Tagged: Danny's Farm

Searching for a pumpkin patch this weekend?

PUMPKIN FESTIVAL LAUNCHES WITH OLD-TIME FAMILY FUN

Free Pumpkins to First 300 Children with Special Needs

 

October 23 – Pasadena – Local families can celebrate the incoming of fall with a trip to Danny’s Farm Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 23, 1-4 p.m. to enjoy old-time farm activities for children of all ages.

 

The day will provide families with entrance into a very unique petting zoo designed for children affected with autism and special needs. While Danny’s Farm was founded to be a special place for special children, it is open to children with or without disabilities.  Pony rides and other activities are planned for families and children of all ages.  For the first 300 guests, a free pumpkin will be given to children with special needs.  Former LA Dodger pitcher and Danny’s Farm founder, Jim Gott, will be present to meet families.

 

Located in a rustic barn in Altadena Stables, is wheelchair friendly. Members of our staff are fluent in American Sign Language, and we welcome persons with or without disabilities to enjoy Danny’s Farm. Danny’s Farm is located at 3064 1/2 Ridgeview Drive in Altadena.

Danny’s Farm was created to provide meaningful employment and volunteer opportunities for adults and teenagers with disabilities. Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena, California, Danny’s Farm is a safe, nurturing environment that promotes independence and provides vocational training. Skilled job coaches work alongside our employees, supervising our special needs staff, while promoting self-reliance.

For more information, visit dannysfarm.com or call (626) 797-FARM.

Congratulations are in order…

The Phillies are the World Champs and if nothing else, it feels good to know that we were beaten by the team that won it all. Congratulations to the entire Phillies organization, including our Communications counterparts Larry Shenk, Bonnie Clark, Scott Palmer, Leigh Tobin, Greg Casterioto, and Kevin Gregg among others. This means that since front-office blogging began with Scott Reifert (Inside the White Sox in 2005…when they won it all) and now Phillies Insider, it’s destined to be our year in 2009, right? (Even the Red Sox have apparently started an anonymous front office blog earlier this year, though they didn’t have it for last year’s World Championship).

Actually, while I wish that really had a bearing on what goes on down on the field, I have to say that as I drove home today from our departmental offsite team building trip to Danny’s Farm, I was listening to the last inning of the World Series and then the postgame interviews and a few things jumped out at me. The first voice (albeit almost completely gone) to come on was Jayson Werth, who was a really good person who never really was healthy enough in Los Angeles to show his ability and I’m very happy for him and his family.

He said something in the postgame that was echoed by Charlie Manuel, Pat Gillick and almost everyone else when they were asked what the difference was between this year’s team and last year’s, which reached the postseason but lost in the NLDS. All of them said that it was the experience gained in last year’s playoffs that helped them win it all this year and that’s a very reassuring for our team, which gained some much-needed experience. We have a very busy offseason ahead of us but regardless of how it turns out, we’re going to have nearly a dozen players at the bare minimum who experienced the NLCS this year and will be better off for it.

Anyway, tonight is the official end to the 2008 season and the beginning of 2009. Free agents start filing tomorrow and decisions have to be made on players’ options, trade proposals and much more. Next week is the GM meetings, which don’t make as much news as the Winter Meetings, but a lot of the groundwork gets laid during that period of time.

So congrats again to the Phillies…here’s hoping they’re congratulating us a year from now.

P.S. Spoke with Andre yesterday and he said a new Arizona restaurant review is coming soon…

Friday wrap-up

First of all, thanks to all of you for the feedback regarding the environment at the stadium, especially dcollins for kicking off the thread. I can assure you that we take all of these comments very seriously and that much like all areas of the Dodger experience, we’ll be reviewing this particular topic closely and working to drastically improve in 2009. It’s a topic that has been discussed at the highest levels of the team and all of your input has been and will continue to be used to make things better.

Regarding Andre’s Dining with ‘Dre blog, yes, I believe he’s planning on continuing it during the offseason but I think it’s only fair that we give him and the other players some down time to hang out with their families. If I haven’t heard from him in a week or two, I’ll hit him up for an entry.

Birthday wishes go out today to Rafael Furcal, who turns 31 (as well as Wilton Guerrero, who is 34 and F.P. Santangelo, who is 44). I’d love to see Raffy back in a Dodger uniform (as would Ned and Joe and Frank) and I know he wants to be back, too. Hopefully we can find a way to make it work.

Meanwhile, with the World Series underway, it’s a good time to point out that the L.A. Times has a “Where are they now” gallery of the ’88 team.

And finally, for those looking for something to do this weekend/next week or more importantly, for a place to pick up a pumpkin, drop by Danny’s Farm in Altadena. The farm was started by former Dodger Jim Gott and his wife, Cathy, and they’re having a Fall Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 26-30 from 4-7 p.m. The farm was named in honor of their son, Danny, who has autism, and is a really cool place to hang out with the animals. Pumpkins are for sale but are also free for families in need. A suggested $5 donation admits one person, but no one will be turned away.