Rotary Club of Morgan Hill provide funds to local nonprofits and groups serve the community

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

I wrote last issue about how a crisis can bring out the best in us and noted several people stepping up to help. From local women using their sewing skills to make masks, to a 10-year-old doing the same, to a local coffee shop delivering coffee and breakfast to health care workers, to a San Martin grocery store helping to feed those in need.

And it doesn’t stop there. Lisa Bjarke and John McKay reached out to tell me the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill is making donations to three organizations based on needs created by the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. They donated $2,500 to the Edward Boss Prado Foundation’s “Gate to Gate Food Giveaway” program, $4,000 to the Morgan Hill Recreation Center’s Senior Center “Senior Lunch” program, and $3,000 to the Morgan Hill Community Foundation/YMCA/MHUSD “Essential Workers Childcare” program.

Great job, Rotary Club members.

Then there’s D.R. Domenichini Construction which is partnering with Rosy’s at the Beach to provide a meal for a first responder. For every meal purchased at the downtown restaurant Sundays and Mondays, the two local companies will give a free meal to fire fighter, police officer, paramedic or healthcare worker. First responders only need to do is call ahead and place an order then arrive in uniform or show a badge at Rosy’s curbside pickup behind the restaurant. These free meals can be picked up any day of the week.

Great job Dave Domenichini and team, and thank you Rosy Bergin and staff.

Local company Specialized Bicycles is revamping their operations and are now focusing on serving those on the front lines. Four hundred face masks from China were shipped to New York.

While two-wheeled peddled transportation is his world, seeing shortages of masks prompted him to shift gears somewhat. His company has started purchasing and shipping masks from Asia to the Bay, and then distributing them to front line workers in need. “To be able to make a difference is so great. And I would say it’s beyond words,” said Mike Sinyard, the founder and CEO of Specialized Bicycle.

Friday, March 13 was the last day Gilroy High School students gathered before in-person classes were suspended. In the week following, senior Alex Torres said he was lost and without a sense of purpose. His mother and teacher at Las Animas Elementary School, Diana Wolf Torres, asked him for some help trying to print a file but needed help to “slice” it, he said. That file was the Verkstan 3D printable face shield for health care workers. It turned out to be the first of 140 they would print and ship, including to New York.

“We both realized the potential of these files and started to run the printer day and night,” he said.

It took seven failed 3-D prints for them to get the print settings perfect. Then, a friend in San Jose offered the loan of a second 3D printer allowing them to double their capacity. They started receiving requests for the shields from healthcare providers in need. Then, in early April, Google Accessibility Labs offered them a 3D printer for use, bringing to three the number of printers churning out shields.

“This is about making a difference in times when things feel out of control,” Alex said.

Well said, young man.

Photo by Marty Cheek
Solorsano 8th-grade student Aryan Ganesh displays his first-place project titled “Study and Comparison of Effects of Different Natural Products that Can Cure or Prevent Cancer Using Drosophila Model.”

Here’s some really happy news about a local kid who has ambitions to one day prevent and maybe even cure cancer using natural ingredients.

Solorsano Middle School 6th-grader Aryan Ganesh took first-place in the Synopsys Science Fair competing against students from the whole Silicon Valley, his father, Vanamu Ganesh told us.

He was selected for the state and nationals science fair competitions. California canceled the state competition because of the COVID-19 crisis, but the Broadcom Masters — America’s national science fair — is still on for fall.

The 11-year-old Gilroy resident’s project was titled “Study and Comparison of Effects of Different Natural Products that Can Cure or Prevent Cancer Using Drosophila Model.” It won first place at the South Valley Science and Engineering Fair held Feb. 8 at Christopher High School.

Using various herbs including cinnamon, sesame seeds, moringa and (this being Gilroy) garlic, he gave dosages to wild flies larvae. He determined which adult flies had cancer by looking through a high-powered microscope and noting a blurriness in their eyes. The flies that had the least cancer rate were those exposed to a combination of moringa and sesame seeds, he found.

“I tried to cure cancer but I couldn’t,” Ganesh said. “And also, I knew these natural products are painless. When you eat them, they might be disgusting, but they’re better than going through chemotherapy.”

Good luck at the nationals, Aryan!