Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

Legacy of fancy guitars lives on in Saratoga

ELVIS LIVES: Well, no, not really, but his legacy of fancy guitars lives on, even in Saratoga. For example, Saratoga artist Joan Lowell designs guitars for PK Selective in San Jose. P.K. stands for Peter Kellette, whose company produces anodized aluminum guitars in three different shapes.

Joan's designs are engraved on the guitar and then colored. So far she's produced an English country scene with castle ruins and swans; a Viking boat with banners and helmsmen, and several designs with Japanese themes--flying cranes, swimming carp, chatting geishas and chunky sumo wrestlers.

The latest undertaking for Joan Lowell Advertisers and PK: designs on aluminum tiles. She'll do a mermaid for starters, for possible use in a bathroom. The tiles are wider than bricks, could be used for countertops, walls or even floors.

OLD FASHIONED FOURTH, ER, THIRD: Home Town Celebration was a slice of Americana--a pretty lush slice when you consider the front lawn of Montalvo. There was Tom Jefferson. Over there, Abe Lincoln. Farther down the lawn, a Civil War encampment. And the American Legion Sojourners on stage in full 18th-century regalia, explaining how the flag got designed, one stripe for each of the original 13 states and one star for each of the current 50 states.

Their presentation included the roll call of states, telling when each state ratified the Constitution, with people cheering for their home states. Later on came the Gettysburg Address. Later still, the Skillet Likker Family with Abe switching hats from stovepipe to cowboy to play the train whistle.

De Anza Kiwanians cooked up traditional hamburgers and hot dogs, and the DAR sold lemonade. The Book-Go-Round sold books and decried the straining-at-the-seams plight of the library. At the Lions booth, there were flags for sale, with the money destined for the blind. League of Women Voters was selling ice cream to benefit the Senior Center.

Children were fingerprinted by the Santa Clara County sheriff's department, thanks to Lt. Cary Colla. Marlene Duffin (Does she ever sleep?) presiding over all. Buses delivered with dispatch. The weather was mild. Third time's a charm. All in all a village celebration to relish and await next year's version.

The afternoon was like stepping onto the set of The Music Man, that celebration of small-town Americana. And, speaking of music, there were Taiko drums, the Boarding House and Mission Valley Jazz bands on the Garden Theatre stage. On the main stage were Saratoga Schools Singers led by Vickie Wyant and Margie Alejadro. Besides all of the patriotic favorites, they sang "Saratoga," penned by city clerk Betsy Cory.

V'BALL CHAMPS: Brandi Mount is just back from Dallas, where she was part of the City Beach Club team that spiked first place in the National Junior Olympics for Volleyball Championship. Mount has been a sportswoman all her life--soccer, softball, basketball, swimming, and now this dedication has paid off for the 6-foot-1 athlete. She won a full volleyball scholarship to Texas A & M.

Brandi and Joanne Saunders were part of the Archbishop Mitty volleyball team that made it to three state championships, one of which they won when the girls were sophomores. Saunders also recently accepted a scholarship--to Fairfield in Connecticut.

Joanne is the third daughter of a volleyball-playing family--her sisters were Janine and Jill, who also played club volleyball to vie for national championships. Their parents are John and Rena Saunders. Pat and Dick Mount are Brandi's parents. You can keep track of Pat's whereabouts: her license plate reads VB TAXI.

ADVERTISING PAYS: Dr. Fred Blesch of Ft. Collins, Colo., a chiropractor, advertised for another practitioner to round out his clinic and got a wife in the bargain. Elissa Viarengo, an acupuncturist, answered his ad and not only joined the clinic but became Mrs. Blesch as well.

Fred is the son of Tat Blesch and the late John Blesch. The bride is from Heath, N.J., and when her parents came west to get acquainted, the two families went to Napa for a two-day stay at the East Brothers Light House. Nothing like an island lighthouse to shed light on new relations.

GARDEN ARTISTS: Jump Start is a new auxiliary that raises money for Next Door, Solutions to Domestic Violence. Their recent garden party/art show raised $4,500. Local artists who exhibited at the fundraiser included Ned and Marian Gault of Monte Sereno and Genie Even of Los Gatos.

Auxiliary members wore white ribbons to denote children with special needs and purple ribbons representing domestic violence. Interested in joining Jump Start? Call Susan Wytyshyn at 446-2527.

CHURNING UP FUNDS: The Butter Paddle earned $133,399 for Eastfield Ming Quong for 1997-98, and EMQ Jr. Auxiliary president Susie Schechter presented the check to Jerry Doyle, pres/CEO of EMQ. The 32-year-old Butter Paddle offers unique accessories and gourmet items for the home.

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