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COMMUNITY
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LB Junior Concert Band in search of new home again
Sean Belk Staff Writer
The Long Beach Junior Concert Band (LBJCB) is looking for a new home again after being ejected from two locations and now being forced out of another. For the past several months, the independent youth marching band established in 1952 has been searching for a permanent spot to perform rehearsals and store their equipment, uniforms, instruments, trophies and other belongings. The band had shared space with the Long Beach Gas & Oil Department at 3221 Industry Dr. in Signal Hill for nearly 20 years. But, in 2011, the band was forced to move to a new location at 231 South St. that it split with the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine
Department’s after-school program and the Long Beach Heritage Museum. The City of Long Beach, which waived rental costs and only required the band to cover utilities, however, terminated the band’s lease last July due to budget cuts. Now, the band is being evicted again after a local property owner had allowed them to stay temporarily in a vacant warehouse at 1290 Gaviota Ave. nearly free of charge while they searched for a new location. So far, the nonprofit band hasn’t been able to find a space cheap enough for their small budget, said Carrie Daquiado, LBJCB’s treasurer and a former band member. “We’re now in desperate search of something that we could utilize… maybe 4,000 to 6,000 square feet… as
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aPrIL 12, 2013
a band-rehearsal facility and possibly small office,” she said, adding that the property owner sent a notice last month, indicating that the band has until May 31 to leave the premises. Jim Morris, who owns the property and JCL Barricade Company, which specializes in Courtesy J L Holmes traffic-control services for parades Drummers from the Long Beach Junior Concert Band perform during the Henderson Heritage and events, said he Day Parade on April 6. offered the space on Gaviota Avenue after reading about the case. Morris said he’s hopeful that be tax-deductible, Daquiado said, the band’s plight in a newspaper article. someone else will now “carry the ball adding that the most LBJCB could pay for the space is about $300 to $500 per But after being “pinched by economic for a while.” The band was in talks last year with month. Currently, the band relies on a circumstance,” he now has to cut expenses by putting the building on the The Salvation Army Long Beach small income from band-member fees Citadel that had offered to donate a and contributions. market. Daquiado said any location with “I thought they were going to go to space located off of Spring Street and another location, but it looks like that Atlantic Avenue, but in October of last enough space for the right price would didn’t pan out,” Morris said. “It’s an year the band was informed that the suffice. “I don’t really care where it is,” she unfortunate situation… It was some- property would be leased out at “fairthing that I didn’t think I was going to market value,” which has put the band said. “It could be in Long Beach. It have to do. It’s magical hearing music back to “square one” again, Daquiado could be in Signal Hill. It could be in said. Since then, no other offers have Lakewood. I just need something that I come out of that place.” can put these kids into.” He added that it was the hope that come up, she said. Since the band is a nonprofit, any the City of Long Beach could “step up see BAND page 15 to the plate,” however that hasn’t been donation, including rental costs, could
Community comes to the rescue of LB nonprofit that aids homeless children
Sean Belk Staff Writer
Local businesses and community members have quickly pitched in to help replace items that were recently stolen from a nonprofit that provides services to homeless children and families in Long Beach. Two to three months’ worth of supplies were taken from one of the facilities operated by Children Today, which offers a safe place for children to play while families transition out of homelessness, providing early care and education services, food programs, counseling and relocation assistance. But, since an email was sent out notifying close supporters and community members about the burglary, all the child-care items, which included diapers, wipes, shampoo, underwear and socks, were replaced within about a week, said Dora Jacildo, the nonprofit’s executive director. Pixie Toys, located at 3930 Atlantic Ave. in Bixby Knolls, provided a drop box for donations, and the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association notified business members in its recent newsletter. “Our supporters are so generous,” she said. “This community is amazing… and the response from the community was so quick… For us, this means seamless operations. We can just keep on going with the work.” The nonprofit did not file a police report, however the organization has since taken “additional precautions” and has become “more vigilant” in light of the recent burglary, Jacildo said. “It’s a little discouraging and makes us feel a little unsafe,” she said. “I just feel like there are a lot of people out there who make choices just out of desperation.” She added that the nonprofit is always taking donations. Children Today operates its Play House West at 525 E. 7th St. and Play House North and administrative offices at 1900 E. South St. MORE INFORMATION childrentoday.org (562) 432-1224