Hats off to the Gilroy Rotary Club for dishing out plenty of
cash recently. More than $30, 950 went to various community groups,
all made possible by the excellent fund-raising events put on by
Rotary which include the ever-popular spring flower sale at
Goldsmith’s Seeds and the great golf tournament each fall held at
Cordevalle. The Senior Ball, put on for senior citizens by Gilroy
youth and the subject of some wonderful newspaper photos, received
$2,500, the violin program at Las Animas School will be making
sweeter music with a $2,500 grant and St. Joseph’s Family Center
will be able to serve those less fortunate with a $2,000 grant.
Hats off to the Gilroy Rotary Club for dishing out plenty of cash recently. More than $30, 950 went to various community groups, all made possible by the excellent fund-raising events put on by Rotary which include the ever-popular spring flower sale at Goldsmith’s Seeds and the great golf tournament each fall held at Cordevalle. The Senior Ball, put on for senior citizens by Gilroy youth and the subject of some wonderful newspaper photos, received $2,500, the violin program at Las Animas School will be making sweeter music with a $2,500 grant and St. Joseph’s Family Center will be able to serve those less fortunate with a $2,000 grant.
Rotary didn’t stop there, the club designated $20,000 for a downtown sculpture. And there’s simply no truth to the rumor that Mayor Al Pinheiro is insisting that the sculpture be a bust of him complete with a custom “supermajority” cape.
Speaking of supermajorities … do you think we could get one to change Gilroy High School’s schedule so that the students finish the semester BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK like 99.29% of all high schools? I’d start an e-mail campaign to have everyone send a note to my mother-in-law, Pat Midtgaard, who’s on the school board, but that might put a damper on Sunday dinners, and besides her salads are works of culinary art which complement her home-baked bread. Whew, I hope I’m off the hook …
That brings us to the smell of fresh-baked bread which is exactly what we need wafting through downtown Gilroy. Those who’ve been around the block longer than I, remember trips to the Pirozzoli family bakery. I’ve heard tales of the famous bread. The recipe is like a sunken treasure – it’s out there somewhere, but kept in deep and murky Italian waters. A good bakery would draw people downtown, and they could make fresh rolls for …
The new deli that’s winding its way through the government woods to find a home downtown. It’s a new venture that has Economic Development Director Larry Cope’s mouth watering. Visions of salami hanging from the ceiling, cases filled with cheese from around the world and fresh sourdough rolls from that soon-to-be baking business. It’s all about synergy and timing, of course. So, brick by brick, downtown will be coming back.
The rooftops in the Garlic Festival’s new downtown building will be a wonderful place from which to smell baking bread while taking in the marvelous views of south Santa Clara County. A recent tour on a clear day (yes, those days will be back) provided spectacular scenery from the top. The downtown units are both cozy and cool, and the efforts to bring urban – or shall we call it urbane? – housing to downtown will pay off handsomely after this recession pendulum begins to swing the other way.
So, is it the economy, stupid … is that why our city’s crime blotter seems to be growing in a way that we’d rather not witness? Or perhaps it’s the lack of leadership in the police department which has been languishing in limbo from well before the Time of the Secret Retirements. Will the new chief be Denise Turner from a Seattle-are sheriff’s department or the city’s second choice, Don Anders, Gilroy resident, San Jose deputy chief and first in the hearts of many veteran Gilroy officers? The moment of truth is, hopefully, quickly arriving. Otherwise, residents might be subject to more cockamamie, unfettered policy moves like the latest GPD Keystone Cops edict: “We will no longer be releasing the addresses of those arrested.” That’s especially wonderful if there’s a child molester or an auto burglar living next door. Did we get a supermajority on that policy decision?
Which brings us back to the lucky devils at the Rotary Club, who have even more reason to celebrate. The new chef extraordinnaire at the Elks Club is longtime Garlic Town favorite, Dave Bozzo. Tuesday Rotary lunch attendance has spiked more than the Gilroy crime rate since Dave has been dishing out the meals. And congrats to Dave and Jill on their son Dominic, who will hopefully inherit Dave’s culinary and golf talents and Jill’s practicality and good looks.
