Published in the March 29 – April 11, 2017 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman spent some fun time with pre-school children at the Morgan Hill Library March 23 reading to them the children’s book “Bear and Bee” by Sergio Ruzzier. He encouraged them to get interactive by making growling sounds and clawing the air as a bear or buzzing around as a bee.

Morgan Hill resident Moises Escoto and his 3-year-old son, Lucas, were among the many parents and children who sat on the floor listening to Mike read the story. Later, at the end of the story, Saralyn Otter, children’s supervising librarian, came in dressed as a big bee to surprise the children.

“We come quite often for the reading programs,” Escoto said. “We’ve been coming for less than a year. It’s cool. We moved up from Redwood City, so we love the library.”

Wasserman was on the Los Gatos Town Council years ago when he started the Community Reads program which brought in people to the elementary schools to read to children.
“Since I’ve been on the board of supervisors, I’ve been involved with this annual Read-in, and I read in the Morgan Hill and Gilroy Library.”

He told us that he apologized to the adults that morning before reading the story. “I started by saying that any morning that I can start with kids instead of adults is a better morning,” he said. “That’s what I said, and they weren’t offended. I’m all energized. You come here and you read to the kids and it gives you a big lift, it really does.”

We encourage more parents and grandparents to bring their toddlers and young children in for a story-filled morning at our wonderful library.

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The March 17-19 Passport Weekend was a wonderful wine-sampling success, Karen Seeker told us. The president of the Wineries of Santa Clara Valley said the popular event kicked off Friday evening at the Morgan Hill Community Center where 17 member wineries poured their wines alongside 12 restaurants from Gilroy and Morgan Hill offering a taste from their delectable menus.

During the two days, visitors with passports and wine glasses stopped at more than 25 participating member wineries that welcomed their guests from throughout the Bay Area by offering an array of food, music and a variety of entertainment.

“The pictures tell the stories of folks new to the area realizing there is a selection of remarkable wines right here in their backyards, and our recurrent visitors enjoying the beauty of the area, the diversity of the wineries and the wines they pour — not to mention the friendships they have made by becoming frequent guests,” Seeker said.

The association will host its Annual Fall Passport Oct. 13-15. So even if you missed out this past weekend or if you just want more fun, food and wine, you will have the opportunity to join in the festivities at that time.

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Congratulations to local businessman Fran Léal, named the Community Law Enforcement Foundation’s honoree for its 2017 Public Safety Award. CLEF volunteers cited his tireless support with CLEF and his efforts which have and continue to improve public safety in Morgan Hill.

Léal has donated significant time, energy and financial support to CLEF over the past six years, said president of the CLEF board of directors, Doug Moffat. In addition, Léal has provided support to Community Solutions, which is focused on providing a safe environment for the most vulnerable members of our community. “Frank’s commitment to making Morgan Hill the best (and safest) city to live in, benefits all of us, by making Morgan Hill a better and safer place to live, raise our families, and conduct our business,” Moffat said.

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Morgan Hill’s Teachers Aid Coalition has provided classroom supplies for our local children since 1999. This year’s fundraiser was a hit, raising about $13,000, volunteer Ron Woolf told us.

The success of TAC’s February annual fundraiser, “Chocolate & Wine for Valentine’s,” means it was able to buy supplies for the first of two classroom supply give-aways, held March 15 at P.A. Walsh STEAM Academy. About 100 teachers “shopped” for much-needed teaching supplies for their classrooms, Woolf said.

Thanks, TAC, for long helping Morgan Hill’s public schools!