A ‘Cup of Kindness’ Runneth Over SGV Women’s Auxiliary Luncheon, April 20

San Gabriel Valley Women's Auxiliary President Dena Miller made sure everybody was having a good time at its "Cup of Kindness" fundraiser to benefit the McKinley Children's Center.

With fabulous entertainment, delicious food, and more raffle gifts than an entire neighborhood of kids could expect to find under their Christmas trees, the ladies of the San Gabriel Valley Women’s Auxiliary really know how to throw a fundraising party.

The auxiliary was founded in 1963 to augment programs of the McKinley Children’s Center in San Dimas, and if the packed luncheon is any indication of the group’s viability, they’ll be around a long, long time.

Member Nancy Wyatt got the luncheon off to a perfect start, reading a brief story, entitled “A Cup of Hot Chocolate:”

A group of graduates well established in their careers were discussing their lives at a class reunion. They decided to go visit their university professor now retired who was always an inspiration to them. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their lives, their work and their relationships. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups. Some of the cups were porcelain, some were glass, some crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive and some quite exquisite. He invited each one to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor shared his thoughts:

 “Notice that all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain, cheap ones. Well, it’s normal for you to only want the best for yourselves. That is the source of your problems and stress. The cups you were drinking from add nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases, it’s just more expensive. What each of you really want is hot chocolate. You did not want the cup, but you consciously went for the best cup, and soon you began to eye one another’s cup. Now, friends, please consider this. Life is the hot chocolate. Your job, money, position in society are cups. They are just tools to hold and to contain life. The cup you have does not define, nor does it change the quality of the life you’re living. Sometimes, by concentrating on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God’s provided us.

“Always remember this: God brews the hot chocolate. He does not choose the cup. The happiest people do not have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything they have. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and leave the rest to God. And remember that the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

Enjoy your hot chocolate.”

The guests did more than that. After hearing Canyon View school teacher Albert Jackson describe McKinley’s wonderful reading program and listening to an inspirational invocation by Diane Heton, they enjoyed an exquisite meal by Chef Jill McCarthy, who prepared, with the help of her great staff, herbed beef fillets with green peppercorn sauce, baby potatoes sautéed with garlic and herb butter, creamed spinach with mushrooms, mixed greens with grilled asparagus and almonds, with raspberry fruit tarts for desert to top off the rich repast.

All the calories were needed, however, because for well over an hour President Dena Miller, Pauline Norris, Linda deVos and other volunteers were pulling and calling winning raffle ticket numbers and then delivering the prizes across the room to the lucky winners.

Midway through the massive giveaway, Guitarist Michael Ryan and Hai performed a repertoire of lovely music capped off by their signature piece “Malaguena.”

The event could not have succeeded without the caring efforts of the Women’s Auxiliary and their many generous sponsors listed below. Make your plans to attend the Women’s Auxiliary’s fall fundraiser, so you can get in on all the fun, not to mention how much it good it does for the McKinley Children’s Center:

Grand Prize Donors

Pala Resort and Casino

Target Stores

Gift Donations

Women’s Auxiliary Members

The Festival of the Arts

Casa Del Rey Restaurant

Legends Diner

Ralph’s Grocery Stores

Trader Joe’s Markets

Albertson/Savon

Denny’s Restaurants

Haugh Peforming Arts Center

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts

Coco’s Restaurant – Glendora

See’s Candies

Marie Calendar’s – Covina

Villa Tepeyac- West Covina

JK Specialties

Los Angeles Dodgers

Aquarium of the Pacific

Candlelight Pavilion

Warehouse Pizza –La Verne

Pasadena Playhouse

Applebee’s/Millie’s Restaurants

Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts

Azusa Pacific University Theatre

Glen Ivy Day Spa

Palm Springs Follies

Los Angeles Zoo

T.G.I Friday’s Restaurant – West Covina

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery

Island’s Burgers

Maximum Coverage Roofing

Primped Beauty Salon – La Verne

Red Robin Restaurant – West Covina

Corner Bakery and Café – Glendora

Old Spaghetti Factory – Duarte

Scarlett Tea Room – Pasadena

Kellogg on the Hill – Cal Poly Pomona

Old World Deli – Eastland Center Mall

Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant