(photo courtesy of the 13th District Council office)

Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, joined the Edendale Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library to unveil new bird watching backpacks at the Echo Park Lake Raskin Memorial Dedication. Long-time Echo Park resident Judy Raskin bequeathed funds to the Edendale Library Friends Society to create five bird watching backpacks for the Edendale Branch. Each pack contains binoculars, birding books and other supplies, and have been available for patrons to checkout since Nov. 2. The backpacks will help encourage future naturalists and bird watchers, who can practice their skills in the field just two blocks from the library at Echo Park Lake.