Emeritus and Passed Members of the Board of Advisors
Renee Riendeau
Renee was the founder of Remedial Education Needs Empathetic Endeavors Fund, which became a constituent component of the Mary Pinola & Crescenta Valley Education Fund. She remains an advisor encouraging support for programs that serve people with special needs.
Eleanor Wacker
Member of the Board of Advisors, 1990-2025
This year when Eleanor Wacker decided to conclude her official service to the Education Fund, we tried to think of a way to thank her for her wonderful contributions. Mary's best recollection is that she has been one of our links to the CV Chamber of Commerce as well as many other organizations throughout the community for almost 35 years. Incredible.
We could always count on Eleanor for an honest, constructive opinion as well as appraisals of ideas, grant proposals, and plans for community outreach. This was very helpful because our Education Fund is the only one of its kind that we know of, i.e., it began in partnership with the CV Chamber and expanded to become a donor-advised fund of the Community Foundation of the Verdugos. Her skills and dedication contributed greatly as we blazed a new trail. It could be very challenging at times - but as we can see 35 years later, rewarding at all times.
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Eleanor brought many skills to the table and rolled up her sleeves to help with countless fundraising events and even was a good sport to serve as one of the Masters-of-Ceremonies for the 2024 Smart-A-Thon. She received rave reviews which was very helpful because the Smart-A-Thon is a critical fundraiser for the Fund. Over the years, she was many crazy theatre-type characters presenting grant checks during skits at Chamber Luncheons, award ceremonies, etc., etc., etc.
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We salute Eleanor for being an example of what can be accomplished when volunteers come together and undertake innovations. Her contribution to our community and especially to the Education Fund will make a difference for all in the Crescenta-Canada Valley forever. On behalf of all of us, THANK YOU, ELEANOR.
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Frances "Jean" Maluccio
1941-2022
Photograph provided by Crescenta Valley Weekly
Frances “Jean” Maluccio was a key member of the broader La Crescenta community and played an essential role in the formation of the Education Fund. For years prior to the official start of the Fund in 1990, she assisted in the conceptualization and fundraising for educational programs and was one of the original signers of the documents creating the official Fund at what was then the Glendale Foundation and later became the Community Foundation of the Verdugos.
Jean had an extensive background in business including work for Pacific Bell, the Examiner Newspaper, Verdugo Hills Bowl, the Shenanigans Restaurant in Glendale and the Rocking Horse Boutique in La Crescenta.
However, many of us knew her because of her commitment to the community. She volunteered for many groups including Verdugo Hills Hospital, Verdugo Hills Council Boy Scouts Silent Auction, Glendale Memorial Hospital, CVCAN, CV Fireworks, Prom Plus, Relay for Life,Glendale Poilice Department/Montrose Station, La Crescenta Woman’s Club and the AmericanLegion Post 288.
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For almost two decades, Jean served as Manager of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and provided expertise in planning events and mixers. She assisted with all 31 Smart-A-Thons that were held at USC VHH and were a major fundraiser for the Education Fund. She was the first to cheer on Chris Waldheim, Ruth McNevin and Mary Pinola who walked the LA Marathon for donations as well as Charlie Kenny who provided the transportation to and from the event. She served as bookkeeper for donations received for the Fund thru the Chamber.
Not one to give up or discourage anyone from doing a worthy project, Jean was never one to
seek the spotlight. Instead, she worked quietly behind the scenes, getting things done so that projects
could continue moving forward. She knew who to call, what permits were required, when newspaper
articles were due, what groups had to be contacted – in sum, what made our community work.
Warren J. Boehm
1936-2017
Photograph provided by Crescenta Valley Weekly
Warren J. Boehm, a member of the Education Fund since its inception in 1990 as well as a loyal supporter of the Crescenta Valley Chamber, left this earth in 2017. He was a true friend to everyone who knew him and especially to all of us on the Board of Advisors to the Education Fund.
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Warren was committed to helping educational projects and reaching out to organizations throughout our community. Many of our meetings were punctuated by Warren’s comments and his use of visual aids to tell us all about projects. He was known to bring in broken old musical instruments to show how much a band or an orchestra needed new equipment. He played a little bit on a ukelele to emphasize that every third grade child could and should learn how to play it. It was a great introduction to playing a musical instrument and appreciating music. The grant was made during COVID and we did indeed give complete sets to three third grade classes so that students could play the instrument together as well as on their own at home.
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He especially loved the luncheons when we gave out our grants and enjoyed special presentations when he surprised the audience with a standout costume or comical ending to a skit. We are grateful that Warren, who was born in Le Center, Minnesota, came to Eagle Rock with his family when he was two years old. A graduate of St. Dominic’s Eagle Rock High and St. Mary’s in Morago, California, he became a wise businessman with a very warm heart. While Warren opened his own business on Foothill Boulevard in Tujunga as an agent for Farmer’s Insurance from 1961-2008, he always had time for his volunteer passions and his determination to be a helper to his community.