SHOW 'N TELL: Assistance League's third annual Antique Show and Tell chalked up more than $17,000, to be used for club projects this coming year. This past fiscal year Operation School Bell provided 258 children with jackets, shoes, backpacks and school supplies in two school districts.
The We All Love to Read program donated books to 200 children and 20 classrooms this year, and adults read aloud to primary grade classes. A third school district will be added in September to both these programs.
The Care for Kids project made 20 surgery dolls per month for the pediatric wing at Valley Medical Center. The group also donated videos, mobiles and gifts for the children as needed.
The league's new board of directors is comprised of Jan Ehrhardt, president; Gail Hehir, vice president of membership; Marilyn Manies, vice president of philanthropic projects; Mary Swentzel, vice president of resource development; Terri Spice, secretary; Jan Cavalli, treasurer; Linda Krain, education coordinator; and Cynthia Snelham, public relations coordinator.
To thank merchants who donated goods to the Antique Show and Tell fundraiser, Assistance League members baked 1,000 cookies and delivered them to their various benefactors. So well-received was this edible thank you that only one merchant recipient asked, "Where's the milk?"
YOUNG LEADER: Samantha Schradle is attending the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. June 30July 10. Chosen for her leadership potential and scholastic achievement, she is among 400 students attending the conference, titled "Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting Leaders of Today."
A senior at LGHS, Samantha has earned exemplary grades, played flute in the band and participated in the rowing club, golf team and field hockey team. She is the daughter of Michael and Sarah Schradle. Michael is the CFO of Micro Linear of San Jose; Sarah is an interior decorator.
Samantha and her parents scouted East Coast campuses before the conference with an eye toward finding Samantha's future college.
BOOK BOOSTER: The library budget for materials has been shaved in half for the coming year. But the library staff hopes to offset this severe reduction with the help of Amazon.com and you and me. You can go to the library website at http://
library.town.los-gatos.ca.us and click on the "Buy a Book For the Library" icon.
Follow directions to the library's Amazon.com wish list. Select the book or other item you want to donate and it will be sent directly to the library. For a dedicated book, the library will create a bookplate for the donated item. A gift note information area is provided on the website.
THE HURRY-UP LIFE: At evening commute time recently, Sue and Dennis Byron tried to step across Santa Cruz Avenue on the crosswalk outside Walgreens but were thwarted while at least three cars, oblivious to pedestrians, sped by. They withdrew in fear.
But there was one exception. On the opposite side of the street was Mike Wasserman at a dead stop in his red Ferrari, waiting for the Byrons to cross. A sad comment on our speed-obsessed lives, but an appreciative nod to one of our town councilmen.
ARTFUL SENIORS: Artwork by seniors in the Los GatosSaratoga Ed and Rec classes will be on display in the town council chambers through Aug. 29. A reception for the artists will be held July 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in council chambers. The show theme is "Some of My Favorite Things."
Artwork represented is the product of a Friday morning senior art workshop and Amy Konsterlie's watercolor class.
TEEN DANCER ALERT: Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley is looking for a few teenage dancers who want to show off the latest moves—break dancing, hip-hop, salsa and so on. Auditions are July 11 at 2 p.m. in the company studios at 40 N. First St. in San Jose.
The auditions are for one of the season openers, to be held Oct. 16-19. It's US, choreographed by Dennis Nahat and the late Ian Horvath. "US is a celebration," says Nahat, "a cavalcade of American traditional dance, including the Charleston, disco, ballroom, square dance, jazz, rock and boogie. And every time we present it we add more types of dance, update it, celebrate the new dances."
The contact number is 408.288.2820,
ext. 210.
SENIOR HEALTHCARE: A bill before the California Legislature, SB 921, called "Healthcare for All Californians," has gained endorsements from senior organizations, and Lynn Penek, an SB 921 rep, will explain the details at the neighborhood center July 9 at 11:20 a.m.
On July 23 at 11:20 a.m., Sary Wish from Sen. Byron Sher's office will discuss the other healthcare bills pending, seven in total, and how they may affect seniors. For more information, call 408.354.2360.
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maryanncook@earthlink.net.
By Mary Ann Cook