Published in the Oct. 15-28, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

Joy Joyner at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center told us that while volunteers were packing up on Sunday following the Taste of Morgan Hill, they received a phone call that a downed golden eagle had been found in a Morgan Hill field. WERC volunteers rushed to the scene to take care of the bird and brought it to a veterinarian at the Princevalle Pet Hospital in Gilroy. The female eagle had a round, bloody wound in its neck which was first suspected of being a gunshot wound. It also suffered from a heavy infestation of feather lice. WERC officials believe the eagle might have been impaled on a metal pole or fence, and its air sac was torn, Joyner said. Volunteers named the eagle Morgan and, after intensive care, the eagle will be placed in a 100-foot-long flight enclosure to build up its strength before it is set free to live in the wild again.
• • •
Holy Gotham City! Superhero Batman turned up at BookSmart Saturday Oct. 11 to meet kids and sign his autograph on comic books. POW! The Caped Crusader is on a mission with the group Heroes4Hope to impact and empower children. WHAM! Batman visits terminally ill children in hospitals and goes to schools to speak on how to “Be the Hero Against Bullying.” BookSmart owner Brad Jones told us, “When Batman saw us reach out for helping the community with funds, he said he’d make an appearance at the store.”
• • •
Congratulations to sixth graders at P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy for finishing in first place among 56 schools in Santa Clara County in a Sumdog math tournament recently. Their teacher Darren McDonald tells us that the kids will go on to a national competition and “stand in a tie for 8th place overall going against more than 2,500 other schools.” Sumdog is an online academic program that teaches math, reading and writing skills through free educational games. Students play Sumdog’s multiplayer games against other students around the county and even around the world. Students are asked questions selected from Common Core curriculum. Go, Sumdog, go!
• • •
The Running Shop merchant Paul Rakitin told us that his store is teaming up with the South Valley Running Club and The San Martin Lions Club to donate shoes for the Mini Mermaid running program out of San Martin/Gwinn School. Lions club members gave a check for $1,000 to the SVRC, and Rakitin ordered shoes for the kids at cost so the girls could have brand new shoes for the Nov. 2 Morgan Hill Marathon and the 5K race they’re participating in. If you might like to help out with a check to help pay for this student athlete endeavor, call Paul at (650) 576-7466.
• • •
Are you fun and creative? Is so, then take a look at the Downtown Art and Placemaking Mini Grants. This program offers small grants of $500 to $10,000 for local artists and community groups interested in implementing an idea that brings fun, energy, art and culture to the Morgan Hill’s downtown.

Anyone can apply for these grants. You do not need to be an artist-you just need to have a good idea and be interested in implementing it. Take a look at the link above and download the grant application. Deadline to turn in applications is Nov. 3. Feel free to contact Edith Ramirez at [email protected] or Barbara Goldstein at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Congratulations to the 2014 Harvest Quilt & Fiber Arts Show, which displayed more than 200 quilts from throughout Northern California. Every year, the quality and diversity of the quilts on display is more colorful and innovative. Most impressive was the patriotic display of more than 50 “Quilts for Our Heroes” decorating the central hallway in the Community Center from door to door.
On Sunday afternoon during the Taste of Morgan Hill, there was a ceremony with a special Honor Guard from V. F. W. post 6309 in Gilroy proudly presenting the colors to honor the seven local recipients who were present to receive their quilts and our thanks for their service. The quilts were made by association members and donated to the Quilts of Valor Organization and the Blue Star Mothers for distribution to our military men and women in appreciation of their service to our country.