October 13, 2005
La Canada Flintridge Outlook

Evening for the Station, an annual jazz concert to benefit Union Station Foundation located in Pasadena will be held on Oct. 22.

“This event began six years ago,” said co-chair Jennifer Essen. “It is a wonderful partnership between the LA Music Academy and world-renowned jazz musicians. Each year this event has grown!””

The event, which will include a silent auction and dinner, is already sold out. Among the highlights of the evening will be Sergio Mendes and his band as the headliner of an all-Brazilian concert. “Most of our committee members live in La Canada, and spend an enormous amount of time putting the event together,” said Essen. “We take time away from our work and families because we feel strongly that raising money to help poor and homeless men, women and children is so important.”

“For several years, I have been in charge of the silent auction,” joined in Sherry Kircheimer. “I was happy to move up to the co-chair position with Jennifer this year.”

“Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a graduation at Union Station,”Kircheimer said.. “They call the program ‘Sources’ and it offers training and counseling for homeless people to be better prepared to seek jobs. That day, eight men and women were graduating after forty hours of course work. As they accepted their certificates, their speeches were heart-warming. Many had never completed a program before or earned a certificate. Each spoke of the hope they now had for their future.”

“Many in the community might not realize that Union Station Foundation offers shelter for individuals and families, hot meals, career development, health care, case-management services and substance-abuse recovery support,” said Essen. “Just this past year, 154 adults without children and 63 families received shelter and comprehensive support services. These poor and homeless people need our help to get a fresh start. They have difficult work ahead of them as they rebuild their lives. Sherry and I want to make sure that Union Station will have the resources to help them along their way.”

Essen and Kircheimer are La Canada Flintridge residents. Essen is the Marketing Manager at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. Kircheimer works part time in the laboratory at Verdugo Internal Medicine.