McLaughlin, a venture capitalist who has founded 15 different companies and served as director of 32 corporations, has recently been awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.

This is the highest commendation for service to youth offered by the association. McLaughlin is president and CEO of Venture Leasing Associates, which has provided $250 million in equipment lease financing to startups for the past 17 years.

As a young man, McLaughlin attained the rank of Eagle Scout and eventually Distinguished Eagle Scout. He has served as area president, council president and national Advisory council member for BSA.

He and his wife, Ellen, spearheaded a $1 billion endowment campaign for local Western regional councils, contributing $1 million themselves. He was president of Junior Achievement of Santa Clara County, received its Silver Leadership Award, was inducted into its Silicon Valley Business Hall of Fame.

Other organizations in which McLaughlin has held leadership positions include the Knights of St. John, the Health Trust, O'Connor Hospital Foundation and the American Cancer Society, as well as several university advisory boards. He helped found Silicon Valley's Band of Angels, a joint venture of area philanthropists.

YOUTHFUL WINNER: Saratogan Hilda Wang is an amazing piano protégé. Though only 7, she is already winning awards. She recently won the International Russian Piano Music Competition sponsored by the Steinway Society.

Hilda is the student of Anna Polonsky, who with her husband, Victor, owns Polonsky Piano School on Prospect Avenue. The Polonskys are native Russians who have lived in Saratoga for several years and have recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. They wanted to learn more about their beloved, adopted country.

SIGHTING BEACH SITES: Brian Jake Molinaro, 7, and Keats Iwanaga, 6, are two of the youngsters featured in an article called "Go to the Beach" in the most recent issue of Travel and Leisure Magazine. Their dads, Jeff Molinaro and Ryan Iwanaga, are Saratoga High grads of 1984.

Jeff Molinaro runs MMM Carpets with his family and lives in Santa Cruz with wife, Josephine Molinara. Ryan Iwanaga is manager of Coldwell Banker of Los Gatos and lives in Los Gatos. Keat's mother is Anne Heffron. Both grandparents still live in Saratoga.

The magazine article pictures seven beach sites from coast to coast. The local youngsters were photographed in Capitola by a New York photographer, who had been alerted to the Brian/Keats photogenic possibilities by a photographer who knows the Molinaro/Iwanaga clan.

The facing page of the spread shows children modeling beach wear, but neither of the locals are models.

SHOW 'N TELL: Assistance League's third annual Antique Show and Tell made more than $17,000 to be used for club projects. This year Operation School Bell served 258 children with jackets, shoes, backpacks and school supplies in two school districts and will add a third school this fall.

The We All Love to Read reading program donated new and gently used books to 200 children and 20 classrooms this year. A third school district will be added in September. The Care for Kids project made 20 surgery dolls per month for the pediatric wing at Valley Medical Center and donated videos, mobiles, and gifts for the children as needed.

The League recently installed its new board of directors: Jan Ehrhardt, president; Gail Hehir, v.p. of membership; Marilyn Manies, v.p. of philanthropic projects; Mary Swentzel, v.p. of resource development; Terri Spice, secretary; Jan Cavalli, treasurer; Linda Krain, education; and Cynthia Snelham, public relations.

FOURTH OF JULY: Azule City Park, a new park behind Blue Hills School, will be the site of a citywide Fourth of July Celebration from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. A large bell will be struck 13 times at 11 a.m., in keeping with the same commemoration throughout the country.

The bells should ring at the same time throughout the nation, says Jack Mallory, who has organized such an event in front of his home in earlier years. When the event was held at Montalvo, Mallory often portrayed Thomas Jefferson. After the bell-ringing, a Patriotic Parade will be held. Participants will decorate bikes, wear red, white and blue, carry flags.

"It's not a carnival," Mallory says, "but a salute to the nation, with patriotic songs and a salute to the founding of our country." For more details on this year's arrangements, call Jack at 408.252.7447.

SHOW DATE: The work of Saratoga News photographer George Sakkestad and graphic artist Rick Tharp will show at the Los Gatos Art Museum through July 27.

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