Chefs Who Care
dinner Monday, Tuesday
Chefs Who Care, a dinner benefiting the Food and Nutrition Center, is scheduled 5:30-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the Cabaña restaurant, located in the Crowne Plaza Cabaña Hotel, 4290 El Camino Real in Palo Alto.
The menu features Caesar salad; a choice of steak, chicken, salmon or pasta; bread pudding or gelato for dessert; and coffee or tea.
The prepaid deadline for the dinner is Thursday. The cost is $24 for adults, $14 for children ages 6-12. At the door, the cost is adults $26, children $16. Half the dinner cost is tax deductible.
Mail your check made payable to Chefs Who Care, 204 Stierlin Road, Mountain View 94043, or use the 24-hour message recorder, 961-3584, for Visa/MasterCard charges.
For more information, visit www.csacares.org.
Grant Park
summer concert
The Los Altos Recreation Department will present a free summer concert 6 to 8 p.m. July 13 at Grant Park, 1575 Holt Ave., featuring the California Beach Party - a six-piece band playing music from the early ’60s.
Tunes from such surf-music era groups as the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Ventures, the Surfaris and Dick Dale will be played.
Organizers said the show is not only entertaining but also interactive with sing-along dance songs including the twist, the limbo, the hokey-pokey and the hand jive.
Lawn chairs and picnic blankets are encouraged. Pack your favorite dinner and come enjoy a festive evening of fun and music.
For more information, contact Donna Legge at 947-2889 or at donna.legge@ci.los-altos.ca.us.
Obon Festival
set for July 15-16
The midsummer Buddhist Obon Festival & Bazaar is scheduled for 4-10 p.m. July 15 and noon to 9 p.m. July 16 at the Mountain View Buddhist Temple, 575 North Shoreline Blvd., across from the Safeway Bailey Park Shopping Center.
Although often viewed as a Japanese cultural festival, Obon is actually a religious tradition.
The annual Kangi-e Obon Service and the First Obon Memorial Service, called Hatsubon, will be held 10 a.m. Sunday. This service is important to those who have lost a loved one since the last Obon.
Admission and parking are free. There will be games, cultural exhibits and Japanese and Western foods. The Temple Taiko group will entertain at 4:20 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
From 1-3 p.m. Sunday there will be hands-on activities for children. Also Sunday there will be a special “Obon Dance Service” at 6:30 p.m. in the temple.
For more information on the Obon festival, call the temple office at 964-9426 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Museum seeks entries
for juried art show
The Los Altos History Museum invites local artists to submit works for a juried exhibition to run with this summer’s Los Altos Impressions exhibit. Artwork should be delivered July 31 for the Aug. 1-2 jurying.
Artists can submit two pieces for possible inclusion. The work can be in any media, including photography, printmaking, small sculpture, ceramics and paintings and drawings. Artists must be at least 18 years old.
The Los Altos museum’s current Los Altos Impressions exhibit concentrates on local area content - views of landscape, buildings and homes, and of people and familiar local activities. The juried portion of the exhibit will shift the focus to the artists themselves - how they work in and relate to our local landscape.
For more information and the submission form, visit www.losaltoshistory.org.
to plan a picnic
The city of Los Altos has scheduled its fifth annual community picnic for Los Altos residents 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 10 in the City Civic Center, off San Antonio Road at Hillview Avenue.
The picnic will feature a community service fair, old-fashioned barbecue, classic car and tractor show, kid zone, dodgeball tournament, battle of the bands and live entertainment, including Ye Olde Towne Band.
The picnic committee is soliciting individuals, local community groups and businesses to participate in the following areas:
Civic Groups - Publicize and promote your cause. A community service fair will highlight non-profit, non-commercial community organizations.
Volunteers - Serve on the picnic committee.
Donate - Be a picnic sponsor. Donations will be applied to the general operation of the event unless otherwise noted. Donations enable the picnic to remain free to the community.
For more information or to volunteer, donate or receive a community service fair application, call Donna Legge at 947-2889 or e-mail donna.legge@ci.los-altos.ca.us.
History museum
features Los Altos scenes
The Los Altos History Museum has opened a new history-themed art exhibit, “Los Altos Impressions,” that runs through Aug. 20.
The exhibit includes more than 45 works by local artists. While the majority of images feature landscapes, buildings and other local scenes, one controversial piece by Robert C. Schick depicts “human landmark” Kraig Lemon, a local character seen around town collecting cans and expounding to passersby.
A companion workshop - “Floral Impressions,” led by Jeff Baumgartner of Just for You Florist - is scheduled 1-3 p.m. July 30 in the museum garden. The workshop will demonstrate floral arrangements and bouquets that both echo and enhance the art on display. Another exhibit in the J. Gilbert Smith History House, featuring pieces from the museum’s collection of Los Altos, will run through October 15.
The Los Altos History Museum and the J. Gilbert Smith History House are open noon to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at 51 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, between the library and the community center. The gardens, outdoor agricultural exhibits and picnic area are accessible at all times. Admission is free.
Realtors seek nominees
for volunteer award
Nominations are being sought for the 43rd Annual Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR) Community Service Award for the Los Altos/Mountain View district.
The award winner will be honored Sept. 12 at a luncheon at Michaels at Shoreline, Mountain View.
The Los Altos Board of Realtors established the Community Service Award in 1964 as an expression of appreciation for unsung community volunteers. The Silicon Valley realtors honor an individual whose service exemplifies the spirit of volunteerism in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills or Mountain View.
The public is urged to make nominations. Nominees cannot belong to SILVAR and cannot receive a salary for their community contributions.
Nominations must be submitted by Aug. 11 to the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, Attn: CSA, 19400 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 100, Cupertino 95014.
For nomination forms or luncheon reservations, please call SILVAR at (408) 200-0100.
Mtn. View library
seeks volunteers
Friends of the Mountain View Public Library, which provides funds for library programs and equipment not covered by the city’s budget, is seeking volunteers.
Friends of the Library raises money by sponsoring books sales, running a shop in the main library lobby, and maintaining a Web site for selling books online. The group has raised more than $200,000, enabling the library to fund the children’s summer reading program and to purchase 37 new clocks, among other projects.
For more information about Friends of the Mountain View Public Library or to volunteer, call Pat Kassner at 969-3349.
Wildlife Rescue
seeks volunteers
Wildlife Rescue in Palo Alto needs volunteers to help care for more than 2,000 injured and orphaned animals every year.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and able to commit to four to five hours per week from March through October. Training is provided.
For more information, call the volunteer coordinator at 494-7926 or visit www.wildliferescue.ws.
Libraries add authors
to downloadable books
More than two dozen books - ranging from “Family First” by Dr. Phil McGraw to bestselling novels by Stephen King, Janet Evanovich and Stuart Woods - have been added to the collection of hundreds of downloadable recorded books available to patrons of the Los Altos and Woodland Branch libraries.
The books can be played on personal computers or MP3 players.
“People enjoy listening to audio books while they commute, work out at the gym, do chores and just relax,” said Cheryl Houts, community librarian. “Being able to download them at a time and place that is convenient maximizes their value to our customers.”
For five consecutive years the Santa Clara County Library has been listed as one of the top 50 public libraries in the United States.
For a complete list of downloadable audio books, visit www.santaclaracountylib.org.
Nature calls
at Hidden Villa
Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills is seeking volunteer farm/nature guides to introduce schoolchildren to farm animals, to explore the vegetable garden and to hike in the wilderness area. Guides are needed for school tours Tuesday through Friday mornings, and for the general public on weekends. Training is provided.
For more information, call Nayna Patel at 949-8655 or visit www.hiddenvilla.org.
Volunteers needed
at history museum
The Los Altos History Museum needs volunteers to help as docents, work in the museum store, and to support public education and educational programs.
For more information, call 948-9427 or visit www.losaltoshistory.org.
Voices for Peace
meets monthly
Los Altos Voices for Peace meets 7 p.m. the second Monday of every month at Foothills Congregational Church Learning Center, 451 Orange Ave., Los Altos. Residents of both Los Altos Hills and Los Altos are invited.
Los Altos Voices for Peace is a nonprofit, grassroots organization focusing on educational and advocacy projects that promote nonviolent solutions to global and local issues and the protection of civil liberties. Call 964-5068 or visit www.losaltospeace.org.
Homebound seniors
need volunteer drivers
Community Services Agency aims to help homebound seniors live healthy and independent lives and to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The agency is seeking volunteers who can drive seniors to and from medical appointments. To volunteer, call 964-4630.
Donate phones
for abuse victims
The “Donate-A-Phone” program gives used cell phones to victims of domestic violence. Deliver phones, preferably in a plastic bag, to Shelly Potvin at Coldwell Banker, 161 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos. Drop-off hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Donations are tax-deductible.
Caring people wanted
to help homebound
The Stanford University Chaplaincy Office invites volunteers to provide practical and emotional support to homebound people. Training and ongoing education are required. For more information, call 723-5101.
Book, gift store
looking for help
The United Nations Association Store, 552 Emerson Ave., Palo Alto, is seeking volunteers for three-hour shifts, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.
The nonprofit store has a full range of UNICEF gifts and cards. It also has videos, books and magazines for classroom curriculum use in its information center. All proceeds go directly to support the United Nations.
For more information, call 326-3170.
Riding class seeks
help for handicapped
The Westwind Riding Institute, located at Westwind Barn, 27210 Altamont Road, Los Altos Hills, is searching for volunteers to help groom and lead horses, as well as walk beside riders during lessons.
The institute is a nonprofit organization that offers riding lessons to children with physical handicaps 3:45-5 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays.
No experience is needed, just a love of animals and dedication to special-needs children. For more information, call 947-8680.
E-mail notification
at Los Altos library
The Santa Clara County Library can send notices, such as titles of holds and overdue reminders, to patrons via e-mail. To sign up for e-mail notification, patrons may obtain a form at the Los Altos main library reference desk and turn it in at the circulation desk.
At the Woodland branch library, patrons should ask at the circulation desk. Patrons who sign up will no longer receive such notices through the post office.
Volunteers needed
by service agency
The Community Services Agency needs volunteers to work one to two hours a week to help provide food to local low-income families and the homeless. Volunteer work would include the pickup and delivery of donated food from local markets to the agency’s food and nutrition center. Weekday morning positions are available.
For more information, call 964-4630.
DAR offering
workshops
Daughters of the American Revolution holds workshops the first Wednesday of every month. For more information, including the time and place of workshops, call 494-1866.
Girl Scouts aid
400 homeless
The Girl Scouts’ Shelter Program provides after-school educational experiences to more than 400 homeless children at four county shelters. The program offers recreational activities as well as help with leadership skills, decision making and conflict resolution.
For more about this program and other Girl Scout activities, call 949-5531.
Red Cross accepting
vehicle donations
The American Red Cross in Palo Alto has initiated a vehicle donation program to generate funds for disaster preparedness and health and safety services in the community.
The Red Cross is accepting contributions of new and used - running or not - automobiles, small pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles. A free and convenient pickup will be arranged, and a tax-deductible contribution will benefit the donor as well as the Red Cross.
To donate a vehicle, call 688-0415.
Los Altos-Mtn. View
newcomers club
The Alto-View Newcomers Club, a nonprofit organization serving families in Los Altos and Mountain View, sponsors a variety of activities, including wine tastings, mom-and-tot get-togethers, a book club, tennis and potluck dinners.
For more information, call 961-6873.
Guide dog puppies
looking for homes
The San Rafael-based Guide Dogs for the Blind is recruiting adults and youths to raise guide dog puppies. Volunteers are needed to teach puppies obedience, house training and social skills by providing home care and direction. The commitment lasts for about 15 months, after which licensed instructors return the pups to the guide dog school in San Rafael for formal training.
For more information, write to Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., Puppy Raising Department, P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, CA 94915-1200, call (800) 295-4050, or visit www.guidedogs.com.
Wildlife Rescue offers
classes for volunteers
Volunteers 16 years or older interested in caring for injured wildlife can enroll in Wildlife Rescue’s year-round training classes.
Mid-March through early October is the busiest time of year for Wildlife Rescue. This is nesting season, and many baby birds and squirrels fall from nests because of people pruning their trees.
Last year Wildlife Rescue cared for 2,410 injured and orphaned wild animals, including many from the Los Altos area. Approximately 58 percent of the animals treated were returned to the wild.
For more information, call 494-7417.
Single parents meet
in support group
The Shoreline Chapter of Parents Without Partners serves Santa Clara County as a support group for single parents. The group meets 5 p.m. every Saturday for introductions to the organization and is open to all single parents. A monthly dance is held every third Friday.
For more information, call (408) 275-9057.
Widows, widowers
help each other
The Mid-Peninsula Widows and Widowers Association meets 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Los Altos Lutheran Church, 460 S. El Monte Ave., Los Altos. The association helps people begin a new life following the death of a spouse. All widows and widowers in the area are invited to attend.
For more information, call 964-2612 or 968-1408.
Senior home repair
volunteers needed
The City of Los Altos Senior In-home Repair Program needs volunteers to perform minor repairs. The program makes it possible for senior citizens to continue living independently in their own homes.
People handy in any aspect of home repair are urged to call the city’s Volunteers Enriching Government Action coordinator at 947-2700.
Low-income seniors
may get weekly food
Low-income Los Altos and Los Altos Hills seniors may be eligible to receive a weekly bag of groceries for $10 a year.
Those who are 60 years of age or older, or disabled and 55 or older, may call Second Harvest Food Bank at (408) 266-8950 or Community Services Agency at 968-0836 to find out whether they qualify.
American Legion
meeting at Elks
American Legion Fremont Post 52 meets 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. every Friday at the Palo Alto Elks Lodge on El Camino Real, Palo Alto. The organization focuses on supporting disabled veterans at the Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto.
For more information, call 961-2232.
