BRINGING EAST TO VALLEY : TOUR OF GIFT SHOP A MUST FOR VISITORS TO JAPANESE GARDENS.

Byline: Virgina Gonzalez Community News

A stroll through the Japanese Gardens in the Sepulveda Basin offers visitors more than a relaxing vista of cherry trees, stone gardens and fountains. There also are handmade treasures at the garden's gift shop.

From bamboo flower vases (made from the garden's bamboo shoots) to colorful origami bookmarks, intricately designed chopsticks, greeting cards, folding paper fans and watercolor prints worthy of framing, what makes the items treasurable is that most of them are handmade by many of the garden's docents and volunteers.

``Selling items made by our docents just kind of evolved,'' said Robert McElroy, gift shop chairman.

``We saw that they had talent when they started bringing items in and asked us, would you be interested in this or that? Each piece was imaginative, creative and unique to the garden.''

Japanese fairy-tale books, stationery and postcards with pictures or watercolor art of the garden's many scenic views and even an intricately detailed flower made of plastic six-pack soda holders can be purchased at the store.

Visitors can also choose from various Japanese-made products and American jewelry made from gold-plated gingko and lacy maple leaves.

The mini-store also carries 25-page history books about the San Fernando Valley communities of Sherman Oaks and Encino that were authored by one of the garden's docents.

``No doubt we have a talented crew here,'' McElroy said.

Gift shop hours are 9:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday. The store is closed Sunday.

The Japanese Gardens are located within the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, located at 6100 Woodley Ave. between Burbank and Victory boulevards in Van Nuys.

An increasing need for food donations in West Valley communities has all but cleaned out the St. Vincent de Paul's Food Kitchen at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Canoga Park.

St. Vincent de Paul volunteers said the combination of a growing number of families in need of a helping hand and a slowdown in food donations from the community are limiting the number of people who can be served by the center.

``We need to make a public appeal, because we can't do it by ourselves,'' said Tak Nakae, the center's treasurer.

``We've always been able to feed about 15 (to) 20 complete families in the past, but now about 30 families (per month) are coming to us for help, and we're real short'' on food.

The group offers transportation and visits for shut-ins, clothing, rental subsidies, and money to pay overdue utility bills for the homeless, unemployed, elderly and sick. But the group needs food donations more than anything else.

Recently, Nakae and other center representatives - who are all volunteers - turned to the West Valley police station for help.

Sgt. Dan Mastro offered the station as a community food collection site.

Those who would like to donate food can drop off nonperishable goods at the West Valley station, located at 19020 Vanowen St. in Reseda or at the St. Vincent de Paul Society, located at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, 19808 Cantlay St., Canoga Park.

Society volunteers also sponsor outdoor food drives at Vons market located at 20151 Roscoe Blvd. (at Winnetka Avenue), Winnetka every Saturday.

Those who would like to donate food to the cause are asked to bring canned meats, vegetables, soups, juice, rice, beans, cereal, pasta and other nonperishables.

Informative workshops, live music entertainment, Southland day trips and even a coffee club are some of the activities and programs offered to senior citizens through the Joslyn Adult Center in Burbank.

The Joslyn Center offers nutrition, transportation, crafts and sports programs at the facility, as well as providing entertaining day trips to annual festivals such as Danish Days in Solvang Village and Valyermo's Fall Festival, sponsored by the Benedictine monks, said Vida Tolman, a center representative.

Over 90 percent of the center's programs are free to participants, with the remainder of events, such as the day trips, charging a nominal fee to cover costs, Tolman said.

The center also provides seniors a place to enjoy the company of friends and the opportunity to make new ones.

Those interested in obtaining further information can call the Joslyn Adult Center, located at 1301 W. Olive Ave., at [phone].

The Big Sisters of Los Angeles are looking for qualified women to serve as mentors for girls ages 6 to 16.

Women ages 21 and older are encouraged to become role models and provide friendship and guidance to ``little sisters'' who are matched according to areas of residency, common interests and needs whenever possible, organizers said.

Each duo enjoys a variety of fun and educational activities that, in the process, teach youngsters self-esteem and setting and achieving of goals, according to news anchorwoman Linda Alvarez, one of the Big Sisters of Los Angeles board members.

A screening process conducted by the agency's professional staff carefully selects and trains prospective big sisters, ensuring that each match has the ingredients for success.

Big sister prospects must be 21 or older, reside in the county of Los Angeles and agree to make a regular time commitment to a little sister.

The organization is especially in need of African-American, Asian-Pacific and Latino women to match with little sisters.

Contact Big Sisters of Los Angeles at [phone] for additional information.

MEMO: Do you have news in your neighborhood? If so, please send the information to Virginia Gonzalez, Daily News editorial department, P.O. Box 4200, Woodland Hills, Calif. 91365-4200. Fax: [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

Photo: (1) The Japanese Gardens at the Tillman Water Rec lamation Plant in Sepulveda Basin is open to the public every day except Sunday.

John McCoy/Daily News

(2) Docent Hazel Graynor displays some of the items at the Japanese Gardens gift shop.

David Crane/Daily News