"Becoming involved with this organization was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made," she says. She was impressed with the dedication of the doctors and medical professionals of Interplast, who "work to relieve the suffering and sorrow of children around the world."

Basu has been CEO of SupportSoft since 1999 and was appointed chairman of the board in 2001. Earlier, she worked at Hewlett Packard for 20 years, and, earlier still, at Xerox Corporation in Los Angeles. She holds a master's degree in electrical engineering and computer science from UCLA.

Her bachelor's is in engineering from the University of Madras, India. She also attended the Stanford Business School Executive Management Program. Basu received the Woman of Achievement Award for leadership and vision in the corporate field from San Jose Mercury News and Women's Fund in 1995.

In 1997, she received the Excelsior Leadership Award from Net-IP. She is a co-founder of Maitri, a counseling and assistance group for South Asian women. She lectures at MIT Sloan School of Management, mentors at high school workshops and is on the board of Business and Professional Women.

Interplast operates on 3,000 children each year who suffer from a congenital deformity or injury. Two other Bay Area individuals who were named to the Interplast board are Trung Dung, founder and CEO of Fogbreak Software in Milpitas, and Terry Gross, arts patron and owner of Urban Chateau, an antiques business in San Francisco.

MOTOR OVER TO MEET MR. ROADSHOW: Locals can have coffee with Gary Richards, the well-known Mr. Roadshow of the San Jose Mercury News, when he speaks at the Saratoga library on Feb. 1 at 9 a.m. in the Community Room. Friends of Saratoga Library is the sponsor, and coffee and breakfast pastries will be on hand.

Richards has been writing the column since 1991, when he moved from the sports desk to transportation. He is inundated with 500-600 emails each week. And when he gets the same query from 20 people in one week, he knows that's the subject of his next column. Other criteria: "If it makes me laugh, it's got a real good shot at getting answered," he says.

Case in point: a recent item came from a motorist who almost ran into a pedestrian holding a container of coffee. The coffee was subsequently thrown at the motorist. Instead of taking offense, however, as Richards assumed would be the case, the driver wanted to locate the pedestrian to apologize, meet him, and buy him a fresh cup of coffee. No wonder Richards calls it a fun column to write, full of the unexpected.

Mr. Roadshow's own car will soon be a new Prius, replacing his '89 Accord with its 200,000 miles.

The library number is 408.867.1950. Elaine Brett is the Friends' contact at 408.866.0408.

LEARNING ABOUT AAUW: An orientation tea to acquaint prospective members with AAUW programs will be held Feb. 1, 2:30-4 p.m., at the Saratoga Retirement Community in the Manor at 14500 Fruitvale Ave. To RSVP or for directions, call Sharon Kelkenberg at 408.867.0588.

Requirements to join AAUW include an AA degree or higher from an accredited college or business school from any country, or an equivalent degree, such as a nursing diploma. AAUW, like most women's clubs, is trying to schedule more night meetings to draw in younger women.

Given the economics of today's world, most women work outside the home and are not available for daytime clubs, and women's group rosters are dwindling as a result.

KYOTO ARTISTS' TALK AT SISTER CITY: Saratoga Sister City members gathered to hear Sally Kirby from San Francisco's Asian Art Museum talk about "Traditions Unbound: Groundbreaking Painters of 18th-Century Kyoto" at a recent potluck meeting at the Saratoga Senior Center.

Franco Errico, winner of the 2005 Gomersall Scholarship, was on hand to receive his award. The scholarship is offered to those interested in furthering their knowledge of any aspect of Japanese culture. Applications for the 2006 scholarship are now being taken. Denny Alff is the contact for information and applications. His number is 408.741.0422.

IMAGES OF LONG AGO: My apologies to Mardi Bennett Brick for mislabeling her book of reminiscences in a recent column. The correct title is Images of Long Ago. Peggy Conaway's book is Images of America: Los Gatos. Somehow I scrambled the two images.

Got a tip for Saratoga Sampler? Send email to maryanncook@earthlink.net.