Annual “Fit 4 Fall” event at Cecelia’s Closet capped off another back-to-school giveaways.

Photos by Marty Cheek
Assistant coach Dixie Wooten III and fans celebrate the Bay Area Panthers IFL Championship 51-41 victory over the Sioux Falls Storm.

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

Many thanks go out to the groups that helped quickly organize a parade for the Bay Area Panthers. Fans young and old thronged the downtown area Friday, Aug. 11, in a display of loud adoration for the team’s players, coaches, and staff who rode in classic cars and trucks toward the Morgan Hill Community Center’s plaza. The Panthers won the championship title after an electrifying 51-41 win against the Sioux Falls Storm Aug. 5 in Henderson, Nev. Afterward, they were introduced to the crowd at the Friday Night Music Series.

The staff and volunteers from the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce (led by Lori Allen), city of Morgan Hill (led by Chris Ghione), the Morgan Hill Downtown Association (led by David Dindak) and Krista Rupp of Visit Morgan Hill did a stand-up job to pull everything together at the last minute.

We’re glad the community could honor the team!

The Edward Boss Prado Foundation’s annual “Fit 4 Fall” event at Cecelia’s Closet capped off another back-to-school giveaways.

On Aug. 26, the foundation gave away backpacks at the city of Morgan Hill’s National Night Out event, the Morgan Hill Unified School District’s Resource Fair in addition to the traditional event at Cecelia’s Closet. The Kiwanis Club of Morgan Hill provided a bagged lunch of a freshly grilled hot dog, chips, cookies and water to all children and adults who came out. The families were treated with dignity and respect as they only had to say which school sent them, and then could select their items from the tables loaded with useful options.

Any students still in need of these items who somehow missed the giveaway events can still get what they need by having their school’s community liaison make an appointment to visit Cecelia’s Closet. During their visit the families will also have access to clothing, groceries, cleaning supplies and more. The foundation supports thousands of children and their families throughout the course of each year through larger events and ongoing appointment based services.

All of this is only possible thanks to the magnificent support of the Edward Boss Prado Foundation’s donors and volunteers. Please visit www.edwardbossprado.org to learn more.

As always, Cecelia Ponzini, her board members and volunteers did a fantastic job!

District Attorney Jeff Rosen is asking Santa Clara County high school students to create and send in original art portraying butterflies for this year’s Justice for All Art Contest. The student art will be used to decorate the DA’s Mariposas Resiliency Center — a newly expanded center based in Gilroy to provide help to victims of violent crime. The center in downtown Gilroy is formerly the Gilroy Strong Resiliency Center. It provides comprehensive support to survivors of violent crime, including on-site mental health and advocacy services.

The winner of the art contest will receive a grand prize $1,500. The first-place winner’s work will also be prominently published on the DA’s website and other venues. The second-place winner will receive $1,000, and the third-place winner will receive $500.

All art mediums are welcome: paint, pencil, charcoal, photography, graphic design, or whatever your creative mind might think of.

The Mariposas Resiliency Center is named after the Spanish word for butterflies. Butterflies have become powerful symbols for three young victims of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting — 6-year-old Stephen Romero, 13-year-old Keyla Salazar and 25-year-old Trevor Irby — and the community’s resilience in the wake of the 2019 mass shooting.

All Santa Clara County high school students are invited to submit their work by Friday, Sept. 29. Winners will be announced on Friday, Oct. 13, on the District Attorney’s website and Facebook page.

The top three winners will be honored at an awards ceremony on Oct. 24, at the Mariposas Resiliency Center Grand Opening in Gilroy.

Entrants who do not place will be mailed a Starbucks gift card.

Want more details? Visit www.countyda.sccgov.org/news/news-release/da-students-use-your-art-help-us-heal-years-contest-focuses-butterflies-victims-0.