HELPING THE FRAGILE: Los Gatan Carlee Harder-Brown spent three weeks in eastern Romania this summer tending to 2- and 3-year-old toddlers in Tutova as part of a Global Volunteers team. There were 13 in her team and two of them worked with toddlers while the others cared for babies.
Two other volunteers taught English to middle-school children. Now that Harder-Brown's children are grown, she longed to do something that involved young ones and Global Volunteers filled the bill. Her daughter Lindsay had found the site on the Internet and it mentioned baby care.
Lindsay herself went to Romania with Global Volunteers two years ago—to the same hospital, which is actually a clinic, a way station until the babies are adopted, reunited with their parents or placed elsewhere. Because of Romania's severe economic straits the past few years, that country is overwhelmed with neglected babies. Many are placed in nurseries and foster-care agencies temporarily until their families can adequately care for them; others are simply abandoned at the hospital or orphanage door.
Global Volunteers offers one- to three-week service projects throughout the world, sending out teams of volunteers. Thus they provide a continuum of care and love for these at-risk babies. Volunteer team members share meals and housing and contribute to a team journal. The journal helps succeeding teams because it gives background about the babies and toddlers. On weekends the volunteers can sightsee.
Romania is a land of contrasts: horse-drawn wagons share the road with BMWs. And modern dress vies with gypsy costumes. The cost to be a Global Volunteer ranges from $1,395 to $2,650 for international work to $750 for U.S. programs, which are one week long. Airfare is additional.
Global Volunteers offers a child-sponsorship program, too. "We give them lots of stimulation and love. I was putting together a DVD for the team and found myself in tears, remembering how amazing those children are. The whole experience was beautiful," Carlee says. She'd gladly go again and intends to.
Volunteers also go to Australia, China, Costa Rica, Cook Islands, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Tanzania and Ukraine. The number is 800.487.1074.
ART/POETRY EVENINGS: Elizabeth Parashis and Bea Garth have pooled their artistic talents to create Thursday evening poetry/art events. Potluck dinners are part of the proceedings. The most recent gathering displayed Parashis' figure paintings and Garth's sculptures.
Garth is also a poet and she, Greg Hall and Jan McEwan read from their work after buyers perused the art exhibit. Another member of the art assembly is Marianne Rodgers, who paints animal portraits. She can be found in Park Plaza on weekends, taking orders for pet portraits.
Call Parashis at 408.410.2313 to make sure the Thursday evening event is being held. The address is 42 Central Ave.
ART & ANIMALS: The Peabody Art Gallery recently raised $600 for the Humane Society Silicon Valley by selling charcoal sketches done by guest artist Matt Lively. Both Lively and the gallery owners have a special fondness for dogs.
The gallery itself was named for their Maltese, who in turn was named for the Rocky & Bullwinkle dog, Professor Peabody. The charcoal artworks sold for $50 each and Lively donated them. Ruth Dailey, gallery director, presented the $600 check to Christine Benninger, president of the society.
NEW VEEP: Sandy Decker is the new vice president of the board of the Museums of Los Gatos. Al Simon is the retiring v.p. Decker was omitted from the listing here some weeks back.
In another clarification, the anniversary celebration held at the Tait Museum wasn't just the 40th anniversary of the art museum, but of both town museums, Al Slutman points out. Slutman is retiring president of the museum board.
BABY SHOWER: Assistance League hosted a traditional baby shower recently at the Terraces for the teen moms who are clients of Santa Clara county's public health services. Club support for those who use public health services has increased by nearly 50 percent over the past three years.
The project is called Warm Hands-Giving Hearts. Special guests included Dina Dore and Rosie Garcia-Gomez, who work with teen moms. They will distribute the clothes, toys and books to their clients.
NEW OFFICERS: New officers for the Community Concert Association are Sue Rizzi and Patty Weber, co-presidents; Lea Frey and Diana Pleasant, co-vice-presidents; Ray Aylesworth, membership; Eve Stephens, secretary; and Saul Miano, treasurer.
New board members are Janet Engle, Joyce and Bill Goodrow and Kevin Hayashi. For season tickets for the coming year the contact is Ray Strong at 408.377.1106.
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By Mary Ann Cook