Saratoga Sampler

Bellarmine pays tribute to Albanese family

By Mary Ann Cook

ALBANESE FAMILY HONORED: It was Albanese night at Bellarmine's President's Club Award Appreciation Dinner last week. The Albanese family members--strong supporters of Bellarmine College Preparatory for two generations--were the honorees at the school's annual event.

Rose and Joe Albanese of Saratoga are the patriarch/matriarch of the family and "have been a stalwart presence at Bellarmine for as long as anyone can remember," according to the Rev. William H. Muller, president of the Jesuit-run school. Joe is a 1936 Bellarmine grad.

Sons John, Kevin and Chris attended Bellarmine, and they, too, were honored, along with John's wife, Mary Sue, who is working on the school's 150th anniversary celebration to start in March 2000.

Also celebrated were nephews Bill, class of '61, and Tom, class of '64. These two are the president and vice president of Central Concrete Supply Co. and staunch Bellarmine boosters. Tom was a member of Bellarmine's first Board of Regents, and Bill is a current member of that body. Bill and his wife, Mari, live in Los Gatos, and Tom and his wife, Maureen, live in Saratoga. Tom founded and is an owner of Campo di Bocce in Los Gatos. The two men are the sons of the late Carmen and Ethel Albanese.

The entire Albanese family was commended for its dedication and hard work with Bellarmine and other valley causes. Bellarmine prides itself on being the oldest school in California.

YULETIDE AT MONTALVO: Those who attended Yuletide at Montalvo say it was one of the best ever--and among the most profitable, relates Janet Olsen, who was in charge. The annual sale is the main fundraiser for the Montalvo Service Group, the auxiliary that serves the arts center, helping to maintain the house and grounds.

The event is one of the few times the public may tour the mansion, points out Elizabeth Monley.

The mansion rooms were decorated to a fare-thee-well. The Jim Gramble puppet show on Sunday was a crowd pleaser. The cookies at tea time were all homemade. The library was transformed into The Gentleman's golf and gift room. Bagpipers played during the preview evening for members. The gardening room upstairs displayed the green thumb of Lil Nelson's topiary and the temptations of Gourmet Alley.

The auxiliary has existed since 1954, but like every other women's group in these post-feminist movement days, it could use some fresh blood. Of course, it's not just the femme movement that's to blame for the erosion of numbers of women able to allot time to volunteer groups. The startling price of housing here forces most women into the marketplace, and women's volunteer groups have shrunk as a result. Montalvo's Service Group is still strong in numbers--250--but many are elderly, unable to be very active.

Two workshop groups meet throughout the year, creating goods for the Christmas show--a nature workshop and a sewing workshop. These are the elves that make those wondrous creations one can buy at Yuletide at Montalvo.

Montalvo volunteers undergo a year's training and need to contribute 40 hours of volunteer time to the center throughout the year. If you think that's your cup of tea call the Service Group at 408.961.5823. Connie Roberts is membership chairwoman. You must be invited to join, but that can usually be arranged.

CAT ALUM: David Ogden Stiers is the narrator for the Burns brothers' documentary series called New York, now playing to enthusiastic response. Stiers is a former member of the acting company C.A.T. (California Actor's Theater) that was active in Los Gatos' Old Town Theater. That was before the theater was transformed into Border's Book Store and before Stiers became a mainstay of the long-running TV show MASH.

POETRY SLAM DUNK: Most people have trouble selling one poem. Mary Lou Taylor just sold more than a half dozen in the space of a month. Three were plucked out by the Bellowing Arc; two were picked up by the Montserrat Review, and one or two will be published in Chiyo's, a Washington State periodical.

Besides all that, Tundra in Foster City wanted one, and Taylor won second prize and $50 in a contest sponsored by Friends of the Sacramento Library. All in all, a prodigiously publishable month for a poet.

GREAT GETAWAYS: All ages are welcome, but these trips are sponsored by the Senior Center and leave from same. There's a performance of Cabaret on Dec. 8 at $84 per person. Or the New Year celebration scheduled for British Columbia. The five-day stay is at the Empress Hotel; it's $1,395 per person, double occupancy. Then to Reno on Jan. 25 and 26; it's $64 per person and features the Eldorado in Reno, Boomtown in Verdi and a stay at the Silver Legacy in Reno. On Feb. 3, it's Benicia, rain or shine, for $54 per person; Benicia Glass Studios, Camel Barn Museum, a history of the city and the U.S. Army Arsenal are included. Call 408.868.1248 for more information.

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