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Biannual Summit League fundraiser features homes decked out for holidays

By Shannon Burkey

The Summit League will hold its ninth biannual "Homes for the Holidays" house tour on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to benefit the Bring Me A Book Foundation.

The tour will feature three unique Los Gatos homes decorated for the holiday season by local florists and interior designers and a boutique at one of the homes featuring holiday gift items.

"Without the homeowners who open their hearts and their homes and the incredible list of designers, we couldn't pull this event off," said event co-chairwoman Laurel Snyder.

The Summit League was founded in 1957 and since that time has been working in the community as a fundraising organization for local charities. Since its inception, the league has raised more than $1.5 million for charitable organizations in the area.

"We started out as a fundraising tool for the Ming Quong orphanage," Summit League member Betty Colwell said. "We've gone beyond that now to become a fundraising organization for small charitable organizations in Los Gatos."

Wanting to put all of their time and effort into making their fundraisers a success, the league holds one only every other year, and members all agree upon a worthy organization in the community. The 2004 "Homes for the Holidays" tour raised $174,250 for the Washington United Youth Center.

This year's recipient of the group's fundraising efforts, the Bring Me A Book Foundation, is a literacy nonprofit agency that provides books to needy children who do not have access to quality books and teaches parents and childcare providers how to engage their children in reading.

The tour will take place on Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and can be purchased at the Maids Quarters and Traditions in Los Gatos or by calling 408.494.9225. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event for $45.