Emcee Paul White, left, roasts former Whittier Mayor Monte Wicker on June 25, 2013 at the American Red Cross building on Washington Ave. Wicker, a longtime Whittier Host Lions Club member, died Sunday of natural causes. He was 99. His funeral is planned for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4 at First Friends Church on Philadelphia Street with burial to follow at Rose Hills. A reception in Wicker’s honor will be open to the public after the ceremony at the Whittier Museum, 6755 Newlin Ave., in Whittier.

By Tim Traeger

Editor

411whittier.com

This past year has claimed the life of yet another iconic American with the passing of Fremont Edward “Monte” Wicker. The former Whittier mayor and longtime owner of Monte’s Camera Shop died of natural causes on Sunday at Southern California Acute Care on Sorenson Avenue. He was 99.

The man with the booming baritone voice, easy smile and perpetual gleam in his eyes served on the Whittier City Council from 1962 to 1974 and was Whittier’s mayor from 1964 to 1966. Wicker was born in his parents’ Whittier home on May 22, 1917 and wended his way through Whittier schools before graduating from UC Davis in 1939.

Son Kim Wicker said his father originally wanted to be a veterinarian, but followed his passion for photography and turned it into a career when he opened Monte’s Camera Shop in 1948. The longtime motorcycle enthusiast was past president and a member of the Whittier Host Lions Club, a service organization that gives away thousands of dollars every year in college scholarships and free eyeglasses to the underserved in Whittier.

In an interview in August Monte recounted the time he and a friend smuggled bottles of beer into the old American Red Cross building on Washington Avenue using a string dangled from the third floor window. Or the time he and Hubert Perry raced soap box derby cars down Greenleaf Avenue. He hinted at more than a few brushes with the law.

“He was an instigator,” said Whittier Host Lions Club President Ben Greer. Monte’s father, Lewis, helped found the service club in 1922. “Monte has been a member for, like, forever. He was heavily involved in everything that made the club great. All the fund-raisers, the horse show. For our newer guys in their 60s and 70s he’s like a long lost link to the past. He kept us in stitches with his sense of humor. He was just an active guy and the older guys just revered him. He and his antics are constantly talked about. He will be sorely missed.”

Greer said past members like Wicker and Perry wove the cultural tapestry that makes Whittier a unique and caring community.

Kim Wicker said his dad met Ellen Chilton in high school and the sweethearts were married in August of 1939. They had four children: Joelyn “Jolly,” Chris, Mark and Kim. Jolly died from a sudden illness when she was 15. Monte leaves behind four grandchildren, Lisa, Mark, Alina and Tara and five great-grandchildren.

After a stint with Southern California Edison, Wicker worked for the California Department of Fish & Game before being drafted into the Army in 1945. He served stateside before opening his camera shop in 1948. Aside from the Lions Club, Monte also had leadership roles in the League of Independent Cities, the Southeast Mosquito Abatement District, the Whittier Uptown Association, Whittier College and the Bank of America Advisory Board.

After Ellen Wicker died of melanoma in June 2000, Monte fell in love with Beverly Harris, who he met while performing in Whittier Community Theater. Beverly and Monte were inseparable until his death.

Monte loved to perform and often would belt out a tune for his fellow Lions. Although his harmonica was always at the ready, “he played a mean clarinet,” Kim said.

“I remember going into Monte’s Camera as a kid and Monte showing me how to properly use it,” said Mayor Joe Vinatieri on Wednesday. “As a young man, Monte was a person on the City Council and understood who we are as a community and the values for which we stand. As mayor, Monte meant to me a person who gave me advice regarding several issues. I saw him in a different light as I grew older.”

Kim summed up his father’s life: “I would say he was easygoing, very musical and almost always happy.”

Funeral services are planned for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 4 at First Friends Church, 13205 Philadelphia St., with burial to follow at Rose Hills. A reception honoring Monte’s life will follow at the Whittier Museum, 6755 Newlin Ave.

For more information call 562-298-0192.

Tim Traeger is former editor of the Whittier Daily News and is currently executive director of the Whittier Historical Society & Museum.

WHITTIER: Don’t be late to see exactly how young you can be.

The city’s Senior Resource Fair will run from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, May 26, at the Uptown Senior Center, 13225 Walnut St.

Participants can enjoy some 50 agencies offering quality information on veterans’ assistance, housing, transportation, help with utility bills, health care, governmental aid, nutrition and more. It is open to people of all ages and stages.

For more information call the Uptown Senior Center at 562-567-9470.

By Tim Traeger
Editor
411whittier.com
Whittier is a giving town by its nature, and seven of its most dedicated givers will be

Stoltenberg

honored by the City Council beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.
Based on nominations to the Social Services Commission the seven chosen for this year’s 2015 Volunteer Recognition Program include Roger Stoltenberg (SPIRITT Family Services); Robert Chavez (Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts); Dorothea Cummings (Assistance League of Whittier); Marlene Flores-Avila (Activate Whittier/YMCA); Lee Isaac (Whittier Senior Center); Maurice Meyenburg (Rio Hondo Symphony) and Margaret “Margie” Taylor (Whittier Senior Center).
Belin Hernandez, a recreation specialist with the city, said winning volunteers are chosen based on nominations submitted to the city. Each has to be a nonpaid asset to a nonprofit organization serving the city of Whittier.
“One distinctive of Whittier and which sets Whittier apart from many Southern California communities is its tradition and culture of volunteerism,” said Mayor Pro Tem Joe Vinatieri. “Volunteers do the things that government either doesn’t want to do or can’t afford to do. In Whittier we are blessed with so many wonderful people who volunteer for so many different needs in our city. So it’s very important that we as a council recognize all our volunteers and set out special recognition every year.”
For Stoltenberg, who at age 79 has devoted more than 40 years to the nonprofit sector, serving on the SPIRITT Family Services Board since January 2000 – the last 13 as its board president – his spirit of giving came from his late wife of 57 years, Doris.
“She was the wind underneath my wings so to say,” he said.
Elvia Torres, executive director of SPIRITT, said, “We are so proud of him and delighted that his volunteerism and huge heart are being recognized.”
In addition to his SPIRITT service, Stoltenberg has served as chairman of the Leadership Board of Special Olympics San Gabriel Valley and as chairman of the host city of Whittier during the recent Special Olympics World Games.
Assistant City Manager Nancy Mendez said there will be a reception for the group at 5:30 Jan. 12 at City Hall, 13230 Penn St., followed by official council recognition at 6 p.m.

Tim Traeger is former editor of the Whittier Daily News and current executive director of the Whittier Historical Society and Museum.

Heat up your winter with a sizzling “Latin Night” at Club Parnell starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, featuring the Bachata, Salsa and Cha-Cha.

A community dance night is offered on select Fridays at Parnell Park, 15390 Lambert Road, and the Parks and Recreation Department plans a variety of dance nights for the winter season.  Learn different dances each evening with Rudy and Maria Hernandez, the dance professionals famous for “Dancing with the Whittier Stars.”

Registration and social begins at 6 p.m. and lessons start at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dance party until 10 p.m. for participants to enjoy their new skills, as well as learn other dances.  Light refreshments will be provided.  The cost for each evening is $10.

For more information call 562-567-9450.

From staff reports

WHITTIER – When the Rio Hondo College Dance Collective began planning its annual performance, leaders decided to engage local students at every level of learning – from preschool through high school.

So dancers and choreographers reached out to Pioneer High School, Hadley School, Dean Shively Middle School and Rio Hondo College’s Child Development Center to gather performers for the holiday classic, “The Nutcracker.”

In all, the show’s cast includes 40 students from the local schools, 12 advanced dancers from the Collective and 10 performers recruited from Rio Hondo College’s ballet and modern dance programs.

The Dance Collective is an ensemble of advanced students in the Rio Hondo Dance Program who are pursuing careers as dancers, choreographers or in another aspect of the field. The group performs on campus, at area dance festivals and community concerts.

“This is a great opportunity not only for our dancers to hone their skills during a live performance, but also to showcase opportunities in dance for our local community,” said Assistant Professor Alyson Cartagena, Rio Hondo College’s Director of Dance.

As part of that effort, the Collective revamped the traditional favorite, streamlining the lengthy program to about one hour to create a more enjoyable experience for parents with small children.

“This will be a wonderful family-friendly event, one that is sure to capture the spirit of the holiday and the spirit of our incredible dance program,” Rio Hondo College Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss said.

This is the Collective’s fifth holiday program, to be performed at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 at the Wray Theater, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.

“Our annual holiday program manages to combine a multitude of benefits – it highlights student performers, engages our community, celebrates the season and raises funds for student activities,” Board of Trustees President Madeline Shapiro said.

The event’s ticket sales – $10 in advance, $15 at the door, free for children under 5 – will help fund the Collective’s participation in the 2016 American College Dance Association, a national program of workshops and performances for U.S. colleges and universities.

The event will include holiday food and gifts for purchase as well as a visit from Santa Claus.

Call 562-463-3145 for more information.

WHITTIER – Rental space is currently available at the City of Whittier’s Special Activities Building, 7702 Washington Ave.

The Special Activities Building was constructed in 1976 to provide reasonably-priced office space for local non-profit social services agencies, and has housed such groups as Meals on Wheels, the Intercommunity Blind Center and the Intercommunity Counseling Center.

The current vacant area in the building is on the first level and is about 2,800 square feet. The current rent is 59 cents per square foot, or $1,652 per month. The office space is available in whole or in part, and any modifications to the space must be approved by the city and the costs borne by the lease holder.

To apply for renting the Special Activities Building space nonprofit organizations must meet the following criteria: have current 501(c)3 non-profit status; have a majority of members or serve a majority of recipients who are city of Whittier residents; and have a mission or services that would not violate the federal or state constitutional prohibition on establishments of religion or providing public funds or support to sectarian organizations or purposes.

The deadline to apply for consideration to rent the space is Friday, Dec. 4, 2015 and must include the following information: A letter of interest; Mission Statement; explanation of how the facility will be utilized; a list of the Board of Directors of the organization; the current operating budget; and proof of non-profit status.

Anyone wishing to view the available space during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday may make an appointment with Dan Walker, Community Services Supervisor, at 562-567-9430.

Applicants will be reviewed by the Whittier Social Services Commission, which will make a recommendation to the City Council for the rental of the space.

For more information, potential applicants may contact Fran Shields, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, at 562-567-9400.