Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

Independent Saratogans celebrate the 4th on the 3rd

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION: Saratoga will celebrate its own brand of Independence Day July 3, noon-5 p.m. at Montalvo. Now, choosing that date--that's independent. Karin Dowdy reports that one more children's entertainment event, such as a puppet show, is still needed. Any suggestions? If so, call her at 446-4740.

BIRTHDAY BOX: Gallery House in Palo Alto, an art cooperative, is celebrating its longevity this year with a show called "40th Anniversary Birthday Box," wherein each artist creates works with a box theme. This is right up Theresa Robinson's alley: She's being doing box motifs for years.

The show will run June 30-July 25 and several West Valley artists are involved, including Los Gatans Betty Rogers and Linda Fillhardt. Saratogans in the show are the aforementioned Robinson and Starr Davis.

A reception for the artists is July 5, 4-7 p.m. at 538 Ramona St. There'll be refreshments and entertainment--all with a box theme. Are See's candies beyond the budget?

BLIND SIGHT: Gloria Ling of Saratoga was third-prize winner in the Young Writer's Contest sponsored by Guideposts, an inspirational magazine. Ling won a $5,000 scholarship for her story, "What Grandfather Saw," about her blind grandfather.

His blindness brought his family closer to him, her grandfather said, and so he saw the world through all his relatives' eyes. Those who sat near him at family gatherings would describe their surroundings to him. Ling's story says, "I began to see the world through grandfather's eyes, but instead of seeing darkness, I saw light."

TENNIS WINNERS: In this tournament both the participants and Eastfield Ming Quong win, because entry fees of $45 go to the center for troubled youth. Here are the local winners of the nine-month long tennis competition.

From Saratoga in women's doubles: Terri Morrison, Ingrid Dittman and Lo Sevastopoulos. In women's singles: Sally McElravey, Kim Kallbrier, Ana Amato, Helen Kaufman and Dolly Yang. Maggie Angus is chair of the marathon. Call her at 650/968-3787 if you'd like to participate come fall.

PANDAMONIUM: That's not a misspelling, but the name of the current display at Hakone Gardens Cultural Exchange Center. Longtime volunteer Jan Morgan is the display coordinator, and the 40 stuffed pandas and other paraphernalia are part of her personal collection. "My grandchildren give me stuffed animals," she grins.

There's a poignancy to the display, too, what with pandas being an endangered species: Only 1,000 remain in the world. "What's black and white and loved all over?" Morgan asks. Surprising that Morgan has so many of the beloved creatures; I thought they didn't breed in captivity. "Pandamonium" is on display through the summer.

MUSEUM INVENTORY: Mary Zodrow of Saratoga discovered a piece of history when, as a volunteer at de Saisset Museum, she opened up a gold pocket watch and found hair that belonged to the Rev. Magin Catala inside. Catala served at the Santa Clara mission from the 1790s to the 1830s.

Zodrow has been a volunteer for the museum at Santa Clara University for six years and helps inventory their collection. Other surprises that have turned up include an Egyptian falcon mummy, opium scales and a pre-Columbian jaw bone from a human sacrifice.

Some 99 percent of the collection is in storage, and there are 10,000 objects in the museum's art and history collection so cataloguing is an ongoing project. This summer the prints will be finished up and photographs will be processed, including the work of Dorothea Lange, Edward Weston and Ruth Bernhard.

Volunteers work six hours or more per week, and training will be conducted June 23-Aug. 21, six hours daily, Monday through Friday. Phone number is 554-4528.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: David Min Kim of Saratoga High was awarded a $2,000 scholarship by the Community Hospital of Los Gatos/Saratoga Auxiliary. David intends to major in the medical field. Five other students from area high schools, also medically minded, won scholarships from the auxiliary.

MUSICAL PREVIEW: The California Youth Symphony will present a preview concert at Gunn High School June 21 at 2:30 p.m. Violin soloist Kenneth Hsu, 17, will be a highlight, performing "An Orpheus Legend for Violin and Orchestra."

The work was composed by CYS director Leo Eylar. Ten Saratoga youth are part of CYS and will go to Spain June 23 to perform in three different cities. This is the 12th international invitation the award-winning group has received. For tickets, call 650/325-6666.

ANGEL ISLAND: You can hike and picnic atop Mt. Livermore on Angel Island June 20 with American Youth Hostel. The group will take the 10 a.m. Tiberon ferry to the island and then hike five miles up the mountain, where views are breathtaking.

Hikers bring their own lunch. A phone call to Mark Hougardy at 793-5274 is appreciated. AYH helps keep Highway 9 clean with monthly forays for litter cleanup. Their number is 293-3787.

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