Marilyn Smith (left) and Pam Cooper take a cooking lesson from David Kinch, chef at Sent Solvi restaurant, along with Marcia Tammel, Donna Muzzy and Linda Vandermarliere, owner of Chez Linda cooking school, who donated her school for the class.
Random Acts of Kindness Day, February 13, was proclaimed by the Saratoga City Council. The U.S. Congress had named the week Random Acts of Kindness Week. The week is a reminder to help others, but of course we should always be kind.
It was fun receiving a container of See's candy on top of my car, and thank you to whoever gave me the book wrapped in a package on my doorstep. A friend who didn't want to be named sent me a Valentine card saying her dogs gave bags of dog biscuits to several Saratoga dogs on the l3th. It made my day when Heidi Edelstein called and said she had heard I was looking for chocolate dessert cups and offered to make some homemade ones since it was Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Some other examples of random acts of kindness by Saratogans: Linda Vandermarliere, owner and chef of Chez Linda cooking school, donated her cooking school for Butter Paddle cooking classes. David Kinch, owner and chef at Sent Solvi, gave an elaborate luncheon cooking class there. Proceeds went to Eastfield Ming Quong, as did those from Earline Shields' and Phyllis Dunstan's gift-wrapping and table decoration class. The Butter Paddle is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is staffed by 85 volunteers and members of Eastfield Ming Quong Junior Auxiliary.7
Jim Graham helped two Irish lads find a place to live and gave them some furniture. They, in turn, gave him a special bottle of Irish whiskey. Ann Marie Burger gave a woman in the supermarket checkout line, who was 3 cents short, the money she needed. Joan Gomersall took her son, Edson, and daughter-in-law, Amy, out to brunch at Villa Montalvo.,
Saratoga High School Spanish teacher Renaldo Rodriquex, in charge of the Cultures of the World Club International Foodfest, had high school students and their families provide food and entertainment from numerous countries. He is expanding the event to get more community involvement.
As a 4-H volunteer, Leslie Isaacson Cunningham helped disabled children and adolescents develop horseback-riding skills. Ann Bond collected trash and soft drink cans she found during her walks.
Someone shared that she sent her daughter flowers Feb. l3 because her daughter had finally left her husband, who was abusive to her and the children.
Airline stewardess Karin Schraga sent Valentine cards to her husband, Burt.
Susanna Wong and committee members Chris Lai, Winnie Tang, Helen Lu, Annie Sattayapiwat, Kathleen Cheong and Alice Tan helped decorate the Senior Center and made a great Chinese New Year's lunch for 100 people. San Jose Mercury News columnist Jim Trotter, who likes to help the underdog through his column, was the guest luncheon speaker.
Jill Wilburn, a member of Grace Methodist Church, provided refreshments and table service without charge to help families out at memorial services for a deceased relative.
Miles Rankin has donated 92 pints of blood to the Red Cross. He wanted to make it an even 100, but his doctor wouldn't let him.
When Dick Wood was convalescing after a heart attack, Lillian Barna gave him a gift of a CD of her son Craig conducting an orchestra. Former residents Al and Ardis Breaslever generously donated a piano to the Rotary Club before they moved.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, March 12, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.