Almaden Resident
Letters & Opinions
Almaden singles: another reason to be thankful
By Linda Taaffe
With Thanksgiving Day upon us, I am going to go out on a limb and state the obvious--Almaden Valley residents have a lot to be thankful for. The community has among the best views in San Jose, miles of scenic trails, great schools, tight-knit neighbors and countless residents who spend much of their free time giving back to the community. The Almaden Valley Singles Club is one such group that should be included on the community's "thanks" list.
I recently met up with six of the group's singles at Jake's Tot Lot at Parma Park, next to the Almaden library. They greeted me with 200 daffodils--none of which were meant as a prelude for romance. This singles club is about community service, demonstrating the power that one single person can have on the community.
Their mission at the park that day was to plant daffodil bulbs. With a map clutched in her hands, member Mary Ann Bryan showed me where the group planned to dig and distribute the 200 bulbs donated through the San Jose Beautiful program to spruce up the park. This is the third year the group has planted bulbs, with the intent to eventually fill in the space that runs in front of the tot lot with a sea of yellow daffodils.
Mary Ann said the task will probably take longer than her lifetime, but that's OK. Part of the group's goal is to complete projects in the community that will continue beyond their lifetime. She hopes the cheery flowers will brighten the spring season for future generations.
Mary Ann explained that an Almaden Valley woman formed the club in 1994 as part of a class project to bring together singles 45 and older that live in Almaden Valley to socialize close to home and participate in community service. Part of the goal was to create something that would continue functioning in the community regardless if she remained involved. The project was a success. The founder has since moved, and the club has continued to thrive.
Planting daffodils isn't the only project in which the group is involved. Demonstrating the importance of giving back is a key lesson that members hope to pass on to younger community members. As a result, the 50 or so members donate time and their own money to Almaden Valley year round, not just during the holiday season.
The group regularly maintains and cleans Parma Park and helped fund the opening of Jake's Tot Lot at the park. A plaque at the park with the group's name is testament to their dedication.
As soon as members had packed up their gardening tools at Parma Park Nov. 11, they took out shopping lists and made plans to hit the mall that afternoon to purchase items for a local family they adopted for the holidays through Habitat for Humanity.
When not donating time to the community, members socialize at a slew of informal events, including such favorites as monthly pinochle, bridge or poker games. Each person has the option to take part.
Today, I give thanks to the Almaden Valley Single's Club. If I were of a respectable age and not married...
For more information about the Almaden Valley Singles Club, call 408.268.8987.
-- Linda Taaffe is the editor of the Almaden Resident
