The event was a culmination of a yearlong Hebrew High School class called From Generation to Generation. The 18 students were taught by Helaine Green about Holocaust history and created works of commemorative art that now hang in the state capitol.

They interviewed 21 Holocaust survivors. The goal was to promote tolerance and ensure that genocide never happens again. Assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn published a booklet of the memoirs the students recorded and distributed it to state legislature.

RECAPPING AAUW TEA & KNEES: The annual AAUW tea that aids the Georgia Travis Center for homeless women and children was held at The Terraces of Los Gatos this year, which catered it.

The event proved too labor-intensive for aging knees. Indeed, longtime co-chairwoman Nancy Anderson recently had a knee replacement. JoAn Lambert is the other traditional co-chairwoman of the tea, but this year new names cropped up to lead: Sharon Kelkenberg and Nancy Christensen. The tea sponsor is the AAUW Committee on Homeless Women and Children.

The Terraces seats 117 people; Sacred Heart manages 200. So fundraising totals will be lower this year. However, the jewelry auction will make up some of that slack: Tickets for the benefit jewelry were sold out this year. Winner of the $1,350 diamond/sapphire necklace was Carol Mailander, and Kelkenberg sold her the winning ticket. Mailander wasn't there in person; she was at her daughter Darcy's wedding in an Irish castle.

A year-end report at the tea noted that the committee gives $4,000 to the center annually, along with a Thanksgiving brunch and Christmas presents. This year $2,000 was given to the center for playground equipment.

Sidebar: The reason Lambert capitalizes the A in her first name is so it will be pronounced Joe-Ann, not Jone.

PROM DRESSES RECYCLED: A new type of prom dress shop, called Becca's Closet, will soon open in Monte Sereno with the mission of giving prom dresses to those who wouldn't be able to buy one. The idea comes from the late Rebecca Kirtman of Pompano Beach, Fla.

Rebecca, as a teenager, wrote to manufacturers, requesting donations for her dress bank. She collected about 250 and began giving them away to needy girls. Tragically, Rebecca was killed in an auto accident last year at age 16.

However, her parents and friends have continued the charity and now have a stockload of 3,000 dresses. Two dozen chapters of Becca's Closet are slated to open in different states. Recipients need to show a student I.D. but no proof of need.

The website is www.beccascloset.org for an appointment or to donate dresses.

NO RECOGNITION: It's grim enough to have your culture virtually wiped out, but how about not even having verification that your ancestors existed? That's the dilemma facing the Muwekma Ohlone Indians, the tribe that lived in the Bay Area.

Artifacts found in Saratoga digs were part of the display at a recent talk by the Muwekma Council at Saratoga City Hall. Early in the last century, the tribe was called Verona. Since then Muwekma descendants have been gathering documentation and testimony to gain their rights under the law.

So far, centuries late, the Muwekmas still don't have federal recognition. One contention has been that there were no descendants. The Muwekma Tribal Council has been attempting to counter that argument for decades. To help, call the council phone at 408.434.1668.

AT ARTFEST: Saratoga artists who will participate in the ninth ArtFest on the grounds of the Triton Museum June 5 and 6 are Nacera Guerin, Judy Heintz, Wyse Ying Law, Joyce Leyland, Sharon Lips, Elaine Revell, Christy Tsai and Yoju.

SISTER CITY: New officers of Saratoga Sister City are Don Morgan, president; Kathy Foscato, vice president; Charles Metcalf, treasurer; and Winnie Simpson, secretary.

Sister City members met at Hakone recently to host '04 exchange students—Emily Yao from Saratoga High and Steven Bradey and Jessica Ricks from Westmont. The students visit Muko for 10 days, then host Muko exchange students in their homes.

Mike Utke, junior high teacher, won the Gomersall Scholarship this year. His plan is to teach his class how Japanese culture developed and the contributions the shoguns made.

AT AEGIS: A reception for artist Judith Marshall will be held June 4, 4­6 p.m., at Aegis Gallery. Marshall is a multimedia artist whose work will be at the gallery through June 27.

SIGNING: Betty Peck will sign copies of her book, Kindergarten Education, at Saratoga Library June 3, 2­4 p.m.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.