Funeral services will be held this Saturday, December 3, at Forest Lawn Glendale for long time Burbank community volunteer, Dan Linegar, according to a press release put out today by the Burbank Temporary Aid Center. Linegar passed away last Sunday.
Linegar was a long time BTAC volunteer and Board of Directors member, as well as the founder of the successful Burbank “Relay for Life” event.
“Dan was always the dream sort of board member, not one who just shows up for an occasional board meeting, and isn’t heard from otherwise,” said Barbara Howell, BTAC’s Executive Director, in the press release. “We have a very involved board at BTAC, but he was always especially one to raise his hand and volunteer to put in more time, to work on more projects, and to fill in where he was needed.”
Here’s the entire release, which includes a tribute to Linegar’s community service and details on the funeral arrangements.
“DAN LINEGAR SERVICES”
November 30, 2011
Burbank – Services will be held Saturday morning for Dan Linegar, a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Burbank Temporary Aid Center. Dan died Sunday, November 27.
Dan, a Burbank resident since 1991, had been a longtime volunteer with BTAC when he was elected to the Board of Directors in 2004. By then he was already closely associated with BTAC’s “Santa’s Room” project, a program providing Christmas gifts to the children of Burbank’s homeless, poor and working poor.
“Santa’s Room” began as a few shelves in a shed behind BTAC’s previous headquarters building, or in similar locations around town in earlier years, where a handful of used toys – mostly stuffed animals cleaned and repaired by volunteers – were arranged for clients to select one as a gift for each of their children.
Under Dan’s guidance, especially once he became the official Chairman of the project in 2004, Santa’s Room grew to take up its own building space on a short-term basis each year, offering only new, donated toys to hundreds of children each year. Last year the program distributed more than 7,000 toys to children in the city who otherwise would have received little or nothing.
Will Rogers, Co-Chair of the 2011 Santa’s Room project said, “Dan took the lead in charming landlords for the enormous space we require each year for 10 weeks, he created partnerships like the one we’ve enjoyed for years with the fire department’s “Spark of Love” program to obtain some of our toys, and he spent countless hours assembling gift packages for families, and leading volunteers. Everyone associated with Santa’s Room in any way always has their path smoothed thanks to Dan’s sterling reputation and tireless efforts.”
“Dan was always the dream sort of board member, not one who just shows up for an occasional board meeting, and isn’t heard from otherwise,” said Barbara Howell, BTAC’s Executive Director. “We have a very involved board at BTAC, but he was always especially one to raise his hand and volunteer to put in more time, to work on more projects, and to fill in where he was needed.”
“Better than that,” Howell said, “Dan was an exceptionally sweet, kind and thoughtful man.”
In addition to chairing “Santa’s Room” for six years, Dan also served for one term as BTAC’s Treasurer, and on the Operations Committee, and the Budget and Finance Committee.
Linegar’s charitable efforts went well beyond his service to BTAC. He founded Burbank’s successful “Relay for Life,” an annual fundraising event for the American Cancer Society that is made up of local efforts across the country, and he became Chairman for the local American Cancer Society in 2004. He also participated in “Builds” for “Habitat for Humanity,” and in the Revlon Walk/Run events, a fundraising effort to fight women’s cancers.
Dan grew up in Estes Park, Colorado, and received his Masters in Business from Colorado State University. He worked in the mortgage industry.
Dan is survived by Victoria Sands, whom he once described as his “VERY significant other” when explaining how much work she put in helping him with Santa’s Room projects. Dan also leaves behind his sister, Carol Smid, a daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Steve Macgregor, and one granddaughter, Brenna Macgregor.
Funeral Services for Dan will take place Saturday, Dec. 3 at Forest Lawn Glendale at 8:30am at the Wee Kirk o’ The Heather. A reception to which all friends and fellow volunteers are invited will follow at 2960 N. Myers, Burbank,CA.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Burbank’s “Relay for Life,” or to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center.
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