WORD IS OUT! La Verne Named One of ’10 Best Towns for Families’ in 2010 by Family Circle Magazine

July 6, 2010
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lavernheritageLa Verne, Calif., has been listed in the current issue of Family Circle magazine as one of the “10 Best Towns for Families.” Family Circle is the nation’s ninth largest magazine with a circulation of more than 5 million readers.

“In our yearly roundup of perfect places to raise kids, we salute these communities for their affordable homes, green spaces, blue-ribbon schools, and giving spirit,” said Seema Nayyar, the article’s author.

 

Below are the 10 towns listed in Family Circle:

 

 

  • Edmund, Oklahoma
  • Hampton Township, Pennsylvania
  • Edwardsville, Illinois
  • Windsor, Colorado
  • La Verne, California

  • Round Rock, Texas
  • Simpsonville, South Carolina
  • Meridian, Idaho
  • Bristol, Rhode Island
  • Bettendorf, Iowa

Local reaction to the news was swift.

“The timing of the announcement couldn’t be any more perfect, coming as it did wrapped around our Fourth of July celebration, with our parade, country fair, and fireworks extravaganza,” said La Verne Chamber CEO Brian McNerney. “The participation of the city to our local churches to our schools to our sports teams to our veterans groups to our local businesses captured what this town is all about.”

“Being named to the list is the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication on the part of a lot of people,” added City Councilman Steven Johnson. “From the city, to the school district to the residents, they make the city what it is.”

Joann Lammens, a longtime resident of La Verne and the owner of two downtown businesses, Gina T Interior Accents and Gina T HOME, swelled with pride upon hearing about the town’s latest accolade.

“When you’re raising a family, you’re attracted to a safe, friendly, neighborly environment like La Verne,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of big box stores. It’s a quaint community. When some out-of-town vendors visit my stores, they always comment how walking along the streets here or past the high school reminds them of Mayberry.”

The news didn’t come as a surprise to Little League President Brian Shively, who grew up in La Verne and runs Baughn Engineering, a La Verne company that manufactures vibration testing equipment. “I can’t imagine living and working anywhere else,” he said. “We’re a throw-back city, if you will. I was just talking with my parents about how stupid our 4th of July parade is, but how much we love and enjoy it. We feel La Verne is a place where you can still walk at night and feel safe.”

Residents Dave and Maxine Zylstra, who own West Covina Nursery in La Verne and have reared six children here, marveled at how people set out their tables and chairs on the street two days before the 4th of July parade, unconcerned that the items might be stolen. “We’re a tight-knit community,” Dave said. “Everybody knows everybody, and we’re a great church community when you think of all the activities our local churches sponsor.”

It took but a moment for Pastor Mother Kelli Grace of St. John’s Episcopal Church to put the news in perspective.

“My first response was delighted surprise,” she said. “Then I thought, but of course! La Verne is made of good people who want to do right by their family, their community, and their God. And that’s the ideal recipe, isn’t it?

Following is the write-up published on the link: http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/money/10-best-towns-for-families-2010/?page=5

La Verne, California

Population: 32,163
Median Income: $76,569
Median Home Price: $387,000
Households with Children: 36%
Student/Teacher Ratio: 26:1
Great Schools Rating: 9

 

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains 30 miles east of Los Angeles, La Verne has abundant hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails. At Heritage Park, residents not only enjoy summer concerts but can also pick oranges in historic citrus groves. “You’re with family and friends, out in the sun and having fun—what’s not to like?” says Lynn Del Toro, 54.

 

Husband George, 55, who manages a local water municipality, thinks of La Verne as a cozy little village. “The best thing about living here is the friendships we’ve built,” he says. The couple, along with son Lucas, 15, and daughter Noel, 11, go on vacation with neighbors and spend holidays with families from the kids’ schools. La Verne’s teachers go all out for their students. Lucas’ high school freshman class, for example, didn’t just read Homer’s Odyssey. “They acted out scenes in our city pool on a floating stage made of recyclable 2-liter soda bottles and set the whole thing to 1980s music as part of a cross-curriculum English, science, and social studies project,” says George. “That’s a production no one will forget!”

 

Good Deeds: Kids of all ages put in hundreds of hours every year doing fundraising and volunteer activities. At Oak Mesa Elementary School, students made 100 blankets for two area hospitals, while students at Bonita High raised $3,000 for Haiti relief by collecting donations on campus and at basketball games.

Filed July 6, 2010 by Colleen Bennett, Keller Williams Realty,

DRE # 01013172

Standard Sales/Short Sale & Foreclosure Certified (SFR), Probate and Conservatorship SAles/Investments

Also visit “Ask the Expert” on the LVO Homepage  to ask Colleen a question and to see what your neighbors have asked.

(909) 374.4744, email: cmbenzz@gmail.com

One Response to “WORD IS OUT! La Verne Named One of ’10 Best Towns for Families’ in 2010 by Family Circle Magazine”

  1. Once again Great coverage Peter. A lot of components come together to make LaVerne what it is. I never thought about the fact that people put their chairs and pop ups out the night before and leave them with no thought of anybody stealing anything. That can’t be said of many places, especially in California.

    This is a great place to be in 2010!!

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