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Saratoga Sampler
54 minutes? Pettingill was swimming faster than that
By Mary Ann Cook
SWIMMING FASTER FROM ALCATRAZ: Craig Pettengill did the Alcatraz to Aquatic Park swim called the Sharkfest in 34 minutes, not 54, as was reported here, as per the listing I received. That 20-minute mis-listing makes a huge difference in competitive swimming.
"The group I swim with [at Los Gatos High pool] will think I had one arm tied behind me," Pettengill says. This was his sixth Alcatraz swim, so he's a veteran. He did the Escape from the Rock triathlon twice and now the swim four times. The Saratoga dentist is in the 50-54 age category and finished ninth in his age group.
"The top two finishers in my age group were fifth and sixth overall, coming in under 28 minutes. These old guys just keep getting faster!" Pettengill says. "I remember the first time I did the race--years ago--I was happy just to finish. Out of my group of peers [then] who set out to do the race, I was the only one to finish."
The challenge of swimming from Alcatraz was in its infancy then and there wasn't the mayhem there is now, he adds. "One guy was picked up two hours and 15 minutes after the start of the race down by the Marina Safeway! We wondered what had happened to him." Today no one is allowed to flounder for more than an hour.
Dentists evidently gravitate to Saratoga. Pettengill is the immediate past president of the Santa Clara County Dental Society, an organization of some 1,200 members. Saratoga has several past presidents of the dental leadership group, including Don Call, Sandy Bocks, Don Boyle and Bill Comport.
Pettengill is a former assistant clinical professor at UC-San Francisco Dental School and has published several articles in dental journals through the past several years, particularly in jaw joint disorders. His daughter, Kaylee, 16, is also an accomplished swimmer and plays water polo at Saratoga High.
As a single parent, Pettengill feels he doesn't have enough time to train for endurance swimming, but he does get in two days a week on average.
MEDICAL AWARD: Anesthesiologist Stephen H. Jackson of Monte Sereno was awarded the Benjamin J. Cory M.D. Award from the Santa Clara County Medical Society. Cory was the first medical practitioner in San Jose and was instrumental in the building of Santa Clara County Hospital in 1876.
Jackson began his tenure as chief of staff at Good Samaritan Hospital this month and has practiced at the hospital for more than 30 years. He has lectured and written extensively on ethical issues and stress management and well-being for physicians, having published more than 100 articles.
He has been editor-in-chief of the CSA Bulletin for more than 10 years. Jackson was also recognized by his peers in 2003 when he received the California Society of Anesthesiologists' Distinguished Service Award. His degree is from Harvard Medical, his residency was at Massachusetts General Hospital, and he served a two-year research fellowship at the National Institute of Health.
Jackson was president of SCCMS, '04-'05, and CSA president in '89-'90. This doctor has excelled as a clinician, educator, writer, humanist and patient and physician advocate, affirms the award.
CITIZEN'S AWARD: Debbi Ricks of Los Gatos won the Citizen's Award at the same SC County Medical Society event for her significant contributions in the health field. She has served on the medical association's auxiliary, now called the Alliance. Ricks was its president in 1991 and again in 2001, when she served four terms.
She led the Alliance into a stronger union with the medical association and into a stronger community outreach focus, involving the Alliance with such agencies as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task Force, County Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Pregnancies and Celebrating Families (for families in recovery).
Other connections are with Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen, House on the Hill, the Gardner Family Health Network, Clean Slate Tattoo Removal, El Camino Hospital's Healing Arts Program, Hospice of the Valley, Friends Outside and Breathe America.
TOPS IN DESIGNER JEWELRY: Deja Laufer, owner of Deja & Co., was named one of the top 50 designer jewelry retailers in the country at the JCK Show in Las Vegas. Retailers were chosen for their commitment to promoting and selling designer jewelry by a jury of editors, designers and other retailers.
Laufer's shop has been on Big Basin Way in Plaza del Roble courtyard for three years. She takes pride in the fact that the store is now serving its third generation of customers. Her parents, Elson and Janice Lui, started the store in 1974 in Cupertino, then called Golden Cache.
"I love retail," says Laufer. With serving so many repeat customers, "We know their happy times," she says, referring to her loyal customers. The store's wares offer a wide range of designers and a wide range of prices. The sales force includes Silvana Saimoun, Laurel Venter, Joanna Dunn and Lisa Campbell.
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