By Margaret Abe
Strictly Candids
YUMMY, YUMMY - BUCK-A-BURGER: Every year in July and August, the Los Altos Methodist Church has a fund-raiser. It has been going on since 1980, started by the former Reverend John Dodson. A very successful event, indeed, named the “Buck-a-Burger,” simply because in those days, the burger dinner was only a buck.
Families and friends enjoyed getting together every Thursday for two months to eat grilled burgers, hot dogs, or chicken.
Some familiar faces in attendance were the Rev. Mark Bollwinkel (serving food), Ellie Manson (Buck-a-Burger chairman), Carolyn Williams, Marlene Elliott, Bernice Zuhr, Florence Jones, Ruth Lundquist, Lea Hayden and Carolyn Ryan.
50th ANNIVERSARY PICNIC: The Los Altos community gathered Aug. 25 to celebrate the city’s 50th anniversary with a picnic at Hillview Community Center. A variety of activites were planned for the whole family, including free play structures such a a giant jumper house and a 30-foot-high monster slide. Police and fire personnel were on hand to give tours of the station and the fire engines.
ALMOST BLUE: A neighborhood picnic was recently held at the Rose and Dean Hartman residence in Los Altos. The evening was highlighted by four talented friends, Jennifer Kaufman, Kathy Asplund, Bob Konevich and Mike Falco, and their beautiful a cappella voices blending in harmony with songs from their first CD recording “Almost Blue.” Weekly, the four singers gather around Mike’s kitchen table to sing songs, from rock to jazz, broadway to celtic, pop to gospel. Their chemistry of fun, friendship and vocal blend has gotten the group together for this new venture.
THE FABULOUS KARA EVENING: The elegant Sofitel San Francisco Bay in Redwood City, was the setting for Kara’s celebration of 25 years of dedicated service providing compassionate support to children and adults grieving a death or facing a life-threatening illness. Kara is a volunteer-based non-profit bereavement care center under Executive Director Michael Lydon. Their Crisis Intervention Team provides counseling for 33 schools, corporations and community groups.
Board President Mark Harris and board members Judy Brigham, Margaret Ann Niven, Constance Cavanaugh, Carol Kersten, Tina Myers, Barbara Peters M. D, and, Rolf Spamer, D.D.S., worked tirelessly on this event.
Nearly 400 guests gathered on July 25 for this sold-out black-tie optional anniversary celebration. This event was the vision of Elsie Floriani, founder and executive editor of Gentry Magazine and Kara Advisory Board.
The gourmet dinner was outstanding with executive chef Eric Truglas’ creation of mixed salad greens, grapefruit and orange segments and paper thin cucumber slices wrapped around the salad and topped with lemon dressing.Tender filet mignon or baked salmon in white wine provided the entree.
Contact Margaret M. Abe with any interesting news stories at the Los Altos Town Crier, 138 Main Street, Los Altos, 94022 or call 948-9000.
