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Editorial
Good deeds dominate the news this week
For those who claim newspapers print nothing but bad news, this week's issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times offers proof that there is such a thing as good news. The Los Gatos Rotary Club, inspired by member Bill Cilker, is taking action to ensure that local schools can continue to hire top quality educators--even if those teachers must relocate to the area.
When Cilker learned that Los Gatos High School was about to lose a top candidate because she couldn't afford Silicon Valley rents, he decided to help his alma mater by offering a rental property at a greatly reduced price.
Both the LGHS candidate and a teacher from the Los Gatos Union School District are now roommates in the small house near Willow Glen.
Rotarians are now trying to recruit others who may have rental housing available to consider following Cilker's example.
Teachers aren't the only ones, of course, who are having difficulty finding suitable housing in our high-powered valley. It's becoming a fact of life in this area that it's almost impossible to recruit new employees from outside the area because of the cost of housing.
Still, in terms of the needs of any community, teachers are vital. The nation is facing a teacher shortage, and the housing situation in this area has created a paradox--a highly desirable place to live and work and an almost impossible place for those with low or mid-range incomes to find housing.
Not everyone can afford to be so generous as Cilker, but in these times when greed seems to be the accepted norm, it would be nice to discover that there are others in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno who'd like to help out as well.
All of which leads to the subject of Barbara and Mark Beck, who also made news this week. The Becks are a wildly successful Silicon Valley couple who happen to live in Los Gatos.
Certainly, they can afford to write a check for $20,000 to greatly expand the lighting on the Christmas tree in the Town Plaza. But they didn't have to.
The Becks have often opened their home for tours and charity fundraisers. They once turned a pathetic little patch of weeds in their neighborhood into a pleasant park for neighbors to enjoy.
Lack of space prevented the Weekly-Times from printing yet another tale of good deeds in the community. Thanks to numerous volunteers, the town served some 150 seniors a special Thanksgiving dinner. Many merchants chipped in to make the annual event a success.
Much in evidence--as he is at many charitable events in Los Gatos--was Chris Benson, who prepared the food. Benson's generous spirit is as much a part of this holiday tradition as are the turkey and the cranberry sauce.
The holiday season is in full swing in Los Gatos. Let's hope the brighter-than-ever-Christmas tree in the Town Plaza serves as a reminder that some people who do well also do good.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
