You All Prove That
Chatsworth Cares

IT HAS been an eventful year in Chatsworth.

Many of us are particularly busy during the holiday season. Maybe you are preparing for family gatherings, looking for the perfect gifts for family and friends or just doing your best to avoid the extra traffic and crowds.

No matter how busy you are right now, I have two things for you to think about.

First, I hope you will consider donating a Christmas gift for a needy child, food for a struggling family or your time at a homeless shelter. There are plenty of opportunities year round to help other people. Doing so now may be the best gift you get, knowing that you have helped others. Teaching children that they can give back to the community is an important lesson that helps build confidence and character as well as learning to care about others.

Check with any fire station or police department about donating toys. Many schools as well as synagogues and churches work with food banks that desperately need to stock their shelves. Homeless shelters and missions can always use help serving meals or helping to distribute gifts to children or warm coats to adults. These are just a few ideas. There are almost unlimited opportunities to help others, no matter how limited your time or money.

Second, you can never be "too prepared." While you are at the grocery store pick up some water, batteries and other emergency supplies for your family. If you need a practical gift for someone, look at emergency packs that have all the supplies considered  necessary for one or more people for several days. Remember that experts suggest we keep emergency supplies at home, work and in our cars. There are also prepacked supplies for pets. Not sure this is a good gift? Although I hope none of us ever needs a single emergency supply, I guarantee that, if you actually need it, you will be extremely grateful that you made the effort to help yourself, your family or your friends.

I have had many opportunities this year to remind people across Los Angeles that Chatsworth Cares. This is an incredible community. It has been gratifying to hear Mayor Antonio Villariagosa, Councilman Greig Smith, police and fire captains, business leaders and lots of "regular folks" talk about the outpouring of help from Chatsworth after the Metrolink crash and the wildfires. We had more than our share of disaster, and the community kept coming forward to help those in need.

I am very proud to represent such a caring community. Thank you for contributing in so many ways, big and small.

Wishing everyone peace, happiness, prosperity, good health and love in 2009,

Judith Daniels
President
Chatsworth Neighborhood Council