Page 14 August 30 , 2012 TORRANCE TRIBUNE TerriAnn in Torrance Remembering Labor Day in Torrance By TerriAnn Ferren was a teacher and my father was a painter. for my dad helping him sell real estate.” Labor Day falls every year on the first She my mother introduced me to classical Real estate? Wow, I can remember my first Monday in September. Although its origin is music and I didn’t realize that she actually big job babysitting for the Matthews’ two debated, it has been a national holiday since sang classical music until I was in it. Her little girls for two weeks. Real estate sounds 1894. It is a day to celebrate all those who name was Eloise Smith.” After Brian left my so grown up for a teenager. Colby told me work and also reminds us that summer is table, I saw him hurry toward the center of when he was younger he cleaned the house nearing a close and school is starting soon. the restaurant where he scooted a wooden for his grandma and grandpa and was paid I decided to ask some people in Torrance chair toward the server’s island and stood by them. “Labor Day means taking a break and the South Bay what Labor Day means on the seat. All of a sudden the entire room from hard work. I go back to school before to them. was filled with a full-voiced tenor singing in Labor Day,” he said. While having an Italian dinner in Torrance Italian. Brian is truly a splendid singer and The next day, I met Ron Cessna (who one evening at a table covered with crisp white I see why he was encouraged to pursue a retired from teaching just over a year ago) butcher paper, I spoke with Brian K. Smith, singing career. What a treat to have dinner to get his perspective on Labor Day. Ron who was born and raised in Los Angeles and and a show! Bob Gervais. said, “For the past almost 25 years, it Labor has been working at the restaurant for only The next day, I drove my very dirty car into Labor Day, I think of time to give them a Day meant that school was going to start. It the local carwash on Hawthorne Boulevard. break. They appreciate it and we appreciate was the last holiday and then school would After selecting my wash and wax package everything they do. They work hard every start. That is what it meant to me over the and my preferred air freshener, I headed into day, so it is a day for them to be recognized past 25 years.” I asked him how he felt not the office to pay. Behind the counter I met for everything they do and give them a day teaching this fall and he told me that since Jasmine Vera, age 19, who has been working of rest. We try to incorporate the Labor this is all new to him, not working just feels at the carwash for five months. I first asked her Day holiday by closing early on Friday if she liked her job and she said, “I actually and we have a barbecue right at the shop do. I love working with people. I am a people and thank everybody. We buy the food, person.” I then asked Jasmine if she ever we take half a day and we sit around and thought about Labor Day or what it means. celebrate. Everybody gets paid for the day and everybody has a good time.” Bob celebrates his nine employees and I found that to be a complete turnaround from the days of the beginning of the industrial revolution when Brian K. Smith employees were not always appreciated as three weeks. But Brian is also a student at they should have been. the University of California, Irvine working Later in the week, I happened to be at a local toward a master’s degree in vocal arts. Brian hamburger café and spotted some younger was a dancer and model for 10 years prior citizens and decided to get their views on to working on his master’s degree and lived Labor Day. Landon Smith, age 11, hasn’t held Ron Cessna. Photos by TerriAnn Ferren. and worked in Italy, France, Japan and Brazil. a steady job as of yet, but has had a lemonade like a sabbatical. Ron has taught elementary “I came back to the USA and decided to stand. “I set it the lemonade stand up in my school--primarily fourth and fifth grade--but take a vocal class, and it just started from front yard and charged 50 cents,” he said. has taught first, second, third and fourth there,” he said. “I started at LACC and took I then asked Landon’s sister Jacquelyn, age combinations. “I will be in my retirement a vocal lesson and just took the next one and 15, what she thought about Labor Day and mode,” he said. “Walk the dogs, go for a bike I had vocal class and commercial music and Jasmine Vera. Age 19. ride…and I am getting back into painting. they said, ‘You could really do this.’ So then She told me she hadn’t thought about it much That is what I actually got my degree in a I applied when I graduated there--I was a and she doesn’t get the day off. But she added, long time ago--painting and art.” foreign language major--then when I applied “I actually strongly think that we should be Remember when Labor Day was a time to to Cal State Long Beach, they had a music grateful for the time that we do work because put away those white shoes? Well, we might department of course and scholarships and nowadays it is really hard to find jobs. So for not pay as close attention to what fashion I tried out for it and I got it. And that is those people who don’t get the day off--in a dictates anymore, but surely there is a wind how it started.” sense it isn’t ’cuz people should have the day of change in the air. Cooler breezes in the Brian now wants to be a professional off. But I wouldn’t complain. Just working evening are welcome after the dog days of singer and branch out into acting. I then every day would be fine by me.” summer blanketed the area with heat. And asked him what he thought about Labor A few days later I happened to bump school is beginning again. Kindergarteners Day. He said, “I think of unions myself. into Bob Gervais, who owns his own closet Landon Smith, age 11, Jacquelyn Smith, age 15, and Colby are starting off on a new adventure and I used to work for a hotel and I know the company in Torrance. For 26 years, Bob and Smith, age 17. seniors in high school are beginning a time union is very important, so that is what it his wife Donna have lived in Torrance and she told me, “People get a day off of work in their lives that will remain frozen in their means to me--the union protecting me. I Bob’s company and factory are both located and that we have to go back to school. I am thoughts forever. But Labor Day also is time have never gotten Labor Day off.” Brian in the city of Torrance. He manufactures and going into ninth grade at Marymount.” But to give a nod to the worker. Work is part of is a tenor who prefers singing pop and installs custom closets for his customers. I 17-year-old Colby Smith, the older brother, what makes this country great. My hat is off has written his own music, but told me he asked Bob what he thought about Labor Day has been working this summer and told me, to the worker this Labor Day. And whether wants to get better with the arranging. He and he immediately said with the broadest “I go to Loyola. It Labor Day is a time you celebrate with a barbecue, a parade, a plays piano and flute and is learning guitar smile, “People work so hard every year-- for people who worked hard to get a day off day off or a picnic, remember that work is and violin as well. He added, “My mother especially my employees. When I think of and relax and stuff. I just finished working good. Happy Labor Day! • Hometown Recruits air forCe airman patriCk superintendent assigned to the 21st Space field tactics, military courtesy, military justice the Pacific, and Europe. Macias is a motor J. Clark graduateS from Wing at Fort Carson, Colo. The senior system, basic first aid, foot marches, and transport operator assigned to the 539th military training master sergeant served in the military for field training exercises. Maxson is the son of Transportation Company at Fort Wainwright, Air Force Airman Patrick J. Clark graduated 23 years. He is the son of Peter and Erika Diane Balzano of Michelle Drive, Torrance, Alaska. The private first class has served in from basic military training at Lackland Air Zipplies of Nadine Circle, Torrance. Zipplies Calif., and Steven Maxson of West 65th the military for one year. He is the son of Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The airman graduated in 1989 from South Torrance High Drive, Arvada, Colo. He is a 2007 graduate Lydia Macias of Torrance. Macias graduated completed an intensive, eight-week program School, and received an associate degree in of Arvada West High School, Colo. in 2009 from South High School, Torrance. that included training in military discipline 1997 from the Community College of the army pfC. Brian a. maCiaS air forCe reSerVe airman and studies, Air Force core values, physical Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. returnS from operation 1St ClaSS iVan d. galindo fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in 2002 enduring freedom graduateS from military Airmen who complete basic training earn four from Bellevue University, Neb. Army Pfc. Brian A. Macias has returned training credits toward an associate in applied science army pfC. Jared S. maxSon to the U.S. after being deployed overseas at Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Ivan degree through the Community College of graduateS from ComBat a forward operating base to serve in support D. Galindo graduated from basic military the Air Force. Clark is the son of Joann training of Operation Enduring Freedom. Operation training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Newcomb of Warmington Lane, Huntington Army Pfc. Jared S. Maxson has graduated Enduring Freedom is the official name given Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an Beach, and stepson of Jon Steinman of Cota from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, to anti-terrorism military operations involving intensive, eight-week program that included Avenue, Torrance. He is a 2011 graduate Columbia, S.C. During the nine weeks of U.S. troops and allied coalition partners. training in military discipline and studies, of Marina High School, Huntington Beach. training, the soldier studied the Army mission, Active duty and reserve component members Air Force core values, physical fitness, and air forCe Senior maSter Sgt. history, tradition and core values, physical from all branches of the U.S. armed forces basic warfare principles and skills. Airmen roBert m. ZipplieS retireS fitness, and received instruction and practice have been deployed to support the war against who complete basic training earn four credits from u.S. air forCe in basic combat skills, military weapons, global terrorism outside the borders of the toward an associate in applied science degree Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Robert chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill United States. U.S. troops serve in South, through the Community College of the Air M. Zipplies has retired from the U.S. Air and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, Southwest and Central Asia, the Arabian Force. Galindo is the son of Hilda Medina Force. Zipplies served as the cyber systems armed and unarmed combat, map reading, peninsula, the Horn of Africa, islands in of South Vermont Avenue, Torrance. •
Torrance 8.30.12
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