Editorials

The visit was heart-felt and also from the heart

Los Gatos invited New York City firefighters to come visit the town as a way to say thanks. Thanks for the pain and suffering and dedication. Thanks for the endless acts of heroism.

But when town officials gathered last Friday evening at the Shannon Avenue fire station to welcome Captain Dan Daly and 18-year veteran firefighter Joe O'Brien, it was the New York firefighters who insisted that it was Los Gatans--along with many other Americans--who deserved the thanks. Thanks for the support, expressed in so many ways, from financial contributions to cards from school children.

O'Brien and Daly are two of 300 New York firefighters visiting host cities around the country as part of a program by the U.S. Conference of Mayors to thank the firefighters as well as to give travel and tourism a much needed boost. Among planned activities were visits to Monterey and fishing in the waters off Santa Cruz

Judging by the misty eyes during the mutual exchange of thanks, gifts and admiration on Friday night, though, the program is likely to accomplish much more than originally planned. The visit gave real people--those who lived through the horror of Sept. 11 and the ongoing cleanup and those who could only participate from a distance--a chance to share their emotions and to say how much each others' efforts meant.

Firefighters gave the community special commendations and Brotherhood, a commemorative book of firefighter memorials. The town offered commendations, and the business community, through the Town Chamber of Commerce, donated lodging and meals and two enormous overflowing baskets featuring items from local businesses. From the Santa Clara County Fire Department, came a county "9-11-01. We will always remember."

When Mayor Randy Attaway got up to speak following remarks by Capt. Daly, he said, "I had notes, but I'd rather speak from the heart ..."

And that pretty well summed it up.

Entertaining the firefighters was not something the town had to do; it was something officials chose to do. It seems clear it was the right thing to do.

Community Benefit

The Jewish Community, after several false starts, has come up with a successful proposal to expand its facilities at 14855 Oka Road. And the plan is a winner not just for the Jewish community, but for Los Gatos as well.

Of particular note for the community at large is the availability of meeting rooms, which are in short supply in the town, and a 250-seat performing arts center.

The town has been without space for performing since the theater at Old Town fell into disrepair years ago. With the new performance space at the JCC, perhaps the arts scene in Los Gatos will grow and diversify.

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