Downey welcomed 2019 with a carnival at the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center (RLA).
The carnival is held on behalf of pediatric patients at the center, along with their families. Director of Volunteers Debbie Tomlinson said the carnival was for the children, many of whom came to the center from outside the state, and could be lonely being away from home during the holidays.
The center's plaza is wheelchair-friendly, and patients who use the chairs were able to enjoy playing games like ring toss, or waiting for a bag of popcorn or a sweater. Everything was given away free at the carnival, as members of Warren's Humanitarian Club distributed hot dogs complete with trimmings, angel food cake, and lemonade. Tomlinson said she expected at least 450 people to attend the celebration. Parties like this are always more fun when organizers use banner printing to create decorations.
Downey's Rotary Club donated toys that were given away as prizes; Spin Master Toys had offered Rotary the toys at a greatly reduced rate. Rotary passed on Spin Master's generosity to others, including the Downey Fire Department and RLA.
The elliptical-shaped plaza is centered around a 20-foot ‘Tree of Life’. The paved area is wide and easy for wheelchairs to navigate, and feels like a park. Small pine trees provide shade for those who enjoy sitting on the available benches.
