Saratoga Sampler
School furniture is born again in Mexico
By Mary Ann Cook
SCHOOL DESKS TO MEXICO: In what is becoming a yearly event, Saratoga Rotarians and Saratoga firefighters joined forces to spend a recent Saturday refurbishing school furniture to be sent off to Mexico. Rotarian Paul Kelker was the expediter of this rehabilitation process.
The end result was that some 149 desks, 210 chairs and 24 double desks were dissembled, cleaned, painted and packaged to be used by Mexican school children. Materials came from both Saratoga and Moreland school districts and the San Jose Buddhist Church.
Metal parts were painted by Manuel Conejos, Carlos Garcia and Arturo Diaz, all employees of the House Doctor, owned by Kelley McKinley. Others in on the action were Fred Petersen, Fred Brumton, Jack Hickling, Preston Wisner, Jit Kapur and his son, Arie.
Still others to be thanked are: David Montagna, Buck Sample, Peggy and Dane Christensen, Chuck Page and his daughter, and Jaime Prieto, an exchange student from Chile, John Tauchi, Nick Fedeli, Ian Geddes, Jerry Huston, Reiko Iwanaga, Ken Gortz, Don Perez, Lillian Barna, Del DelCarlo, Glenn Dick and Kevin Kelker, son of Paul.
PHYSABILITY HONORED: Dalia Nir of Saratoga was honored at an awards dinner recently for her work in bringing the physability program to the Southwest YMCA and directing it. The Service Above Self Award was given to Nir by the San Andreas Regional Center.
The center is an advocacy agency for those with disabilities. The focus of the Southwest Y's physability program is inclusion, opening up the spectrum of Y programs so that those with disabilities participate side by side with others, instead of in segregated classes.
Everyone benefits by inclusion, says Nir. The hale gain more sensitivity and more positive attitudes while the disabled gain new skills and personal fulfillment. Classmates and campers learn from each other, interact, form new friendships and have fun.
Social skills acquired carry over into other aspects of their community life. Integrating people into existing programs gives those with special needs more options and, hence, more meaning and purpose in their lives. And the Y should certainly be at the forefront as a place for acceptance, Nir affirms.
ZANY COLLECTIONS: The History San Jose exhibit at Kelley Park called Object Obsession is rife with oddball collections that tell the social history of this valley. Some of the weirdest: thousands of salt and pepper shakers and paper napkins significant for the event they commemorated.
There are a staggering number of wrenches, olive jars full of water with pressed seaweed, and an egg beater collection that is reminiscent of an Alexander Calder mobile or stabile. Photos were taken of all these different collections and then a collage was formed from them.
The result is fascinating, says longtime volunteer for the History San Jose Research Center, Anne Louise Heighho. "Reminds one of a quilt," she says, "replete with cultural and personal history."
Heighho, a member of the San Jose State University Chorale, switches hats to report that Michael Reardon, a nationally known performer, will proclaim the Book of Mark at St. Andrew's Church Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. Sound and light are part of the presentation.
A $25 donation is requested. It promises to be an amazing evening, Heighho says. "Father David Brewer of St. Luke's Church has heard it and raves about it. After all, this is the way people first heard the message of the gospel." Well, the sound and light may be more high-tech these days.
OPERA/FASHIONS: A fashion show to jointly benefit Opera San Jose and the San Francisco Opera Center's Merola Program will be held Nov. 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Los Gatos Opera House. Fashions will be by renowned Los Gatos fashion designer Marian Clayden. Clayden's textiles are in the permanent collections of many museums, including the Smithsonian and the Victoria and Albert in London.
"Clayden Goes to the Opera" will feature champagne, food stations, dancing and opera excerpts. Proceeds will provide financial support for gifted young singers, as well as educational programs in the schools and community. Tickets are $150, or $200 for runway seating. Call 408.808.1364 for tickets.
CIVIL WAR SPEAKER: Jack Leathers was the October speaker at the Peninsula Civil War Round Table luncheon. The Leathers' subject was Gentleman Rebel General Simon Bolivar Buckner, a West Point classmate (1844) and old friend of Union General U.S. Grant.
The two were pitted against each other when Buckner defended Fort Donelson. The Perryville and Chicamauga campaigns were also part of the talk. Early on, the Union forces asked Buckner to lead their forces, but he chose to go with the Confederacy.
Dedicated historian Leathers is program chairman of the Round Table.
CATTLE BARONS: This year's Cattle Baron's Ball raised an impressive $1.5 million for the American Cancer Society, a baronial sum indeed.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
