TRIPLE 50th CELEBRATION: The Barricks—Thomas Mac and Jean—celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary not just once, but on three separate occasions, one of which was a surprise. The festivities started in July when the whole family was treated to a trip to their Kauai, Hawaii, timeshare.
At a special dinner in Hawaii, the offspring sprung a surprise: they had invited nearly 50 friends, nationwide, to a luau in Moraga in August. Friends from all over the country had responded, and most were able to attend. "We were flabbergasted," says Mac.
One couple who unfortunately didn't make it to Moraga had been part of the wedding party at the Barrick nuptials. She was the maid of honor, he an usher. They met at the wedding in N. Carolina and were obviously enchanted: they were married within three months.
That twosome was on its way to the anniversary gala when the husband took ill and they had to turn back to Pennsylvania. But some 50 others did show up to celebrate the Barrick marital longevity, and it was "a beautiful party," Mac reports.
The third major event was a planned trip to Europe. The idea was to return to old friends and old haunts. Mac is a retired U.S. Army colonel and the Barricks had lived all over. This time they touched down on Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, visiting old army colleagues.
Jean worked in civil service in London, Washington, at Ames. Now retired, she volunteers with The Green Circle Program, Foundation for Global Community and the ACS Reach for Recovery Program. Mac ran a men's annual retreat for 20 years and was a board member of Kids Are Special, now a part of EMQ.
Both Barricks were active in preserving Saratoga's Heritage Orchard. Son Thomas M. Jr. lives in San Jose; daughter Carol lives in Moraga with her husband, Carlos Murillo, and their two daughters. The Murillos met in Costa Rica, when they were in the Peace Corps.
The elder Barricks are now snugly back in Saratoga, presumably resting up for their next chapter, while savoring all those memories.
AWARD WINNER: Brittain Melehan, 14, a freshman at Saratoga High, won double distinctions recently for her community service work. She received the Presidential Award for Community Service from Pres. Bush and the Hour Glass Award from the National Charity League for 122 hours of volunteer work this year.
She helped prepare and serve food at the Emergency Housing Consortium, along with her mother. Melehan also raised money for nonprofits and now that she's a junior varsity song girl, she's helping the spirit team raise funds. That group needs funds to compete in the nationals this spring.
Potential sponsors can email Brittain at TittleTattleCo@aol.com.
Brittain attends Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley School and hopes to become a professional dancer. She's at level 5, and level 6 is the highest. To show she's also on her toes elsewhere, she loves math and computers. Proud parents are Lisa Pontier de Mattei and stepfather Gary De Mattei.
And, yes, they treat the de/De in their name separately. Gary elevates his; Lisa goes for a lower profile. Incidentally, Gary's Theatre on San Pedro Square production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown starts Oct. 16. The show runs Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m., through Nov. 16. For tickets, call 408.283.0200.
PACIFIC SCRIBES: The exhibit at the newly enhanced library called "Building Bridges: Reading, Books and Libraries" is generating raves for its beauty and message. Some 33 of the 57 pieces were created by a calligraphy group called Pacific Scribes, which has been around for 20 years. Anna Lum headed up their part of the project.
Five Chinese pieces were done by Shirley Chen's Chinese Brush students. Other local artists who contributed were Nina Bilawalla Yeats, Nacera Guerin, Pat Fox and Sharlene Lum. Ann Haggerty and Dr. Belotte did translations. The display will be on view until Nov. 24 and after that, Betty Peck hopes to make a book of it.
Bruce Cantz made the Hebrew piece. He teaches Hebrew, also taught calligraphy, at UCSanta Cruz. Saratoga sidebar: Cantz is a friend of Donald Jackson, the Queen's Scribe, who was invited to Santa Cruz. While in this area, the QS spent a weekend with the Pecks. (Daughter Anna was taking his calligraphy class.) There Jackson carved quills for Willys from winged white feathers—which, for someone who glories in the past, is the perfect gift. Wouldn't surprise me if he uses it.
The Peck Printing Museum contains a Jackson book, The Story of Writing, Taplinger, 1981. More recently Jackson was commissioned by the Queen to produce an English Bible with illuminations.
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By Mary Ann Cook