They toasted the late Shirley Henderson, longtime champion of beautifying Los Gatos, as they raised a glass and hosted visitors. Besides those who appeared in person, the Druians received multiple phone calls and emails from people wanting to donate to the cause.

Says Sallie, "It was amazing to be with so many of Shirley's old and dear friends that I didn't know before. And, now I do!" "Champagne for Shirl—Think Beautiful!" will be an annual April affair, the Druians vow. Shirley, the beautification committee and champagne are a winning combo, adds Sallie.

Et voila, for the first time the beautification committee has money. Heretofore any financial outlay came from committee members' pockets.

MODEL ROCKETS: Student teams from Los Gatos High School and Fisher Middle School will compete in the finals of the Team America Rocketry Challenge in Virginia on May 21. The students had to beat out 712 other teams to qualify for the contest, the world's largest and most prestigious.

The contest requires students to design and build a model rocket that can fly for as close to 60 seconds as possible with a payload of two raw eggs, and successfully parachute the eggs back to the ground—unbroken. Only the top-scoring 100 teams survived. Of the seven California teams eligible, four were from Los Gatos.

The top 10 teams will share a prize pool of $60,000 in savings bonds and cash. Members of the high school team are: Chris Lord, Guy Zohar, Mina Fadaie, David Raynaud, Alec Brasier and JT Taylor.

From Fisher are team members Mariah Hum, Jessica McNeil, CJ Griffin, Brittney Aresta, Samantha Payne, Chase Khamashta, Jacob Pfund, Bobby Tchelepi, Adam Fisher, Joe Pierce, Evan Bondonno, Ryan Rector and Walker Hum.

Team advisor is Steve Hum, a Los Gatos teacher, who says students learn aerodynamics by applying concepts of physics—computing trajectory and eliminating drag to their models—and seeing results immediately. As a team they conceive ideas, select design paths and divide responsibilities.

It takes many months of successes and failures with designs being re-evaluated, rebuilt and re-tested. The teams are hoping for sponsors to help defray the cost of hotel and travel to the Washington, D.C. area. To sponsor a local team, contact Doug McNeil at mcneilds@comcast.net or Steve Hum at hum@lgusd.k12.ca.us.

HELPING OUT HOLLYWOOD: Two Community Hospital of Los Gatos doctors are filming, or helping film, TV shows these days. Mike Wolfe of Los Gatos has been to Hollywood to film two episodes of Untold Stories of the ER. Dr. Wolfe re-enacts actual cases from his ER experience.

His first program has already aired and the second show will be shown June 6 at 6 and 9 p.m. on The Learning Channel.

Dr. Karen Pike of Willow Glen does the medical editing for the new hit Grey's Anatomy, which airs on Sundays. Dr. Pike has been to Hollywood, met the actors and toured the set. She looks over the scripts, offers ideas and makes sure medical procedures and terminology used are correct.

LISTEN UP: May is Better Hearing and Speech Month and Los Gatos Audiology is offering free hearing aid consultations to celebrate the month and raise awareness of hearing disorders. Ellen Mosher is the director/owner and the office is at 430 Monterey Ave., Suite 3. The phone is 408.354.2118.

If you frequently ask others to repeat themselves, if you understand people better when they are looking directly at you and if you lose out on group conversations or have a ringing in the ear, you may be one of the 28 million Americans who could be successfully treated, Mosher says.

WORLD OF TASTES: World of Tastes, a Los Gatos History Club fundraiser, will be held May 11, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the clubhouse. The beneficiary is the Youth Education Scholarship Program of the Silicon Valley Children's Fund (formerly named the Children's Shelter). Tickets are $20 at the door. Betty Ulrich and Joan Brown are the two in charge.

Ten countries will be represented, food and tea-wise. Dancers include young Scottish dancers, a Tahitian/Hawaiian group, and the ever-dazzling Sizzling Seniors.

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