served as a museum in the historic structures collections.

— By Scott Hettrick