First I'd like to update the Backpacked with Care program started by Esther Lucas, her husband Gary, and Nicole Blazin. I posted Esther's flyer in my August 9th blog. This was short notice, since Esther and Nicole needed the supplies by the following Friday to get everything ready by the start of school.
Yesterday I received the following email from Esther Lucas:
"Dear Friends, Due to the support of all of you, the second year of our project Back Packed with Care provided 80 filled backpacks to two San Ramon schools (Live Oak and Quail Run Elementary Schools) in time for the first day of school. Nicole, Zack, Gary and I delivered these last Friday to the schools and the Principals and staff warmly greeted us and wanted you all to know how much these backpacks and supplies were appreciated.
Our goal this year started with the hope of 90 filled backpacks and thanks to the help of the City of San Ramon employees, neighbors and friends, we reached 80 backpacks which allows many of the kids at these two schools on the subsidized school lunch program a backpack!! You all are awesome!!
Thank you all again for your generosity and we plan to continue this worthwhile project next year. Yours in friendship,
Nicole Blazin, Gary & Esther Lucas"
In July I wrote my blog on the selection process for the City's Poet Laureate. I was on the committee to interview applicants. We recommended Kathleen Moore for the position, and she was appointed by the City Council at their August 28th meeting to serve until June, 2014.
At that meeting I suggested that the Council create the title of Poet Laureate Emeritus for all past Poets Laureate. So we would have not only a current Poet Laureate writing poetry for special events but previous ones could continue to write and present poetry as an Emeritus.
In my poetry blog I wrote about my sister Alice's career as a poet. Last Sunday I took the BART into San Francisco to meet Alice and her husband David for lunch at the Osha Thai Restaurant on Diamond Street. Alice gave me a copy of her newest book of poetry, "Barge Wood," Copyright 2012.
One of her poems is about our Grandmother Lilly, my father's mother. Here's a portion that caught my eye.
"She was born in this country. A turn-of-the-century
little girl never having been on those big boats. They used
to say in my family that we had cousins who would put
us in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Just a little
joke because we were still Jewish, and Grandma Lilly had
once been a Socialist, and in her eighties, she played cards
on the tenth floor, Two-hundred and Thirty-second Street
in the Bronx."
The reference to the DAR was the story that my Grandmother told about being a descendant of Revolutionary War hero Benjamin Nones. Actually Nones' descendants were and are very active in the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution) and DAR. I contacted one of Nones' great, great, great Grandsons from an article he wrote in the Sons of the American Revolution magazine. We corresponded by email about his famous ancestors.
After spending two years trying to find a genealogical connection to Benjamin Nones and his family I finally gave up and concluded the story couldn't be true. However, the Nones family is fascinating and I'm thinking about writing a book about them.
I also received an email from the mysterious Scott Hayes. He's the candidate who filed at the last-minute for the Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD). I wasn't too enthusiastic about it in my blog about the November Election.
A reader named "Larry" took me to task about my attitude. Larry was right. Mr. Hayes appears to be a viable candidate. Here's his ballot statement:
"Occupation: Businessman
Age: 30
I am a financially conservative private sector businessman that has never run for public office. I hold a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. My professional background is in financial analysis, systems, project management, and business process improvement. I work full time for a large privately held manufacturing and sales company. My current job title is Systems and Data Manager, and before that it was Senior Financial Analyst. As a member of the DSRSD Board of Directors, I will create value through a focus on efficiency, cost control, and long term financial sustainability. I will be an agent for change and will leverage my practical, results oriented approach to challenge the organization to live up to its full potential. I look forward to serving the customers of Dublin San Ramon Services District."
Mr. Hayes asked to meet me for my "perspective about what DSRSD does well and what could be improved." So of course I said, yes. We are meeting for lunch on Tuesday, and I shall write up the interview for my Friday blog next week.
I don't have anything planned for this Monday. It is Labor Day, so I'll probably take the day off unless something spectacular happens over the weekend.
