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Saratoga Sampler
Marlene Duffin adds one more feather to her cap
By Mary Ann Cook
REGIONAL CHAIR: Marlene Duffin is now in charge of a region for the Lions. That's nine Santa Clara County Lions clubs that she oversees. Her latest title is Region Chair. I figure it's only a matter of time before she goes state and then it's on to national.
However, she claims that she and husband Ron are getting away more and more "to avoid work." They are at the moment "national-parked out," having done an elderhostel sweep of Bryce, Zion, Cedar Breaks, et al. Before that there was the Rocky Mountain Railroad trip with Ann and Hugh Hexamer.
That followed the trail of Lewis and Clark and took in Glacier National Park as well, with the foursome ensconced in touring buses called Red Jammers. The rail section of the trip took them from Helena, Mont., to Sand Point, Idaho.
Coming up for the Duffins in October is an African safari. Joining them on this adventure: Gladys and Fred Armstrong, Marge and George Bunyard and Joan Gomersall, all of Saratoga, and Cathy and Syd Focato of Monte Sereno.
AWARD WINNER: Jennifer Wey is only 9 years old but already she's bringing distinction to herself. This summer she won the Nicholas Green Award, named in honor of a child who was killed in Italy in a drive-by shooting while on vacation with his family.
The Green family lives in Bodega Bay and set up a foundation for gifted children in memory of their son. One recipient is chosen from each state, and this was the first year the award was given. Jennifer, a gifted violinist, is in the third grade at Saratoga School.
Her teacher, Vanya Jackowski, nominated her for the award. As part of the application, Jennifer wrote an essay telling how music affects her life, and how she wants to share her passion with others. Her love of music must have come ringingly across through her words.
Jennifer has taken violin lessons since she was 31Ž2--group lessons in the Suzuki method. Lessons came easily for her, and her natural gifts and dedication were obvious even at that early age. Today her teacher is Pat Burnham of Palo Alto, who happened to be my seatmate on a recent plane trip.
Jennifer performs with the San Jose Youth Symphony and is its youngest member. She also plays piano. As for the future, she wants to be a kindergarten teacher, to write books and to be a music performer.
At the awards ceremony the Teys met the Greens, making the event even more meaningful, said Jennifer's mother. The Teys also have a 2-year-old daughter, Julianne. The girls' father is Calvin Wey and their mother is Sefen Hsu.
SING OUT FOR SINGH: Kavita Singh of Saratoga is a textile designer whose art work will be on display at the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts on Aug. 21 and 22. Singh often uses fish and flowers as motifs when she creates her hand-painted scarves.
She also designs jackets, caftans and full-length wraps, as well as prints on silk. Singh found that her colors grew sunnier and more open after she moved to California. Well traveled, the designer has studied art in Europe as well as in southeast Asia and her native India.
Her work has been shown at the White House and she has designed custom clothes for Malaysian royalty. The Palo Alto Festival will be held from 10 a. m. to 6 p.m. on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto.
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN: The Youth Science Institute has outgrown its 2,800-square-foot digs at Vasona Park and has launched a capital campaign to raise money for a 5,100-square-foot addition. "We're so crowded we're having to turn school programs away," says YSI's executive director, Anne Dunham of Saratoga.
This is the first time YSI has undertaken such an ambitious plan. And since many people are unaware of or unacquainted with YSI programs, a series of get-acquainted-with-YSI parties is being planned over the next few months as part of the first step in fundraising.
The addition will cost $1.2 million, according to an estimate by board member Royal Kwock, who has drawn up preliminary plans for the expansion, all pro bono. His architectural firm is Ahearn and Kwock of San Jose.
The addition will include a new classroom, an indoor lab and an outdoor lab with amphitheater-type seating. The expansion will be in two phases--first the shell will be put up and then the inside will be completed with fully equipped lab.
It is hoped that funds for the first phase--$750,000--will be in place by February 2000. Some $363,000 has been raised to date, partly from the Thrift and Gift Shop operated by the YSI Guild in San Jose and partly through a grant from the Robert Brownlee Foundation. The grant is a matching one, so YSI has its work cut out. If you'd like to help, Dunham's number is 356-4945, ext. 11.
NAME CORRECTION: Apologies to Dawn Hart-Kocsis for not spelling the Kocsis part of her name right in a recent piece about her artwork which is on display at the California State Fair. That's Kocsis.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
