Each year the L.A. County Fair honors Community Heroes – seniors, adults and young adults – from 19 surrounding Inland Valley cities during the 23 days of the Fair, Sept. 5 – Oct. 4. Friday, Sept. 18 is Azusa Day at the Fair, a day for celebrating volunteers, humanitarians, students, neighbors and community organizations working to make their city a better place to live for everyone.
Azusa Day festivities include a parade down Broadway and a presentation on the Pepper Street Stage honoring Azusa’s community hero.
Taking top billing in the parade is Luis Miranda, Azusa’s senior community hero. Miranda quit school in 9th grade to help support his family. He served in World War II, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1946. Over the years he worked as a handy man for older and less fortunate community members. His payment: a single Diet Pepsi if customers had it; a simple thank-you if they didn’t. Now retired, he volunteers at the Azusa Senior Center and participates in various city-wide events, including the traveling Viet Nam Wall. Says daughter Julie Miranda, “I know there are angels that walk on this earthly plane and my daddy is one of them.”
Azusa’s junior community hero is Alyssa Zamora, a sophomore at Gladstone High School where she serves as A.S.B. vice president. She has also participated in softball and volleyball. Her most important moment in community service came in 2007/2008 when she noticed an unpaved sidewalk next to her middle school. Considering it a safety issue for students and families, she pursued the matter all the way to City Council where she appeared to ask for the situation to be remedied. The sidewalk was completed in 2008, one of her proudest moments.
Azusa residents, friends, family and supporters can join their community celebration at a reduced admission price with a buy-one-get-one-free admission coupon good for Friday, Sept. 18! Coupons are available at Azusa Chamber of Commerce, City Hall and other community locations. Come for the Fair; stay for the community festivities: parade at 5 p.m. and hero presentation at 5:30 p.m.
The L.A. County Fair continues Wednesday – Sunday through Oct. 4, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Live thoroughbred horse racing Sept. 10 – 28, dark Mondays Sept. 14 and 21 and Tuesdays. For information on ways to save at the Fair, visit lacountyfair.com.
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