By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce will host a Rebuild Expo on Sunday, September 28—a dedicated event designed to provide comprehensive support for residents of Pacific Palisades and Malibu affected by the Palisades fire in January.

There will be a selection of architects, contractors, designers, insurance adjusters, expediters and essential service providers on hand.

“This event is a vital resource for homeowners seeking guidance on rebuilding their homes and lives,” according to the chamber. “The Rebuild Expo brings together all the necessary resources under one roof, simplifying a process that can often feel overwhelming. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to speak directly with a variety of experts.”

There is no cost to attend but because of the focused nature of the expo, attendees must register for an entrance badge to be admitted. Eventbrite tickets can be obtained at shorturl.at/VaBqO.

“We created this expo to directly address the needs of our community members who are facing the daunting task of rebuilding and restoring their properties,” Chamber Chair Ramis Sadrieh said. “By bringing all of these professionals together, we aim to provide a streamlined, supportive environment in the form of a one-stop shop where residents can get the answers they need to begin the next chapter for their homes and families. The PaliBu Chamber is dedicated to cultivating a strong and resilient community and this event plays a crucial role in achieving that goal.”

The expo—which is presented by SunPoint Public Adjusters—will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. at Santa Monica Bay Woman’s Club, located at 1210 4th Street. Parking is available at Public Parking Structure 1, located next door to the Woman’s Club.

The list of exhibitors for the Expo includes A.R.M.; Anawalt Hardware & Supply; Archicraft; Arri Lecron Architects; Casa Blanc Windows and Doors; Catalina Paints; Champion Builders; City of LA/Pali TC; 4Creeks; David Van Arsdell Architects PC; F2F Sevan Palisades Home Builders; Floorish; Frame It; Frantz Construction; G. Row; Haro Kasunich and Associates, Inc.; Interwall Steel; Karamia Designs Inc.; LPI Construction; Laura Evans Living Interior Design; Luxe Homecare; Malibu Glass & Mirror;  Malibu Nursery & Landscaping; MC Builder; Milestones Ranch; Olympia Designs; Perfect Block Shelter Safety; Reiko Architecture; Rigid Design & Construction,  Inc.; RLB Architecture; StackWall MFG.; Studio Bracket; SunPoint Public Adjusters; T&S Structural; Technology for You; Top Tier Contractors Inc.; Trade Construction Services, Inc.; Twin Oaks, Inc.; and VITOLI Landscaping.

“The PaliBu Chamber of Commerce serves the business and resident communities of Pacific Palisades and Malibu,” according to a statement. “We are committed to promoting local commerce, supporting our members and fostering community growth.”

For more information,
contact PaliBu Chamber Connections Director Anthony McDemas at connections@malibu.org or visit palibu.org.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin will host “Palibu Day of Service” on Saturday, September 27, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to support “the essential work local nonprofits do to support” Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

“Spend the day giving back through meaningful, hands-on projects that support our community,” read information about the event, which will take place at various sites, as well as Pepperdine University at Alumni Park, located at 24255 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Volunteer opportunities include a beach cleanup with Heal the Bay at Malibu Lagoon, oak tree care at Nicholas Flat Trailhead with Resource Conservation District of Santa Monica Mountains, packing lunches with Malibu C.A.R.T., a drive with Westside Food Bank and donating blood with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“Many more volunteer opportunities will be available at Pepperdine University, from art projects to CPR trainings,” the description continued. “Fee-waived pet adoptions with the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care will also be available, including fee-waived feline adoptions at the Agoura shelter.”

For more information or to sign up for available volunteer opportunities, visit a42.asmdc.org/events.

Palisades Beautiful will host a tree planting event on Saturday, September 27, beginning at 9 a.m.

“We need your help planting four new trees on Swarthmore [Avenue] in front of the CVS parking lot,” according to the organization. “There were palm trees here cut down after the fire, and we’ll be replacing them with new trees in nearly the same location. Each tree is in a 24” box, we’ll split into groups working on each of the four tree wells.”

Gloves and shovels will be provided, but attendees are requested to bring their own if they have them. Long pants and sleeves, as well as closed-toe shoes, are recommended.

The group will meet at American Legion Ronald Reagan – Palisades Post 283 (15247 La Cruz Drive), and after the event, they will have lunch at Palisades Garden Cafe. For more information or to RSVP, visit palisadesbeautiful.org/plant.

Pacific Palisades Democratic Club will host its annual garden party on Sunday, September 28, from 2 to 4 p.m. at a home in The Riviera.

“Hear from and ask questions of your elected officials face to face,” read an event description.

Invitations from PPDC have been accepted by Congressmember Brad Sherman, Senator Ben Allen, Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, Councilmember Traci Park and Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Nick Melvoin. PPDC has extended an invitation to U.S. Senator Adam Schiff.

The event will include a silent auction, as well as “delicious food and drink.” Doors will open at 1:30 p.m., with the program slated to begin at 2:10 p.m. There will also be a link to attend virtually via Zoom.

Tickets begin at $75 for in person or $35 for virtual. Students can attend in person for $50 or $25 for virtual. For more information, including a link to purchase tickets, visit palidems.org.

Chamber Music Palisades will begin its 29th season with a free community afternoon concert on Saturday, September 27, at 3 p.m.

“This program features the artistry of flutist Susan Greenberg alongside the acclaimed and award-winning Zelter String Quartet,” according to information shared by CMP. “The program includes beloved masterpieces by [Wolfgang Amadeus] Mozart, [Ludwig van] Beethoven, [Felix] Mendelssohn and [Maurice] Ravel, and a vivacious modern piece, ‘City of Angels,’ by Los Angeles composer Todd Mason.”

The concert will take place at Brentwood Presbyterian Church, located at 12000 San Vicente Boulevard. For additional information on the season, visit cmpalisades.org.

Paper Cups

There’s a great ol‘ true story. A gentleman—an under secretary of defense—was giving a speech at a large conference.

They flew him business class to that city. A car service picked him up. An advance team met him at the hotel and escorted him to his fancy-pants room.

The next morning, he was chaperoned to the green room and handed a fresh-brewed coffee in a lovely ceramic cup.

The next year, he spoke at the same conference. But now he was retired.

He flew coach, stayed at a not-so-snappy hotel. No advance team in sight. Backstage, he went looking for coffee.

He found a pot off in the corner—and poured it into a paper cup.

He said his lesson learned was that the ceramic cup was never meant for him. It was meant for the position he had held.

In that moment, he realized he deserved a paper cup.

Here’s my takeaway.

Let’s start with something we all share.

On the night our parents were loving on each other, we all won a marathon swimming race against 100,000,000 other fine competitors. The rest of ’em—too bad. Never going to exist.

Lucky us.

Let’s think about when we were born.

It wasn’t 300,000 years ago, sleeping in the grass of a savannah. No Ring cameras to let us know we had leopards, hyenas or pythons stopping by as guests. And no insect spray for the tsetse flies, lice or scorpions dropping by during the night.

And it wasn’t just over 100 years ago in 1900. No cars. No airplanes. Electricity barely flickering anywhere. Life expectancy at 32 in the world. No recorded music or movies. And almost no indoor plumbing.

We were born now.

In the most astonishing time—with every luxury, medicine and comfort imaginable.

Add to the mix the families we were born into, and the bounty of friends who have graced and inspired our lives.

And, if we put those donuts down, we might make a run at 100.

There’s an ol‘ Ukraine toast when folks clink their glasses. “Know who you are.”

It’s about pride and humility—all in the same thought.

Pride for what you’ve built. Humility in being grateful.

Maybe we should go out of our way, wherever we are, to drink from a paper cup.

To keep us in check.

From grass beds under starlight to smart beds under skylights, we’ve come a long way.

A simple cup can keep our feet on the ground.

Old word. Always new.

Grateful.

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.

The Palisadian-Post has welcomed Camille Cornell—a junior at Marymount High School with “long-standing ties to the Pacific Palisades community”—as a fall intern.

I’ve always thought of the Palisades as my second home. My dad and grandmother were both born and raised Palisadians. My grandmother, Christine Cornell, grew up in Marquez Knolls and has lived in the Palisades for over 75 years before relocating after the fires.

Her home became my second home, a place where I spent countless weekends, holidays and family gatherings. My fondest memories are from running the Fourth of July race every year to Halloween nights with friends and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The Palisades hasn’t been just a place but a community full of life that has woven me into the person that I am. Growing up, I played basketball at Palisades Recreation Center and even had the chance to win a championship there.

The longstanding tradition of running the Fourth of July Palisades Will Rogers 5K every year is the baseline of what my dad instilled in me because it is the true spirit of community. My dad has instilled in me the meaning and importance of family, and how a town can be the true definition of family.

My dad serves as a member of American Legion Ronald Reagan – Palisades Post 283 with Palisadians that he has known since he was young himself, giving me the lens that you can stay connected to your roots in various ways. These experiences instilled a strong appreciation for the Palisades and the people who make it such a special place.

I am especially drawn to journalism because I enjoy the process of storytelling. I believe in the importance of allowing everyone to share their narrative, debate issues and allow for thoughtful communication on social issues in the community. Local journalism, in particular, has the power to connect neighbors, preserve traditions and shine a light on stories that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Being given this internship opportunity, I look forward to not only sharpening my skills as a writer and reporter, but also contributing to something meaningful I deeply believe in. I plan to honor and share the stories of the Palisades. It’s my way of giving back to the community that shaped me and so many others as it rebuilds.