BUILDING MORE BRIDGES: So great was the response to Building Bridges, a citywide celebration of diversity, that BB godfather Fred Armstrong expects that there will be a return visit next year. The event could become an annual affair, just as the Rotary's spring Art Show is.
The BB honchos from this year, the Rotary Foundation committee—which pays for the event—and time will all help decide that issue. Suffice it to say that the whole production brought raves. One woman said she had lived in Saratoga for 45 years and Bridges was the best thing she had ever witnessed.
The lectures covering the five main religions of the world drew overflow crowds—more than 130: people used the floor, walls. Armstrong called the entire campaign a smash, and pointed to all the help he had—from schools, religious groups, service clubs, individuals.
Sunday's culmination brought more than 3,000 celebrants to West Valley College. Jeff Nurney of West Valley student activities was in charge of entertainment; Maria Drake of the Southwest YMCA oversaw the food, most of which had been donated by area restaurants; and Cynthia Chang headed up all the programs conducted in Saratoga schools. The high school had a different program daily during the last week. Jim La Blanc of the Rotary Club directed the facilities side of the Sunday event, making sure stage, booths and tables were set up.
Paul Conrado and Co. constructed the large stage and built the racks that housed the 45 flags of different nations. Boy and Girl Scouts conducted the flag ceremony, with bagpipe music piping them in. M.C. was David Eshleman; Ruth Carlson and Don Miller handled publicity.
Missed the whole shebang? You can see it on KSAR, Channel 15. And tapes of the talks on religion can be borrowed from the library. Be forewarned—the tapes aren't ready yet, and there's quite a waiting list.
ASIAN AMERICANS HONORED: Ten Asian American Heroes were honored recently for their leadership and community activism and included Cynthia Chang of Saratoga and Mabel Lai of Los Gatos. County Supervisor Liz Kniss was the host sponsor and the rewards were her idea.
Chang was the first Asian American elected official in Saratoga, having served nine years on both Saratoga school boards. She was liaison chairwoman for all the schools for Building Bridges. Chang served four years on the Saratoga Union board and has been five years on the Los GatosSaratoga high school board.
She is past treasurer of the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project and past president of the Organization of Chinese American Women. She was treasurer for bond construction for both districts.
Lai is active with the Self Help for the Elderly program, which she helped found. She volunteers at the Sunrise Center in Santa Clara, a residential program for frail elderly Chinese.
Others honored at the luncheon were Evan Low, Hee Kim, Dean Chu, Ben Menor, Gilbert Wang, Anil Godhwani, Pearl Lee and Ann Woo. This is the third time the awards have been given.
TECH WINNER: Garrod Farms was named a winner in the sales and marketing category of Cisco's Growing with Technology Awards, 2003. Garrod Farms uses a network of wired and wireless links to tie together six different locations on its 120-acre Saratoga ranch.
Stables, vineyard and winery involve five different generations of the family that has farmed the land for 110 years. Garrod uses a network point of sale and accounting system, and has designed websites to expand both the winery and stables customer base.
E-commerce was added for wine sales, as well as print and e-newsletters. The Cisco awards recognize small- and medium-sized businesses that demonstrate how technology can answer today's challenges with increased profitability. Winners were selected from more than 450 applications.
"The Cisco award offers will enable us to improve upon and complete what we envisioned" for their 80-year old tasting room building and 100-year old barn at the stables, said Bill Cooper, Cooper-Garrod Estate winemaker. The tasting room is open weekdays 125 p.m. and weekends 11 a.m.5 p.m.
ON SCREEN: During the Sister City trip through Eastern Europe this summer, some of the action wasn't part of the original itinerary—such as a part-time movie career for a couple of the travelers. That would be Peter Marra, president of Sister City, and Louise Webb, inveterate hobnobber. They played extras in a German film called Chameleon, being shot in Berlin while they were there, soon to be released here.
NEW GALLERY: A champagne gala on Nov. 8, 47 p.m., will mark the opening of the Golden Oak Gallery, 14414 Oak St., featuring photography and acrylics by Elizabeth Murray. Gallery owners Rebecca Dye and Hank Helbush are landscape architects.
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By Mary Ann Cook