The Willow Glen Resident

Around The Glen

Salvation Army sponsors school- supply giveaway

The Salvation Army will be distributing basic school supplies to eligible children in grades K-8 on Monday, Aug. 24, 1-6 p.m., at 359 N. First St. in San Jose.

A day of fun has been planned, with games, booths, prizes, storytelling and refreshments. Children will be given basic school supplies such as binders, paper, glue sticks, highlighters, notebooks, pens, and pencils. Along with the supplies for children, food bags will be given each eligible family.

The Salvation Army hopes to distribute school supplies to 1,500-2,000 schoolchildren, and food bags to 325 families.

For eligibility requirements and further information, call Liway Gimenez at 282-1165.

--Puneet Jain

Willow Glen Rotary raises funds to help fight polio in Africa

Local Rotary clubs, including the Willow Glen chapter, have raised more than $175,000 to help immunize the citizens of Ghana and Liberia against polio.

The Willow Glen Rotary was one of 56 area clubs that participated in Rotary International's campaign in May and June to rid the world of polio by the year 2000. The local club raised $650; six other San Jose Rotary clubs raised a total of $14,000. Rotary International hopes to raise more than $400 million during its campaign.

In addition, some 60 area Rotarians are expected to help out at a national immunization day in Ghana on Nov. 7. The local Rotarians will be paying their own expenses for the trip.

Supported by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Rotary International began its campaign against polio in 1985, when there were more than 500,000 reported cases of polio worldwide. In 1997 just 3,755 cases of polio were reported.

Rotary District Gov. Neal Hoffman said his district, which represents more than 4,000 Rotarians in Santa Clara, Alameda, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, has contributed nearly $3 million to the fight against polio in the past 14 years.

--Anne Gelhaus

Soccer, safety mix at Aug. 22 event

The San Jose Clash and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) are hosting the second annual "Traffic Safety Day" on Saturday, Aug. 22, in conjunction with "Soccer Celebration" from 3 to 7 p.m. prior to the Clash's game vs. the Dallas Burn, in front of Spartan Stadium at San Jose State University.

The event features giveaways and games for the whole family and traffic-safety exhibits from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the California State Automobile Association, Friday Night Live, the California Highway Patrol, the San Jose police and fire departments, Safe Moves and Santa Clara Safe Communities. In addition, a 60- square-foot miniature city designed to teach children basic traffic safety will be set up, and a firetruck, police cars and law-enforcement safety vehicles will be exhibited.

CHP statistics show that 3,671 people were killed in traffic-related crashes in California last year, down 7.6 percent from 1996. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities also decreased 12.3 percent, from 1,254 to 1,100. Another 32,000 people were injured last year in alcohol-related collisions statewide.

All "Traffic Day" activities before the game are free and open to the public. For more information on "Traffic Day '98," contact Channa McNiel at 916/444-8014.

--Puneet Jain

Area Red Cross offers emergency training for latchkey children

Most children who are home alone after school will probably never have to contend with bungling burglars, but they may have to save themselves in the event of an emergency. While about 65 percent of Santa Clara County schoolchildren are latchkey kids, it's estimated that only about half know how to respond during a fire, earthquake or emergency first-aid situation. Safe Kids, a program offered by the American Red Cross' Palo Alto chapter, offers a little help.

Safe Kids offers a workshop taught by kids, for kids. It is designed especially to help kids who baby-sit or are home alone after school feel more confident and capable in handling an emergency situation. Volunteers teach skills such as injury prevention and control, first aid, rescue breathing and CPR.

The training has paid off: In the past year and a half, there have been three recorded incidents of youngsters who participated in Safe Kids and subsequently saved their choking siblings and friends by applying abdominal thrusts.

The goal of Safe Kids is to teach young people how to respond safely and logically to emergency situations. Safe Kids volunteers have trained more than 600 youngsters in accident prevention and first-aid procedures.

For more information on Safe Kids, call Marcus Fong at 650/688-0427.

--Puneet Jain

Volunteers wanted for Founders Day

The Willow Glen Business and Professional Association is looking for volunteers to work at beverage booths at this year's Founders Day, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the WGBPA office at 298-2100.

--Anne Gelhaus

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