Main Street
Principal movin' on up, to school roof
By Mary Ann Cook
ROOF SITTER: There were flagpole sitters in the '20s, 'tis said, but we had never heard tell of a roof sitter--until this week. Not only a roof sitter, but a principal roof sitter. That would be Nancy Atkinson, principal of Rolling Hills Middle School. She spent the entire day of March 4 on the school roof.
Fortunately the name of the school doesn't apply to the roof--it's flat. The principal's promise was contingent on the school reaching its goal of $6,000 at a benefit walkathon for juvenile diabetes research. Well, the school not only reached but surpassed its goal, raising $11,000 due to the efforts of 700 students walking the track for two hours.
So, a few weeks later, up on the rooftop went the game Atkinson. She was equipped with an umbrella, a chair, a laptop and a walkie-talkie. An extension ladder was used for her rooftop ascent, then taken away so students wouldn't be tempted to join her.
She was, however, serenaded by the band, with a stirring rendition of the song that contains the words "up on the housetop..." The benefit was inspired by former student Taylor Graves, who has Type 1 diabetes, and by the fact that Rolling Hills has a higher proportion of diabetic students than the law of averages would warrant.
Statistically one in 1,000 have the disease; but at Rolling Hills there are five or six amongst a student population of 1,015, according to Colleen Wright, school secretary. Carmon Allen, the school's athletic director, organized the fundraiser.
Though Rolling Hills is in Los Gatos, it is part of the Campbell School District and draws students from Saratoga, Los Gatos, Campbell and San Jose.
SHARKBYTE: Stone sculptor David Middlebrook was one of the Los Gatos artists who decorated fiberglass sharks for the SharkByte display last summer in downtown San Jose. The sharks were auctioned off recently, a benefit for designated charities.
Middlebrook's shark, "Culture Shark," sold for $3,200, most of which will go to the Emergency Housing Consortium and Catholic Charities. "Culture Shark" was exhibited in front of the Heritage Bank Building. Heritage Commerce Corporation owns a Middlebrook sculpture and was the sponsor of his shark.
"Culture Shark" was converted into a map of the world with inlaid stone pieces wrapped around it. That was the hard part: getting a globe shape to fit around a shark's body. Since it was made up of sturdy material like marble, his shark was practically vandal-proof, Middlebrook noted.
"Culture Shark" has a blue resin under- layer, so it has a shimmering quality. Middlebrook is no stranger to public sculpture, of course, since that's his game. His work appears at San Jose Airport Terminal A, at the Westin Hotel in Palo Alto and at De Anza College, in front of the Advanced Technology Center. His sculpture at De Anza depicts a Native American sundial.
Middlebrook is associate director of the fine arts department at San Jose State University and has taught there for 30 years.
PROM QUEEN FOR A DAY: Dental patients were warned about the time warp that awaited them when they stepped into Dr. Mary Turoff's office March 12. The staff wanted to celebrate a new decade for Dr. Turoff by recreating the excitement of a prom. So they dressed up in pouffy prom dresses and topped off the effect with glittery tiaras.
Prom pictures were taken, a disco ball and punch bowl appeared and appropriate music played. A collage of high school pictures of Turoff were also assembled. The dentist had recently been much involved with her high school reunion plans, hence the idea for the party, Lynne Landers, office manager, said.
The dozen or so staff and friends, arrayed in all their finery, sashayed up to Tapestry for the birthday lunch, a nostalgic backward glance. Escorts were non-existent for these prom pretenders.
YOUNG AT HEART: A fundraiser for the Young at Heart Project will be held March 15 in Santa Cruz. The project sends folksinger Chuck McCabe and others out to play for folks who are confined to convalescent hospitals, rest homes and the like.
Says McCabe, "I've seen what a difference music can make in these people's lives, and ... someday it may be us sitting there in a wheelchair listening to some young whippersnapper singing Beatles songs." Tickets are $10, available by calling 408.358.2427. Buyers can stipulate that a senior go in their place if they can't make it.
FASHION SHOW: The Soroptimist fashion show luncheon is March 14 at La Rinconada Country Club.The pianist is Dennis White, and fashions from Studio 67 and Patrick James will be featured. Tickets, $45, benefit House on the Hill, a recovery center for women. The coordinator is Marilyn White. Call Sue LaForge at 408.280.7739 for tickets.
At Christmastime, members each adopted a resident from House on the Hill to buy gifts chosen from the recipient's wish list. Also, a boutique for youngsters was held at Next Door, the shelter for abused women. Children selected gifts for their mothers from a variety of Christmas baskets Soroptimists had assembled.
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