The following organizations and individuals deserve either
CHEERS or JEERS this week:
CHEERS: For the spirited people in our town who make the Garlic
Festival go year after year. It takes hard work, and so many people
contribute that it’s a strong unifying thread for our
community.
The following organizations and individuals deserve either CHEERS or JEERS this week:
CHEERS: For the spirited people in our town who make the Garlic Festival go year after year. It takes hard work, and so many people contribute that it’s a strong unifying thread for our community. If you’re a guest this weekend, welcome. Please enjoy our friendly hospitality, our perfect festival-going weather, our beautiful Christmas Hill Park and our signature event. If you’re a volunteer, thank you. Your contribution helps make Gilroy great – and that’s nothing to sniff at.
JEERS: For the Gilroy Unified School District for eliminating support for elementary and junior high homeschoolers. Because GUSD eliminated the kindergarten through eighth-grade public independent study program, parents and families lose the opportunity to connect with other K-8 students and programs. Plus, GUSD loses the income from the state for those students. It seems to us that keeping those students connected to the school district keeps them connected to our community, and that should be one of the district’s highest goals.
CHEERS: For the three Gilroy girls All-Star Little League softball teams which won NorCal championships this week. Wow, Gilroy High has quite an incredible group coming up through the ranks. The Gilroy Major All-Stars, under Coach Dennis Castro, are headed for Washington state and the Western Regional Tournament. Good luck, ladies, we’ll be following the action.
CHEERS: For the Gilroy/Morgan Hill office of Operation Interdependence which created more than 600 c-rats for our overseas troops last week in about 1 1/2 hours! The only problem is, they used all their notes of appreciation and are in desperate need of more … just a quick note to say “We appreciate your service to our country.” No politics, no last names for kids under age 18. Letters can be sent to us here at the Dispatch, 6400 Monterey St., Gilroy, 95020, and will be forwarded to Susan Hamilton and Karen Humber for inclusion.
CHEERS: For Albert Fortino who, when he decided to convert his apartment building to condominiums, also decided to make homeownership available to his tenants. In a refreshing show of generosity, Fortino offered below-market rate prices, accepted the tenants’ rent deposits toward the downpayment and even offered to finance the mortgages at 5 percent. Fortino supports the human bottom line – secure housing – as well as the financial bottom line. In an industry marked by greed and what-the-market-will-bear attitudes, we commend Fortino’s efforts to make the American dream come true for these tenants.
