6 minute read
Celebrating Caribbean Culture
By Rylee Holwager Signal Staff Writer
The Canyon Country Community Center was filled with Caribbean music, food and dancing as the city celebrated Caribbean culture with its fifth installment of “Celebrate.”
“Celebrate” is an event series occurring every first Friday of the month. It started in April and will run until September, aiming to celebrate cultures, customs and culinary experiences from across the globe.
The fifth installment of the series featured Caribbean culture. Guests were greeted by stilt walkers waving flashy colors and immediately immersed into the culture with the drum-beating sound of Jamaican music. Families ran around with decoders and clues trying to find hidden treasure, met pirates, painted seashells, dove into the Andros Barrier Reef through a decorated tent and learn how to do “the bounce,” a popular dance in Jamacia.
Continued on next page Upstream performs Caribbean music on the steel drums at the Celebrate: Caribbean event. PHOTOS BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL
Hook Up Your Truck $50 OFF
Any Tubular Side Steps
Must mention at purchase to qualify for discount Offer good with purchase of parts and installation only. AV Sport Truck
We are an Authorized Leer Camper Shell Dealer
Suspension Kits • Running Boards • Trailer Hitches Differential Service • Window Tinting • Wheels & Tires Performance Upgrades • Leer Camper Shells • Bed Protection
805 West Ave. K, Lancaster • 661.723.6464 www.avsporttruck.com
HTTP://WWW.APLACETOSHOOT.NET THURSDAY THRU MONDAY | 8 AM – 5 PM 6 PUBLIC RANGES INCLUDED
Regular Admission
Adults - $20 Minors - $15
Special Admission
55+ Fridays - $15 $5 off for law enforcement and active military duty
*Must be Active Duty - California certified ammunition vendor on site Entrance fee must be paid in CASH!
Firecracker
5 Stand Sporting ClayS 1x Round of 25 = $7.50* 4x Rounds of 25 = $25.00* *Plus range fees 33951 San Francisquito Cyn Rd. Santa Clarita, CA 91390 661-296-5552
Thirteen Countries — One Voice
Logan Burks (left) joins a Caribbean drum circle lead by Joseph Peck (right).
“We normally come to every event that they have,” said mother Rosa Machado about her family. “They really have fun.”
Machado brings her family to these events in hopes of educating them about different cultures.
The event sourced food trucks and vendors that sell authentic Caribbean dishes.
Chef Bernard James of Taste of the Caribbean L.A. Express said that what makes Caribbean dishes so special and unique are the spices used in the food. A main form of these spices is known as “jerk.”
“Jerk” features seasonings such as cumin, red pepper flakes and nutmeg. At James’ booth and other food trucks, jerk salmon, jerk chicken and jerk quesadillas were sold.
The city also had its public library source books by Caribbean authors and/or books that heavily featured the culture to bring for the children to read.
“There is no better way to start to learn and explore the world than through reading,” said Liza Purdy, senior librarian for youth services, “especially stories, fiction stories that take kids actually into another person’s life that’s in a different culture. You get to experience something of what that life is like. It gives you a sense of empathy and understanding that you wouldn’t have had, if you hadn’t entered their stories.”
The sixth and final installment of “Celebrate” is scheduled Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. at the Canyon Country Community Center and will celebrate the culture of Mexico.
Santa Clarita Animal Urgent Care
and Wellness Center Open 7 Days a Week 4PM to 11PM
We are located at 18597 Soledad Canyon Road in the VALLARTA Shopping Center on the corner of Shangri-La Drive Call or Message us at 661-888-8VET (8838) or visit us at www.scanimalurgentcare.vet to see a list of Services we o er and request an Appointment We are a State of the Art Animal Emergency Hospital and Surgical Center with In-House Labs and a Full Spectrum of Digital Imaging and Diagnostic Systems
Some of the Services We Provide are: Rattle Snake Anti-Venom Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation using Laser Therapy and a Underwater Treadmill Endoscopy and Ultrasound Dental Care with Digital Xray Systems PRP Injections to Speed Healing, Blood/Plasma Transfusions Wellness and Senior Services For more Services or Request an Appointment, Visit us at scanimalurgentcare.vet
ROWDON
Continued from page 7
story was going to end very differently and that her positive attitude and her support system were going to be there to help her through it,” Callahan added.
As soon as Rowdon had healed from her surgery in May, she began radiation treatment, becoming one of the new Santa Clarita UCLA Health radiation oncology treatment center’s first patients.
Then after three weeks of daily radiation treatments, Rowdon celebrated her end of treatment.
Those nearly five months were a whirlwind, and Rowdon said it was her spirituality that got her through, as well as her tremendous support system, which spanned from her family, including her two sisters, two brothers and husband, to her health care providers.
“I probably would have been a pile of mush if it wasn’t for him just doing everything, not wanting me to do anything,” Rowdon said of her husband Anthony’s support.
Canyon Country resident Patty Rowdon, second from right, and her siblings. PHOTOS COURTESY THE ROWDONS
“I felt my mom and dad with me the whole time, every minute,” Rowdon added, as she held back tears.
LAX Airport SHUTTLE SERVICE Cheaper than UBER or LYFT STARTING AT
• Starting at $39 O/W, roundtrip and multiple passenger discounts • Reservations required — 24 hours
$39
PICK UP LOCATION
TO LAX
19401Golden Valley Road Canyon Country
Arrive at LAX Drop OFF at Your AIRLINE
FROM LAX
Pick up at Orange Shared Rides Arrivals Level
DROP OFF LOCATION
19401Golden Valley Road Canyon Country 5:30 AM 8:00 AM 10:00 AM 12:30 PM 3:00 PM 5:30 PM 7:30 PM 9:45 PM
Book NOW AT: SantaClaritaExpress.com 661-947-2529
Rowdon had lost both her mother and father recently and said she was thankful to know they were together
“She wanted to stay here for her three girls and grandkids, but I knew where she wanted to be … she missed him so much,” Rowdon added. “I don’t even know if my mom could have handled me telling her I had breast cancer, as sick as she was.”
She was also thankful of her UCLA doctors, who walked her through every step of her treatment, so while she was scared, she knew she could get through it.
“They all were fantastic,” Rowdon said. “I don’t think I could have gone through it without them.”
Rowdon said she feels blessed to have had the support system she had, and while she still isn’t feeling all that great yet, she said she’s looking forward to the next chapter: life without cancer.
“I’m ready to get my life going again,” she said.
