There were no controversial development projects on the agenda and no issues concerning city ordinances or traffic calming at the Nov. 13 meeting. It was an evening during which an autumn-themed carrot cake was enjoyed, photographs of old Willow Glen were auctioned off, and board members congratulated everyone involved with making Founders' Day a success.

The evening at Willow Glen United Methodist Church, 1420 Newport Ave., was more of a soiree than a meeting, with WGNA President John Gibbs introducing San Jose District 6 City Council member Ken Yeager and thanking the Founders' Day volunteers.

"Founders' Day is a great way to meet members of the community," said Barbara Brann, who was an event volunteer. "At the end of the day you feel really good about yourself."

Brann is the branch vice president for the Bank of the West on Hamilton and Meridian avenues. The bank normally participates in the Founders' Day parade but was unable to this year. Brann said she was also happy to see the event resurrected. Founders' Day in 2001 was cancelled.

John Quinn was also at the meeting. A 20-year resident of Willow Glen who retired as a sergeant from the San Jose Police Department last year, he helped with Founders' Day security.

"It's always a pleasure to work Founders' Day," Quinn said.

Yeager spent the evening speaking with residents and listening to their concerns.

"WGNA is a great neighborhood association," Yeager said, "and there are other neighborhood associations in San Jose that look to WGNA for guidance. Everyone should be proud."

Founders' Day is usually sponsored by the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association, but the association couldn't sponsor it in 2001 and it began to look like it couldn't for 2002, so WGNA took on the challenge of organizing it.

Gibbs said that for years the neighborhood association sponsored Founders' Day, but in later years the business association ran it. He added that there were several times when the two associations ran the annual event together.

The neighborhood association hasn't decided if it will organize next year's Founders' Day activities, Gibbs said.

In the latest issue of the association's newsletter, WGNA First Vice President Helen Solinski asked the community for feedback on whether the association should organize the 2003 Founders' Day.

"The short answer is, everybody says, 'Yes! Do it! Do it! Do it!' " Gibbs said. "But they also need to understand that this event takes up a great deal of our attention and time ... so maybe we can't do other things that people think take priority."