By: Donna Duperron
This past Saturday, I had the unique opportunity to visit two chamber businesses who were hosting special events. The morning began at the Salvation Army Torrance Corps where they were holding a community open house. My second destination was the South Bay Falafel Festival hosted by St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church.
The Salvation Army tour provided a glimpse into the Hunt Recording Studio and the Crescendo Music and Dance Academy. The Crescendo Music and Dance Academy offers affordable music lessons as an after-school program for the youth of the community. There are currently 81 students in the music program. The Hunt Recording Studio works in conjunction with the Academy providing kids opportunities to record their music and learn about the recording process.
It was also announced that the Salvation Army, the Hunt family and DBMIX are launching a Share Your Voice – Music Competition for junior high and high school students in the South Bay Area and beyond. The winners will have the opportunity to record in the world-class Hunt Recording studio with a Grammy award-winning producer and his team. Additional information can be found at www.torrancecorps.org
As I departed the Salvation Army, I headed toward St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church and the South Bay Falafel Festival. Greeted by Father John Mahfouz, I immediately felt welcomed and looked forward to experiencing Falafel for the very first time. But, before that took place I walked through the festival grounds and observed kids of all ages playing in the Kids Zone and individuals gathering in front of the band.
As I was walking to order my Falafel plate, I noticed a lot of people gathered around tables lined with displays of Mediterranean desserts. I stopped and listened to a woman who was explaining the name of each dessert and the key ingredients of each. Hearing that pistachio was an ingredient in several of the recipes, I did purchase a few desserts to take home with my Falafel plate.
As I left the festival, I reflected on the endless opportunities the south bay community offers. The Salvation Army Torrance Corps and St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church are two organizations who are truly making a meaningful impact on the lives of so many.