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Main Street
Peace advocate fundraises for WWII memorial
By Mary Ann Cook
WWII MEMORIAL: Dr. Rudolph Waiton is intent on raising money for a memorial to the veterans of World War II. The memorial, to be located in Washington, D.C., is estimated to cost $100 million. The design concept shows two monumental arches with reflecting pools, meant to symbolize the paired strength of power and hope.
Waiton, a charter member of the World War II Memorial Fund, is asking Los Gatans to mail their contributions to his office: WWII Memorial Fund, 221 Almendra Ave., Los Gatos, 95030.
Though that war was the most destructive in history and involved the largest number of people, no concrete acknowledgment of the enormous sacrifices made has yet to be offered. That's one reason a WW II memorial has been of prime concern to Waiton.
Waiton was a much-decorated flyer in World War II and in Korea. A member of the Flying Tigers, he flew 99 combat missions, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, among other citations. But viewing Hiroshima after the atomic bomb attack changed his life forever, he says.
His aerial observation of such total destruction made him a lifelong advocate for peace. The Los Gatos osteopath has been a member of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War since its inception in 1980. This was the group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.
Waiton's specialty is rehabilitative and preventive medicine, as well as pain management. Now he is turning his considerable energies and dedication to the cause of the World War II memorial. His goal is to raise $85,000 from Los Gatans. Checks to the fund must be made out to WWII Memorial Fund.
DIVERSIFICATION: The Eric Carlson family has its interests and professions all over the map. Eric Carlson is a former councilmember and mayor. He is also a high-tech guru and vice president of SGI. His wife, Mimi, is a renowned flutist and principal piccolo player with the San Jose Symphony.
Enter the next generation--Kari and Colby, both of whom are recent graduates. Kari graduated from medical school at UC-Davis in June. A 1991 graduate of Los Gatos High, she earned her B.A. from Brown University in 1995. She is an ob/gyn resident at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center-Santa Clara and lives in Los Gatos.
Colby is a tennis coach for U.S. Sports Camps and Carleton College. He earned a masters degree in sports administration from Western Illinois University this spring. A 1993 grad of LGHS, he earned his B.A. at Carleton College.
So now we can see that when high tech marries fine arts, doctors and athletes can be the result.
SUPREME COURT: Another LGHS and Brown grad is Shane Safir, who teaches history and economics at Balboa High School in San Francisco. She recently won distinction by being chosen to attend the Summer Institute on the U.S. Supreme Court, sponsored by the Supreme Court Historical Society and Street Law Inc.
Attendees study recent Supreme Court cases and learn innovative ways of conveying this information to their students. Only teachers who have demonstrated outstanding ability in law-related courses are chosen for the institute.
Safir is a 1990 grad of LGHS, was a Phi Beta Kappa at Brown, where she received her undergrad degree, and earned a masters in education from Stanford in 1997. She is the daughter of Dr. David F. Safir and Carole Safir.
ANIMAL TALES: We may think we live in an urban world, or at least suburban. But every now and then nature obtrudes. For those in the hills it's a way of life--deer, raccoons, even mountain lions.
But for flatlanders, the varmints are smaller but equally pesky. Skunks, for instance. Jackie Tedesco knew there was a dead one under her house. She didn't have to see it. She knew it. It had evidently been living under her house and died after she had the house tented for termites.
Fortunately, a man who had been doing work on her house braved the foray under the house and retrieved the body, using a plastic garbage bag.
Another skirmish: bird expert Jean Dubois traps feral cats in his neighborhood overlooking Vasona, then calls the Humane Society to pick them up. But when he called to report he had trapped a skunk, the Humane Society politely declined that pickup.
Instead, they suggested Dubois disguise himself via a plastic garbage sack, throw a rug over the trap to alleviate the animal's fear, and then release it. All this the resourceful Dubois accomplished, despite the fact that he usually walks with a cane.
However, the skunk didn't scoot away, as the society had predicted. Instead it circled the trap and nuzzled the Dubois toes, before off-handedly joining another skunk waiting in the wings. The two are living under a shed, conjectures wife Pat Dubois.
MISTY MATES: The two Mikes--Mike Brown and Mike Miletak--will sell Misty Mates at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Misty Mate is worn around waist or shoulder and will lower the temperature 20 to 30 degrees, the Mikes claim.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
