Los Gatos Weekly-Times Mary Foster's friends to celebrate her life Mary Ann Cook REMEMBERING MARY: This is the time of year that Forbes Mill Museum scheduled musical events to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, the brainchild and pet project of long-time community activist and Forbes Mills' former curator Mary Foster. Since Mary Foster's death this summer, the museum board has been searching for a way to honor her. Now "A Holiday Remembrance of Mary Foster: a Celebration of Life" is set for Dec. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Forbes Mill. Those already signed up to honor her are Jerry Ashford and Beth McNamara of the musical group Moonglow, Chip Curry, banjo, and the Rev. Barbra Telynor, harpist. If you'd like to participate with music, poetry or prose, call Louise Collins, coordinator, at 356-7025. DRAGON HONORED: The Happy Dragon Thrift Shop was honored by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives' Silicon Valley Chapter recently for its fundraising efforts over the years to benefit Eastfield Ming Quong. The Happy Dragon has been averaging $250,000 yearly for EMQ. "We're the biggest recyclers in Los Gatos," says Happy Dragon president Gerry Hodges. "Donations come in the back door [get priced and hung] and go out the front," providing a tidy profit for the center. EMQ provides services to troubled youngsters and their families. Representing the volunteer dragon force at the awards luncheon were honorary members Lu Sanner and Polly Thompson. Honorary membership is conferred on those active at the shop for 25 years or more. Others singled out for their service and attending the ceremony were Lorrie Ames, Virginia Whitlock, Marge Rice, Billie Sgarlato, Emmima Prijatel and Anita Prather. Rice and Sgarlato take care of all the linens--washing, ironing, mending--a daunting task. These nine were selected to represent the 90 members of the Happy Dragon, now in its 40th year. DAFFODIL HILL: It'll be awhile before we see the fruits of their labor, but come March, a swath of hillside some 50 feet beyond the sign for Saratoga Springs should be awash in daffodils. The idea was Patti Hughes'. She talked Saratoga Springs owner Bill Gianinni into letting that roadside section become a mass of daffodils. In the summer cars are parked there, but by summer the daffodils will have nodded their last for the season. So the day before Thanksgiving one could have seen Hughes and long-time LGHS colleague Ted Simonson planting 300 bulbs along that stretch of Big Basin. The bulbs they planted are a mix of Golden Dawn, "yellow and fragrant," and Carleton, a yellow trumpet daffodil. The bulbs were purchased from the Bulb Baron at the Cabrillo College flea market, the best bulb bargain around, Hughes attests. Here's a tender aside: Carleton is Ted Simonson's real first name. Seems the long-time administrative high school team hasn't been parted yet, even though both are retired. Now they're teaming up to do landscaping work, not just for roadside beautification but for bona fide clients. To wit: Gianinni paid for the bulbs and labor, and the team is ready for more assignments. NOTIONS ''N' NEEDS: Harriette Froid is a Terraces resident known for her enterprising and organizing spirit. She helped put the Notions 'N' Needs Gift Shop on The Terraces map by organizing the auxiliary committee that formed it and serving as the committee's first president. That was in 1994. She and Ruth Molloy are credited with being the founders of the N'N'N shop, which offers refreshments, greeting cards, stamps and other sundries. All money raised benefits The Terraces. The first proceeds bought a wheelchair for the dining room. Next came six TVs and headsets for the health center. The auxiliary contributed $10,000 to the bus fund, which helped purchase a 31- passenger vehicle, air conditioned and PA-equipped, and scheduled to arrive this week. Froid also organizes the White Elephant Sale. CHINESE BRUSH DEMO: Anne King Leong will give a free demonstration, open to the public, in Chinese brush painting at 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Los Gatos Museum of Fine Art and Natural History, 4 Tait Ave. BIG GAP: We know not everything is hot-toddy warm and wonderful during the holiday season, but when you can smell cinnamon in the air and hear the uplifting strains of "Joy to the World" in Los Gatos shops, it's easy to forget the spirit isn't necessarily universally embracing. While picking up some gifts on a recent Sunday, I saw a woman lying on a bench on Santa Cruz Avenue. I thought she was just taking a needed catnap until I heard her crying. On the sidewalk by her was a Gap bag. One could interpret this in radically different ways: on the one hand, she must be OK economically, since the Gap is quite an upscale place. Or was this a repository for her belongings, and aptly named with all the lively talk and laughter passing by her? [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, December 16, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.