WENDIE'S HOUSE A PLACE FOR HEALING.

Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY 

Odds and ends from around the Valley:

They come to the weSpark House on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks to laugh again. Come to play mah-jongg, or take writing, yoga, drama and art classes.

But most of all they come to Wendie Jo Sperber's place to support and lean on each other. Because anyone who has ever battled cancer knows that while the physical treatment is difficult, the hardest battle is fought on the emotional front.

You need all the friends you can get, and you can find them over at Wendie's place.

``It's a very lonely disease,'' says Sperber, a former co-star of the 1980s TV sitcom ``Bosom Buddies,'' who was diagnosed with cancer in 1998, then opened her weSpark cancer support center in the Valley last year to spark friendships among cancer victims.

``People are feeling so isolated and in fear when they're diagnosed with cancer, so it's a huge step when they come here,'' says the 43-year-old mother of two.

``The remarkable thing is that no matter what they're feeling when they get here, they leave upbeat. They take classes together, talk together and become friends together.

``We've become a place for people of all ages with cancer to hang out,'' says Sperber, whose own breast cancer has spread throughout her body.

``It's considered Stage 4 now, and there is no Stage 5,'' she says. ``You take it day to day, and do the best you can. This center and my kids have been a tremendous support.''

There's a fund-raising Halloween party from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Wendie's place - 13522 Ventura Blvd. - and everyone is invited. A donation of $10 for adults and $5 for kids is requested at the door.

That gets you entrance into the Haunted Hall, plus food and entertainment coupons for the masquerade parade and costume contest with celebrity judges. WeSpark stands for support, prevention, acceptance, recovery and knowledge.

For more information, call [phone].

Ron Parker, a historian who lives in North Lincolnshire, England, has written asking for a favor. If anyone knows the whereabouts of a Merrill Hansen, who served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, he'd sure like to know about it.

Hansen's G.I. dog tag recently was found in an old farmhouse at the bottom of an old chest of drawers.

``During World War II our local airfield - Goxhill Airfield - was used by the U.S. Army Air Force(s) as a fighter training base,'' Parker writes.

``Many American military personnel passed through here, and one of them - Hansen - was befriended by a local family, and spent many happy hours at their dwelling.

``Before he left, he gave them his dog tag as a memento, which has laid in a drawer all these years, and just turned up again. One of the family members, who was 8 years old then, found it, and asked me to try and find him so she can give it to his family,'' Parker says.

The dog tag reads - ``Merrill Hansen - 20904173 T42.'' Next of kin is listed as Hans P. Hansen, 14555 Blythe St., Van Nuys, Calif. The property is now an apartment complex.

``I am aware that it's too much to expect his father to be alive and still living at the address given as next of kin, though someone in the area may still remember the family and know their whereabouts,'' Parker says.

If anyone does, call me at [phone], and I'll pass it on to Parker.

If you're looking to make a difference this Saturday on Make A Difference Day, stop by the Mac Chevron gas station at 4807 Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas, and have your car washed by some wonderful people involved with WYNGS - When You Need Group Support.

All the money raised goes to support the special equipment and programs that WYNGSs - the official Los Angeles Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association - provides for spinal cord injury survivors.

The service station is right off the 101 Freeway, and the carwash is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

And, finally, the eighth annual Police and Firefighter Appreciation Night, hosted by Canoga Park Elks Lodge 2190, was a big success last weekend.

The honorees were L.A. city Firefighter Ronald Myers, Firefighter/Paramedic Joseph Scamardo and L.A. County fire Capt. Rick Pfeiffer.

From the Los Angeles Police Department were Devonshire Division Detective Foster Raines, West Valley Division Officer Gregory Fuqua, Valley Traffic Division Officer Michelle Rodriquez and Foothill Division Sgt. Kevin Duncan.

Also honored were Sgt. Kevin Duncan from the county's Lost Hills sheriff's station, and Officer John Mueller from the California Highway Patrol's Woodland Hills office.

Congratulations to all of them, and thanks once again to the Elks for honoring them.

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Photo:

(1 -- 2) Wendie Jo Sperber, 43, is at left and right, as a co-star with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari in ``Bosom Buddies.''

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer