Karen Brey, the Campbell Historical Museum and Ainsley House curator, has been named acting museum director. She will replace Gloria Chun Hoo, who has moved back to her home state of Hawaii to become marketing manager for the new Mauna Kea Astronomy Education Center at the University of Hawaii in Hilo.

Brey will step into the directorship position until the city lifts its hiring freeze, at which point Campbell will begin its candidate search.

Brey became curator of the museum in 2001 and is responsible for the museum's collection, which has more than 9,000 artifacts.

Since she joined the museum staff, Brey has acquired hundreds of artifacts for the museum. She has also written a book about Campbell.

In 2004, Brey's book Campbell was published. It features more than 200 photographs from the museum collection that detail the community's history.

Campbell toy drive
spreads good cheer

The Campbell Community Toy Program will bring some holiday cheer to hundreds of children in the Campbell area this month. The program is a partnership of the Campbell Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Clara County Department.

Economically disadvantaged children and youth residents of social services provider EMQ will receive a gift pack with dental hygiene supplies, books, arts and crafts materials and toys. This year every family participating in the program will also receive a smoke detector.

Sunnyoaks Fire Station in Campbell is the hub of the toy program for the area, and each December thousands of gifts donated by the public are brought to the station and other stations throughout the city.

"We've transformed the fire station into a big toy warehouse," said fire captain and toy program coordinator Gary Cocroft.

Firefighters and volunteers will wrap the gifts on Dec. 10 at the Sunnyoaks station, and on Dec. 17, recipients can pick up their gift packs at Sunnyoaks.

On Dec. 20, a Campbell police escort will lead Santa Clara County fire chiefs with Santa Claus riding in one of fire engines in a parade-like procession from Sunnyoaks Avenue down Winchester Boulevard to EMQ to deliver the gift packs.

The Campbell and Los Gatos firehouses are collecting contributions for the toy program through Christmas, and local merchants have barrels out to collect toys as well. Any toys that are not distributed this month will be given away throughout the year.

A multilingual informational hotline is available for anyone interested in receiving gifts or contributing them. The hotline number is 408.995.3092. More information can also be found at www.sccfd.org/toys.html. Sunnyoaks Fire Station is at 485 W. Sunnyoaks Ave. Cocroft can be reached at 408.378.4010.

Boy Scout sends 513
care boxes to troops

One Boy Scout's effort toward his Eagle Scout award will make the holidays brighter for American soldiers away from home.

Del Mar High School freshman Tanner Condie credits many in the community for their generous support in his comfort and care drive for the troops overseas. He was able to gather enough food, hygiene supplies and letters for 513 servicemen and women.

He received about 400 letters and pictures from students at Castlemont Elementary School, along with 25 letters from younger children at his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Willow Glen. Tanner also wrote a letter for every care package being shipped overseas.

Retailers also helped. The Albertson's in the Camden Shopping Center, where Tanner was soliciting items, donated a pallet of drinks.

With the help of about 45 volunteers, he was able to assemble the packages over the Thanksgiving weekend so they can arrive for the holidays.

"I wanted the troops to know how much our community supports and cares about what they are doing for us and the country they are serving," Tanner said. " I think this will let them know that we care about them and are thinking of them."

Peninsula Pops comes
to Heritage Theatre

The Peninsula Pops Orchestra, the Bay Area's only exclusively pops orchestra, is making its first appearance at the Campbell Heritage Theater this month with a fireside holiday show. The orchestra will play music from the hit movies Polar Express, White Christmas, Home Alone and Duke Ellington's Big Band version of the "Nutcracker Suite."

"They do a lot of humor, and it's not stuffy at all," said Vic Befera, a representative for the Pops Orchestra. "The orchestra does zany things like play typewriters and vacuum cleaners."

Befera said the Peninsula Pops have been performing its holiday show in Palo Alto for about 18 years, and it has become so popular that it has been asked to bring it to Campbell.

"I predict that everyone will in Campbell will love it," he said. "Our theme is your kind of music, your kind of orchestra."

The Bay Bells hand-bells choir and San Francisco Opera tenor Mark Adams will also be part of the show. Special guest narrator Sen. Joe Simitian will read The Night Before Christmas as he is joined on stage by children from the audience. There will be a reception following the show.

"Campbell is a wonderful town; we're delighted to be performing there," said conductor Kim Venaas.

The show is on Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket are $5 for children, $15 for students, $20 for seniors and $25 for adults.

For information, see www.peninsulapops.org or call 650.856.8432. Tickets are available at the Heritage Theatre box office, 1 W. Campbell Ave., or call 408.866.2700 or visit www.cityofcampbell.com

Moreland district
has an open seat

Moreland School District board trustee Taleen Nazarian is stepping down from the board on Dec. 7 due to family commitments. The board is seeking a replacement to serve out the rest of Nazarian's term, which expires in November 2006.

Applications are due on Jan. 6. The board of trustees will interview candidates on Jan. 10 and select a new trustee. Applications are available at any Moreland school office or the district office, 4711 Campbell Ave., San Jose. To apply via email, contact chastings@moreland.k12. ca.us. For more information, call 408. 874.2901.