Saratoga Sampler
Saratogans take a space odyssey--to Russia
By Mary Ann Cook
RUSSIAN SPACE SURVEY: Saratogans Nancy and Art Ikola and Alexis and Mike Rubin recently had the trip of a lifetime--to Moscow and Baikanur, Kazakhstan, for the launch of a satellite built by Space Systems Loral in Palo Alto. Both men work for Space Systems.
On May 7, the Russian launch vehicle Proton rocketed skyward in a spectacular display of blinding light, with an earth-shattering roar. No more than a handful of people throughout the world have been part of this incredible experience. The Saratoga contingent indeed felt privileged.
Earlier, the women had been part of a small group of VIP guests on a Russian-led tour through the once super-secret Cosmosdrome space launch facilities. They climbed atop a Proton rocket service tower and watched as their husbands signed their names to the cowling, the covering of the payload capsule.
Alexis also had a chance to sign the cowling. The group visited the huge assembly building where the once-active Soviet Space Shuttle is currently housed. Several days later, the roof on this structure collapsed, killing eight workers. Sounds like a close call, indeed.
The Saratoga visitors also took in the Russian Gagarin Space Museum and toured the facilities tower that launched Sputnik in 1956, as well as the most recent Russian rocket that docked with Space Station Freedom.
THREE FOR THREE: Sharon Nunnenkamp, a breast cancer survivor, has signed on for the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day July 12-14, a 60-mile walk. She'll be walking with her two daughters, Krista Luehring, now of Northridge, and Kara Fike of Saratoga. Both daughters grew up in Saratoga and attended Lynbrook High.
Nunnenkamp is site monitor for the high school diploma program at Fremont Union High School District.
Luehring is a marketing manager for Buena Vista, a division of Disney; Fike is studying toward a teaching credential at San José State University and is a teaching intern at Edenvale School. The three have raised more than $8,000 thus far for cancer research.
YOUNG LEADERS RECOGNIZED: Vision New America sponsors summer programs for high school students to help them develop leadership and communication skills. Some 21 public policy interns were recognized as future leaders for this year, and five of them are Saratogans.
They are Christopher Chen, Grace Hsu, Ben Tzou and Gloria Yiu, all sophomores at Saratoga High, and Audrey Kuo, a sophomore at Lynbrook High. Nearly 50 high school and college students competed for the internship. Selection was based on essays, letters of recommendation and demonstration of commitment to community service.
MEETING ROYALTY: Louise Webb recently met Sara Ferguson, the duchess formerly known as the Duchess of Pork. Now Fergie, once married to Prince Andrew, is the lithe spokesperson for Weight Watchers. Webb met up with her at a Weight Watchers meeting where 3,000 people were gathered.
But just as the two began to chat, the duchess was whisked away to meet President Bush, who was also in the building--though not until Webb and Fergie were photographed together to add to Webb's celebrity mementos. The Duchess is taller, but both women are apt testimonials for the weight control program.
One attendee at the meeting wore gallon bottles tied together to demonstrate the weight she had lost, which was at least 100 pounds. When the duchess said that her life was much like theirs, what with plenty of emotional ups and downs, there were great titterings of disbelief from those assembled.
One commonalty they could relate to, as the royal reported: springing into action on the stationary bike at 6 a.m. that morning.
PYO FINALE CONCERT: Albert Kim of Saratoga will be the featured performer at the season finale concert for Peninsula Youth Orchestra (PYO) June 2 at 7 p.m. at Cañada College Main Theatre. Kim won the Concerto Competition held by PYO recently. He will be the soloist on Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1.
Kim is a freshman at Monta Vista High. The PYO phone is 650.325.7967.
AVARTFEST: Some 21 local artists' works will be on display at the AVArt Fest at the Triton Museum June 1 and 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Triton is at 1505 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara. There will be daylong art demos, music and food. AVA stands for Alliance of Visual Artists.
SEASON FINALE: El Camino Youth Symphony will present concerts June 1 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Redwood City, and June 2 at Gunn High School, Palo Alto. Both events begin at 7:30 p.m. Saratogans Ryo Yamagishi, Jenny Nam, Teresa Huang, Christopher Chen, Connie Chen, Alice Huang, Grace Jih, Kevin Liu, Jennifer Liu, Elisha and Sabrina Tam and Xing Wang are all members of the symphony.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
