Saratoga Sampler

Memorial Day honors all war veterans

By Mary Ann Cook

HONORING VETERANS: Memorial Day is a time-honored observation in Saratoga, with all ages getting into the act. The day, of course, honors veterans of every war since the Civil War, of whom there are 624 in Madronia Cemetery. The commemorative event starts at Memorial Arch, next to the fire station.

Commander Bill Goehner of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #344 and Eleanor Patten, president of the Saratoga Foothill Club, will lead a short ceremony. They represent the two major sponsors and will place a commemorative wreath at the arch.

Helen Francis has made the wreath every year for the past five years to commemorate her husband, Gus Francis, who was one of the few survivors of the Philippines Death March. He also lived through the infamous death ships that carried prisoners to Manchuria. They were packed as tightly as sardines, and many died standing up.

After his death five years ago she began making the annual wreaths to honor him. She collects leaves and other materials--it's all done with material found in nature.

After the archway ceremony, the assemblage will proceed up Oak Street to Madronia Cemetery with the Saratoga High School Band leading the procession. At the cemetery Lyle McCarty, navigator of a B24 bomber during WWII, will be the speaker.

Girl Scouts, Brownies and El Sereno 4H members will place laurel leaves on the graves of all the veterans buried there. The girls gather the evening before to make the laurel sprays. Boy Scout groups will present the colors.

FLASHY FUNDRAISERS: When Judith Lawrenson and Debi Colyar teamed up to co-chair the underwriting division of the Sacred Heart Auction, they set their goal at $50,000. But the pair were so wildly successful they raised nearly $70,000.

They sold nine Ambassador tables at $5,000 each and eight Consul General Tables for $2,500 each. The gala and auction called "License to Kill" will be held May 13, in tents near Geary Hall at the church. The proceeds will benefit the building campaign at Sacred Heart.

AUTOGRAPH HUNTER: Famed Everest climber George Mallory is no relation to Saratoga's Jack Mallory. Still, wife Sue Mallory knew her husband would be interested because of the name in common. So she bought him the book The Last Climb, the story of G. Mallory, who died in 1924.

Because the climber's body was found last year, 75 years after his death, he was suddenly in the news again. And one of the reports mentioned a daughter, whom J. Mallory tracked down via the Internet. Seems the daughter, Clare Millikan, 85, lives in a Quaker home in Santa Rosa.

So Jack and Sue made arrangements to meet her and ended up with an autograph for Jack's book. The March edition of Women's Sports & Fitness included an article about Millikan titled "The Climber's Daughter." Millikan, a widow, has three sons and taught at Mills College. Her father-in-law, Robert Millikan, was president of Cal Tech and a Nobel Prize winner, J. Mallory reports.

SPEEDY MARATHONER: Fastest U.S. woman in the Boston Marathon was a Los Gatan--she's Maria Trujillo de Rios, 40. She was 18th overall and third in the masters division. Her time was 2 hours, 42 minutes, 24 seconds. She's run the marathon since 1983.

Her fastest Boston marathon was in '90 with her time of 2:28:53 when she came in third. She's been running since she was a student at Hartnell Community College and got interested in track through an exercise class.

Her husband Carlos is a runner, too. They have an 11-month-old baby, Alina.

Rios will participate in a couple of big events this year, since the time of the American master's title of 2:35:08 seems to be within her reach and a worthwhile goal. After that, she'll concentrate on another baby. She placed 12th in the U.S. Olympic Trials in South Carolina in February.

YOUNG FILMMAKER: Some people start young--very young. The filmmaker Craig Akimoto is 10 years old and the story he based his sci-fi movie on was written when he was 9. Craig's work was a finalist in the National Children's Film Festival last year and was shown on HBO's "30 x 30 Kid's Flicks" in April.

SISTER CITY: Saratoga's Sister City will meet May 13, at the Senior Center for a potluck dinner at 6 p.m., followed by a talk and demonstration by origami expert Yoshiki Hirabayashi.

RETIREMENT PARTY: Here's a retirement party with a twist. Industrial Arts teacher Ron Cassel is throwing a party for all his former students--that's 37 years worth of students from Los Gatos High School. The big doings will be held on June 4, at Vasona Park Pavilion from 1 to 4 p.m.

RSVPs are requested for the barbecue from former students and their spouses. To reserve a place call Rod Bennett at 408.379.2390. Cassel's students are consistent winners at VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America) competitions.

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