Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

Mary Ellen and Michael Fox earn yet another honor

UNITED HONOR: Here's another honor for those Foxes--I never know whether to capitalize their name or not--Mary Ellen and Michael. This time they've been awarded the Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award from United Way. The award recognizes outstanding leaders who provide overall philanthropic leadership and ongoing commitment to those in greatest need.

Michael Fox is president of M.E. Fox & Company, beverage distributors, and chairman of the board of directors of United Way. The Foxes are not only very active in United Way, but are also instrumental in fundraising for the San Jose Rep, the Tech Museum, Santa Clara University and the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce.

The Foxes were described as model citizens in our community at the award presentation at the San Jose Fairmont. United Way has a new acknowledgment for its benefactors--a donor wall with the list of more than 100 individuals and couples who donate $10,000 or more to the organization every year.

The de Tocqueville Society is named for the 19th-century French traveler who wrote Democracy in America, expressing his admiration for the volunteer spirit undertaken for the common good in the U.S. of 150 years ago.

FREE OPERA: Saratogan Byron Tauchi is first violinist in the San Jose Symphony and was one of the performers in the recent Opera in the Park concert. The Father's Day concert was held at Discovery Meadow in San Jose, adjacent to the Children's Discovery Museum.

Well-known opera music by the symphony and dancing by Karen Gabay and Raymond Rodrigues of the San Jose Cleveland Ballet meant a collaborative effort of the arts in this, the seventh year of the event.

Families traditionally bring picnics, and the event draws upward of 10,000 people. Other locals include Leonid Grin, conductor; Mimi Carlson, piccolo/flute; Robert Szabo, trombone; and Patricia Strange, principal second violin--all of Los Gatos.

CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE: The 1938 Bentley 1 1/4-litre sports saloon of Austin and Barbara Kilburn and the 1939 MG TB drophead coupe of Neal Kirkham were two Saratoga cars that showed in the recent Concours d'Elegance at the Silverado Country Club. The Napa County event had 300 vintage prestigious cars on display, a record number. The Concours benefits Children's Hospital of Oakland.

COWBOY WEDDING: Both were wearing wide-brimmed cowboy hats that bumped during the wedding kiss, and they each had to hold onto their hat for the next attempt. This bride and groom are enamored of each other and of the whole cowboy mystique. Much of their courtship was spent line dancing.

So when the May wedding date arrived, Jerry and Allen Jones made sure the ceremony followed the same motif they were living. Both were bedecked in Western wear for the ceremony, and many of the guests came in cowboy garb as well.

The bride's costume was specially made by her friend Mary Marcotte, who stitched up a white paneled skirt with teardrop hem and waist-length jacket, bedecked at yoke and sleeves with beaded braid. A fringed lace, light-blue tank top, customized white boots and a white cowgirl hat completed the outfit. Jerry is an administrative assistant at NASA.

Her bridesmaids, two grown daughters, wore black cowgirl outfits and black boots. The bridegroom was also in Western wear, boots and hat. Guests dined on barbecued ribs and chicken--and an armadillo-shaped wedding cake.

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION: Don't forget, it's shuttles only from West Valley College to the Hometown Celebration July 3, noon-5 p.m. at Montalvo. There will be no through traffic to Montalvo allowed. Buses will run frequently, and some will be handicapped-accessible.

New this year is hometown product Ben Bording, whose Bordinghouse Band will perform at 3:30 p.m.--from hot jazz to rhythm and blues. Bording is a vocalist/ instrumentalist who played with a zydeco band that first crossed the Iron Curtain to play for the East German Parliament. He owns Horticultural Services in Saratoga and says, "Plants and gardens are like music. They both travel across borders easily and mix to create their own genre." Another highlight at the July 3 event are the Sojourners, a Masonic group that will graphically show how the flag was created. That's at 1:20.

SUMMER SOLSTICE: Kindergarten Forum celebrated summer solstice June 20 at the Los Altos classroom of Saratogan Jenni Say Taylor at Loyola School. The forum emphasizes the inner life of both child and teacher, stressing that the kindergarten door opens onto a garden and teaches the wisdom therein.

SEASONAL RECITAL: At the Saratoga School of Piano spring recital these high notes were struck: Pailai King digging into a snazzy rendition of a Scott Joplin ragtime piece; Brian Huh, who can barely reach the pedals, stopped everyone's clock with his rendition of "Moonlight Sonata"; and Andrea Chang giving "Empty Chairs, Empty Tables" from Les Mis the full treatment and then some.

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