Saratoga Sampler

Fete at Montalvo honors past and the new millennium

By Mary Ann Cook

CELEBRATING THE FOURTH: Don Miller is president of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and that group will form the color guard to present both the U.S. flag and the SAR flag at the Hometown Millennium celebration on the 4th of July at Montalvo.

Miller will also serve as the master of ceremonies for the patriotic occasion. Other SARs who will march in the color guard in full Revolutionary War costume are Willys Clayton and Christopher Palmer. Evan Baker and Barbara Major will offer greetings. Baker is a council member and Major is president of the Saratoga Lions, which sponsors the July 4 festivities. The 561st Air Force Band of the Calif. Air National Guard, conducted by Jese Leyva, is a prime attraction at the doings.

Closer to home and also on the bill is the hometown band, the Skillet Likker Family, led by Les Landin. Marlene Duffin (recently named Citizen of the Year by the Saratoga Chamber) is the person in charge of the entire event.

Service clubs will dispense hamburgers, hot dogs, soft drinks and sell Americana artifacts. Sno Cones, sold by members of the El Sereno 4 H, games organized by the Educational Foundation, face painting and an astro-jump should keep the kiddies occupied.

GOING BANANAS: They call themselves The Banana Gang because so many of them showed up in that color on their getaway to Hawaii a few weeks ago. It was hosted by Toni Pinn at her place at Mauna Lani. Turned out her pad was rife with the same color.

Of course they'd rather it was said in Hawaiian, which is Kehui Mai'a. They are 10 Saratoga women who play bridge together monthly and have played for the past 15 years. Because someone is usually out of town they needed more than eight. Lately they've taken to vacationing as a group.

Said one observer who heard the names and arrangement. "How can they possibly get along? They're all alpha women." Well, responds ace Sampler reporter Judy Gingerich, (one of the gang) that may be exactly why they do get along so well.

No grudges are borne, no commandeering is tolerated. If someone crosses the line, she's roundly chastised, and brought back to reality. The group played golf and tennis, along with the requisite bridge.

Gang members are Denise Renola, Jill Hunter, Joan Lynch (a.k.a. Lunch) Lynn Lally, Gretchen Mair, Lia Lorton, Cindy Summers and Kathryn Holt. Nancy Crampton, who now lives in San Diego, was also there. Since the Hawaii trip the gang has gone to Pajaro for a few days with Jill Hunter acting as hostess.

The Pinns--Toni and Al--must love to entertain. Before the female gang arrived in Mauna Lani they hosted a group of Saratoga golfers: Linda and Bill Giannini; Emily and Ed Winn; and Susan and Joe Zabkar.

TIGER TOURNEY: Locals who volunteered at the Pebble Beach Open included Ed Porter, his daughter Chick Porter Runkel; Ron Whitcanack and Judy Moore of Los Gatos. Whitcanack was a marshal on the 16th hole, and Moore was in charge of corporate hospitality.

Ed Porter guarded one of the corporate hospitality tents "keeping people (who weren't authorized to be there) from coming in" and Runkel served in the IBM tent. It was the ideal location with a good view of the sixth, eighth and 14th holes. From that vantage point, Porter pronounced Tiger Woods' drives down the sixth "phenomenal." Porter reports the excuses people gave to get into the tents were legion. "I know so and so" among the most popular.

Runkel, a Saratoga High School grad of '76 now living in Hillsborough, was interviewed by KRON reporter Vernon Glenn. The interview aired Saturday on the 11 p.m. news and Sunday morning.

Father's Day and birthday arrived on the same day for Porter. The event was marked by his four offspring and 10 grandchildren on the following day.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: Monica Bullard and Irina Rozhansky, both West Valley College students, won $800 scholarships from the Los Gatos-Saratoga branch of AAUW. Carol Howard was scholarship chairwoman and the awards are presented to re-entry women.

The women are math or science majors who transfer to a four-year school. Bullard will enter the nursing program at SJSU and Rozhansky, who intends to teach math, will also head for SJSU. The funds come from the annual Chinese New Year dinner.

New AAUW officers are Allyson Lageschulte, president; Ann Martin-Rowland and Bernie Fawley, vice president, programs; Marlene Lamb and Bette Peska, vice presidents, membership; Jean Wenberg, vice president, educational foundation; and Patricia Weber, vice president, finance.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Habitat for Humanity will build in Los Gatos on Charles Street later this year. A golf tourney benefit for HfH is slated for July 17 at La Rinconada Country Club. Cost is $195; dinner only is $35. R.S.V.P. by July 3 to Bill Arnopp at 408.294.6464.

The event raised $10,000 last year. Johnny Dawson of Saratoga is a longtime volunteer of the group.

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