Saratoga News

Saratoga Sampler

Mary Ann Cook

Bittners just keep producing dentists

A FLOSS OF DENTISTS: If a group of larks is an exultation, what's a collection of dentists? Whatever it's called, such a collection is close at hand. It's the Bittner family, who live in Saratoga, with a dental practice at 890 Saratoga Ave., San Jose. For 25 years the husband-wife team of Gerald Bittner and Susan Alcaraz (Bittner) have practiced at that location. Recently their son Gerald Jr. joined them, and now their son-in-law, Kenneth Prince, has become part of the family team, too. Kenneth graduated from dental school in June. Still to come: the fifth member, daughter Blair, wife of Kenneth, who will graduate from dental school next June. Plenty of room for all five in the practice, Susan assures. Not all Bittners or their mates become dentists, however. Son John is a San Jose real estate agent, and Michelle, 16, hasn't decided on a career yet.

Susan is president of the Children's Dental Health Care League of the UOP School of Dentistry in San Francisco, her alma mater and that of all the other dentists in the family. The League's purpose is to raise funds for the UOP children's dental clinic in San Francisco, which serves low-income and handicapped children who are difficult to treat (such as children with MS and other nerve diseases). Since most dental clinics don't have the equipment or the special staff to handle these unusual cases, children come from as far away as San Diego and the Oregon border to be treated there.

This year's fundraiser for the clinic is a fashion show/luncheon of Gianni Versace designs to be held Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel. Special models will be former 49er Roger Craig and his daughter, Rometra Craig, 16. Susan Alcaraz Bittner and Bonnie Kwong, also of Saratoga, are co-chairs of the event. Kwong's son is also a student at UOP's dental school. Tickets are $75, $100 and $125 per and can be ordered at 867-5343 or through UOP at (415) 929-6432.

NEW BRIDE: Marchelle Fox, beginning her second year as president of West Valley College, became a bride this summer. She and Duaine Palm chose Lake Tahoe for a private ceremony in mid-July. The two have been an item for eight years and engaged for two. Friends introduced them, said they'd be a good tennis match. Don't want to say a love match, because that means nothing (0) in tennis-speak. Palm is a retired real estate broker; Fox will keep her last name professionally because the thought of changing it is just too daunting. Marchelle's first name may have been invented by her mother: She's only encountered two others with that name, and one may have been copied from this Marchelle.

RETREAT: The board of directors of the Teen Counseling Center of the West Valley held their annual retreat at the Saratoga home of Pat Lake, director of administration, to plan for the coming year. This is the 14th year of operation for the center, located at the Los Gatos Neighborhood Center, 208 E. Main St. More than 900 clients were counseled last year at the seven schools served. Campbell schools are part of it, as well as Saratoga and Los Gatos. Peer counselors are trained through this program and are ready to lend an ear now that school has started. Phone number is 354-7648.

SPANGLES WANTED: Our Lady of Fatima Villa needs jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings, to be used as bingo prizes for the residents of the villa, which is run by the Dominican Sisters. Time to clean out those jewelry boxes and drop off any finery you can part with at 20400 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road. Terry Becker, activity director, can be reached at 741-2950.

MOON VIEWING: the annual Moon Viewing at Hakone Gardens will be Sept. 19 beginning at 6 p.m. with saki, soft drinks, wine and snacks, followed by a bento dinner and flute music (shakuhachi) by Saratogan Barry Weiss. Weiss is the president of Wizard Software Company and has played at Hakone several times, reports John Tauchi, Sister City board member. When the moon comes up, the party will move to the upper house for viewing. Legend has it Moon Viewing as an event started in China after the Mongolian hordes came through and the people were attempting a revolt. They inserted details of the revolt into mooncakes baked for the occasion and were successful in overthrowing the invaders. No mooncakes on hand for the Hakone one, however.

WORK-STUDY: Volunteer Saratoga is partnered with the work-study program at West Valley College, and this year more students are expected to be involved. Students earn $9 an hour from the feds and take at least 6 units per semester.

APOLOGIES: to Jennifer Chen, Saratoga's consummate volunteer, for misusing the word penultimate to describe her. She is, of course, a top student and worker, and we're confident she will excel at Berkeley, as she has at Saratoga.

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