Community Foundation Silicon Valley awarded the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association an Elizabeth Anabo BRICC "Building Resourceful Inspirational Creative Community" award at the United Neighborhoods 10th annual Conference on Oct. 18.

The neighborhood association was honored as a new group with a growing membership, unity and activism.

"We're very proud of winning the BRICC award," North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association President Tom Smith said. "The neighborhood is very happy to have the recognition."

Secretary/Treasurer Ken Eklund decided to apply for the award an hour before the applications were due and did not expect his organization to win because there are many groups in Santa Clara County that have been active longer.

Normally, the Community Foundation gives one award, but this year it gave two as well as two honorable mentions.

North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association received an award because the foundation wanted to recognize "this young, up-and-coming group and to encourage them," Eklund said.

The award is a commemorative plaque placed on an actual brick and a cash prize of $1,000.

"We've never had a budget before, so we'll have to decide what to do with this money," Eklund said.

—Beth Walker


Silicon Valley Reads ask residents to vote

Patrons of the Willow Glen branch of the San Jose Public Library have until Oct. 31 to vote for their 2004 Silicon Valley Reads book selection, a program that encourages everyone in the community to read and discuss the same book during the month of February.

Three well-known novels are on the ballot, Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and the public may cast ballots at the Willow Glen library, other public libraries throughout Santa Clara Valley, local bookstores, and online at www.siliconvalleyreads.org. The winning book will be announced in November.

The three books on the ballot are the result of an invitation to the community this summer to nominate their favorite books for consideration. More than 1,400 nominations were received and reviewed by a committee of librarians and educators, which were narrowed to a field of 10 books. This was then trimmed to three semifinalists. The selected book for 2004 Silicon Valley Reads will be the one receiving the most votes from the public.

For more information on Silicon Valley Reads, visit www.siliconvalleyreads.org or contact coordinator Diane McNutt at 408.354.1242.


Sports Center auction to help buy equipment

California Sports Center is holding its 14th annual Art Auction In Willow Glen on Nov. 1 to raise funds to buy new gymnastic, dance and aquatics equipment.

The center has four locations, with one on Malone Road in Willow Glen.

The boys gymnastics team includes a Willow Glen resident, Josh Dixon, who is now practicing at the Junior Olympics Training Camp, and was ranked 10th in the nation in the 13 and under bracket in last year's Junior National Championship.

The centers provide gymnastics training to more than 1,200 children, ballet, tap and jazz classes for 150, lap swim to 700 adults and swim lessons for 900 people a year.

Peterson said that the facilities need upgrading in time for gymnasts to train for the 2004 Olympics.

At the art auction, wall art, hand-blown glass, ceramic figurines and beaded evening bags will be available for bidding. The auction preview is at 6 p.m. and the live auction begins at 7:30 p.m. The entrance fee is $5, which includes appetizers, wine tasting and live music. The event will be held at 832 Malone Road.

For more information, contact event coordinator Ellen Santomauro at 408.269.5437.

—Beth Walker