Dear Editor,
As I sit here today, Thanksgiving morning, I reflect on all the
things that I am thankful for in my life
…
Dear Editor,
As I sit here today, Thanksgiving morning, I reflect on all the things that I am thankful for in my life …
I am thankful for my son, who is a healthy, beautiful child, my business, and the clients who have supported me throughout the years. I am thankful that I have enough to be able to share with those less fortunate than myself, even if it isn’t much. Today though, I am most thankful for the wonderfully generous community that we live in. Gilroy has changed a lot in the 27 years I have called it my home, but what hasn’t changed, is the ability of our community to come together and help those in need!
On Sunday Nov. 19 , I was very fortunate in that I had the opportunity to help organize and run a cut-a-thon at one of our local salons, the Hot Spot Salon, owned by Darlene Silva. All proceeds of the event went to benefit the trust of Julio Gonzalez, the 5-year-old boy who tragically lost his life on his way to school, in an accident that has all of us asking “why?”
When approached by Lucretia Santana of Malys asking me to join more than three dozen local hair stylists to help raise money to aide in the medical and funeral costs that now burden the family of Julio, my only questions were “WHERE & WHEN?” Little did I know, I wasn’t the only person asking these same questions. The event was a huge success with stylists cutting hair throughout the day while the students from Gavilan College’s cosmetology department were prepping the clients by shampooing their hair before they were sent to be cut.
All emergency personnel were present at the event as well, including the fire department, the EMT’s with their ambulance, the CHP nd the Gilroy Police Department, including the D.A.R.E. car, K-9 unit and McGruff the Crime Fighting Dog. All were present in reminding people about safety, as well as letting the kids check out their rigs before giving them stickers and safety handouts.
Mayor Al Pinheiro came out to support the event, too, which he did by outbidding everyone at the silent auction on the items he wanted, which in turn raised more money! There was also fun for the kids in the form of games, face painting and a bounce house. We had food, drinks, music, reporters and photographers from the Dispatch, a silent auction, a raffle with prizes that were donated by many local businesses and restaurants, and energy – lots and lots of energy, but most of all, the outpouring of generosity from the people of our community, and the communities that surround us. Whether it was in the form of raffle prize donations, volunteering at the event or behind the scenes, the giving of monetary donations, food and drink donations, or those people who waited to get their hair cut at the event, the generosity was overwhelming!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who participated, in helping to make this event a successful one. After a few last-minute donations, approximately $3,700 was raised for the Julio Gonzalez trust. INCREDIBLE!!!
Without your help, there would have been no cut-a-thon!
Thank you everyone!
Michelle Bova, Gilroy
The Golden Quill is awarded occasionally for a well-written letter.
