Speaking of school, the City of Whittier hosted its annual Students in Government Day last month and welcomed a group of enthusiastic California High School seniors to shadow staff at City Hall for the day. Not only did they get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to oversee City departments, programs, and facilities each day, but the students were able to hold a mock Council meeting and try their hand at facilitating a public discussion in the City Council Chambers. Thank you to all those who participated - the future is in great hands with these talented students at the helm.

Please scroll down for more details on May events including REEL Club and Comic Book Day at the Whittier Public Library, two important community surveys, our Public Safety Expo & Kiddie-K Fun Run, Founders Day, and more. As always, please follow @WhittierCityGov on social media to stay connected and be sure to join us for the City's annual Memorial Day Ceremony to honor our local servicemembers on May 29 at 9:00 a.m.

Congratulations and good luck to all of our graduating seniors - you've made us proud!

The Whittier City Council hosted a special ceremony at City Hall last month to recognize local volunteers for their outstanding service work performed during calendar year 2022. Among the esteemed recipients were representatives of many local non-profit organizations including the Whittier Host Lions, SKILLS, Boys & Girls Club of Whittier, and more. Congratulations to all the Whittier Volunteers of the Year: Monica Abrego, Maggie Cordero, Eric Day, Christine Garibay, Valissa Leon, David Marinez, Jess Montes, and Lorraine Quiros.

As a reminder, the Whittier City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and participation is encouraged either in person or via Zoom. Save the date for the annual Budget Study Session taking place at City Hall on Tuesday, May 16 beginning at 5:00 p.m. and hear more about the City's Council's priorities for fiscal year 2023-2024, accomplishments, and program updates. For inquiries regarding City Council meetings or to review meeting agendas, please contact the City Clerk department at (562) 567-9850 or email [email protected]. 

The Whittier Historical Society & Museum, in partnership with the City of Whittier, invites you to its annual Founders Day community picnic at Central Park in Uptown Whittier (6532 Friends Ave.) on Saturday, May 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. featuring local vendors, friendly competitions, food, music, and more to celebrate Whittier's rich history. Additionally, staff representing the City's Parks, Recreation & Community Services department and Whittier Public Library will host a special Founders Day edition of their collaborative Rec & Read pop-up for checking out books, play activities, and crafts. Dress in your favorite period attire and join us for some fun! To learn more call (562) 945-3871 or email [email protected].

It's Free Comic Book Day at the Whittier Public Library and you're invited! Visit the Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.) on Saturday, May 13 between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to build your own lightsaber or participate in a drawing lesson with Lauren "Sharp" Morales at 11:30 a.m. Visit the Whittwood Branch for some fun comic related crafts and activities all afternoon between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Dress as your favorite comic book character for a chance to win a prize, and be sure to visit any reference desk to take home a free comic book. To learn more, please call the Library at (562) 567-9900.

You may have heard that the Whittier: Parks, Recreation & Community Services department is requesting residents' feedback regarding thoughts, ideas, solutions, and more on how to improve our City parks and recreational programming to meet the needs of residents and their families. This future guiding document will focus on strategy and planning, inventory, prioritization, funding needs, and more to ensure that Whittier's play spaces are modern, inclusive, and engaging for all community members. To learn more about the Parks Master Plan process and to take the survey, please click here or speak to a PRCS staff member for assistance at (562) 567-9400.

This month at the Central Library, film enthusiasts can enjoy REEL Club on Monday, May 15 at 6:00 p.m. featuring "The Pez Outlaw," the story of a Midwestern machinist who smuggles rare Pez dispensers from Europe and sells them for thousands, drawing the ire of both U.S. Pez and rival collectors.

Later that week, don't miss the Library's Family Film Afternoon at the Whittwood Branch starting at 3:00 p.m. Visit www.whittierlibrary.org to see which surprise feature film will be screened and invite a friend! To learn more about both events call (562) 567-9900.

Save the date for Whittier's Bike to Work Day celebration on Thursday, May 18 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at two special locations on the Greenway Trail including Sycamore Station (Mar Vista St. & Whittier Blvd.) and Laurel Station (Laurel Ave. & Lambert Rd.). The event will also feature booths from local bike vendors, refreshments, and giveaways. Join your friends and neighbors to improve your health and support a more sustainable community by opting for a day on two wheels instead of four! Call (562) 567-9400 with questions and to learn more.

The City of Whittier, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, is seeking your input regarding topics of interest and community needs relative to mental health and substance use. To better serve families in our community, please take a moment to offer feedback by scanning the QR code or click here. Additionally, two free local trainings will be offered in May for adults, youth affiliates, teachers, and/or community members:

Attendees will have an opportunity to learn more about talking to loved ones regarding drugs, who could be at risk for substance abuse, and securing mental health support. Remember to visit www.cityofwhittier.org/whittierwellbeing to access:

If you or someone you know needs help with substance abuse, please call the Substance Abuse Services Hotline at (844) 804-7500 to be connected with a treatment program and download the RecoverLA mobile-friendly app for personalized assistance. For anyone looking for mental health support, please call the LA County Mental Health Hotline available 24/7 at (800) 854-7771.

The City of Whittier's Parks, Recreation & Community Services team, in partnership with the Whittier Police Department, Los Angeles County Fire, and other emergency personnel, will host the Whittier Public Safety Expo and Kiddie-K Fun Run in front of City Hall (13230 Penn St.) on Saturday, May 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Families are invited to participate in safety demonstrations, visit vendor booths, obtain information on healthy living, and kids 12 and under will enjoy a short run with their peers to encourage daily fitness. Call (562) 567-9450 to learn more or register today at www.WhittierRec.com.

The Whittier Bar Association will host a free legal fair for residents of Whittier and surrounding communities on Saturday, May 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Whittier Central Library (7344 Washington Ave.). Attendees will be offered a free 15-minute consultation regarding a variety of topics including immigration, employment, criminal law, family estate planning, family law and others. To learn more please email [email protected] or visit www.whittierbar.com.

The Friends of the Whittier Public Library Bookstore, located at 6703 Comstock Ave. in Uptown Whittier, will host its Spring Book Sale on May 19, 20 and 21 in the store parking lot. There will be a wide variety of gently used books of all genres available for purchase and proceeds from the sale will help support and fund programming at the Whittier Public Library. Visit the store on May 19 and 20 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. or May 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please visit www.whittierlibrarybookstore.com or call the store directly for details at (562) 696-4498.

The Whittier Public Library invites local youth ages 6 through 12 to its Mad Science Lab on May 23 at the Whittwood Branch (10537 Santa Gertrudes Ave.) kicking off at 4:00 p.m. Discover the science behind all your favorite stories at this fun, interactive learning event. Space is limited; please call (562) 567-9950 to RSVP or visit the Children's Reference Desk.

The City of Whittier will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony honoring all those who have served in our nation's Armed Forces on Monday, May 29 at 9:00 a.m. in front of City Hall (13230 Penn St.). The event will feature guest speakers, special presentations, the Whittier Honor Guard, and refreshments. Please contact City staff at (562) 567-9470 with questions and join us in paying tribute to our fallen service members.

Spring is here and so are the mosquitoes! The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District and the City of Whittier are encouraging residents to take action to protect against mosquito breeding grounds and limit the number of potential sources in and around your home. Tipping and tossing stagnant water collected in vases, planters, and other areas where standing water can occur helps discourage the laying of eggs and transmission of mosquito-oriented diseases like West Nile Virus in our community. Resources are available, including a home checklist for residents and information on Neighborhood Mosquito Watch programs, via the Vector Control website at www.glamosquito.org.

Please save the date for the 2023 State of the City Address slated for Thursday, June 1 at the Doubletree Hotel Whittier (7320 Greenleaf Ave.) beginning with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and the presentation to follow. Whittier City Manager Brian Saeki will provide an overview of City accomplishments, as well as details on current and proposed projects, community programming, and the City Council's priorities for fiscal year 2023-2024. To register in advance at $25 per person, please call the Whittier Area Chamber of Commerce at (562) 698-9554 or visit www.whittierchamber.com.