Willow Glen Resident
News
News Briefs
Neighborhood gets
new park on Fuller
Once a pipe dream of North Willow Glen residents, Fuller Park has finally become a reality. North Willow Glen and Gardner residents celebrated the park's opening May 6.
Fuller Park, which sits on a 1.6-acre site on Fuller Avenue, has been maintained by residents for years. The Greater Gardner Coalition wanted to turn the undeveloped area by the railroad tracks into a gathering place for the neighborhood.
San Jose Councilman Ken Yeager, who chairs the Caltrain board, worked with Caltrain to lease the property. The San Jose Redevelopment Agency allocated $746,000 to design and construct the park. The pocket park includes landscaping, irrigation, a bocce court and a horseshoe pit.
Yeager, San Jose City Councilwoman Cindy Chavez and Mayor Ron Gonzales celebrated the grand opening with neighborhood leaders Kevin Christman and Harvey Darnell. Christman is chairman of the Greater Gardner Coalition, which includes part of North Willow Glen. Darnell is the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association president.
North Willow Glen is
a tree-lover's haven
The urban tree canopy that has spread quickly over North Willow Glen has captured the attention of Our City Forest.
The nonprofit tree preservation organization honored the North Willow Glen neighborhood for "outstanding civic engagement." Our City Forest has also designated May as North Willow Glen month.
The neighborhood has planted nearly 100 trees since 2003 with the help of more than 60 homeowners and 40 volunteers, and the neighborhood isn't stopping there. On May 13, 45 more trees will be planted with a goal of bringing the neighborhood association closer to having a tree in front of every home. For more information, visit trees.northwillowglen.org.
Yeager commends Hanna Project work
San Jose Councilman Ken Yeager commended Shelly Viramontez and other Hanna Project volunteers at the May 2 city council meeting for delivering meningitis vaccines to a medically deprived area of the Ivory Coast.
Viramontez is a Willow Glen resident and principal of Monroe Middle School, which is part of the Campbell Union School District. Under Viramontez, the school raised $2,500 to purchase vaccines. In February, Viramontez traveled to the northern region of the Ivory Coast with her husband Joe, her 17-year-old son Jake and longtime family friend and Hanna Project director Mike Cousineau. The group included 22 volunteers who delivered 12,500 vaccines to help stave off meningitis epidemics common in the area.
Discovery Museum
has new day camp
The Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose will offer a unique summer day camp program for future good Samaritans.
The Summer of Service day camp is geared for children entering seventh to 10th grades. The museum offers four two-week sessions, in which students will have the opportunity to contribute to a museum magazine and documentary, be a mentor at a local preschool, conduct water-quality tests and clean up area rivers, or help feed the hungry and volunteer at a children's shelter.
For more information, call 408.298.5437 ext. 243 or email sos@cdm.org. Summer of Service can be found on the web at www.cdm.org/sos.
Classic Car show
will benefit CCOC
The third annual Custom and Classic Car Show takes place on May 12 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Country Occupational Center (CCOC) campus, 760 Hillsdale Ave.
The CCOC, a division of MetroED, is looking for people to exhibit their cars at the auto show for a $10 tax-deductible fee. All exhibitors will also receive a free meal.
The proceeds for the event benefit CCOC's SkillsUSA Vocational Industrial Clubs of America club. SkillsUSA is a national organization for technical, skilled and service education. Several Campbell and Willow Glen residents have competed and won in SkillsUSA's regional, state and national competitions.
To register as an exhibitor, call Steve Johnson at 408. 723.6480 or email sjohnson@metroed.net.
Admission to the event is free, and spaghetti, hot dogs and beverages will be available for purchase. CCOC instructors will perform music at the event.
Groves accepts new
position in Mt. View
After 14 years, Cambrian School District superintendent Barry Groves is moving on.
On April 24, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District school board announced Groves was selected to replace superintendent Richard Fischer, who is retiring. Groves' new position begins July 1.
The Cambrian school board is now seeking a candidate to fill Groves' position. Groves said he would work with the Cambrian board to ensure a smooth transition for the district's new superintendent.
