Community

When the owners of a Morgan Hill children’s gymnasium woke up recently to find the centerpiece of their float for the upcoming Fourth of July parade stolen, they didn’t expect the outpouring of generosity that helped them quickly replace the lost item.Carol and Kurt Kromer, owners of The Little Gym, are veterans of the downtown Morgan Hill Independence Day parade, as they have entered a float each of the last 10 years—as long as The Little Gym has been in business. This year’s parade theme is “Home Sweet Home,” and the Kromers’ idea was to purchase and decorate a pre-fabricated playhouse structure, “and build the float around that,” Carol Kromer explained.Carol’s husband Kurt started working on the float earlier this month outside The Little Gym, which is located at 15750 Vineyard Blvd. The night of June 19, he nailed the playhouse down onto the flatbed of the parade float, and went home to get some sleep. When he returned to continue working the next morning, the playhouse was missing.“I was devastated, and he was really upset,” Carol said.The couple reported the theft to Morgan Hill police. A nearby video surveillance video captured a blurry image of the theft about 12:25 a.m. June 20, Carol Kromer said.The couple also posted information about the theft and the stolen item on Facebook. Carol said she was merely hoping someone had seen the playhouse and could help the couple retrieve it.“Instead, I received such overwhelming love and support from the community,” Carol beamed. “People stopped by with donations, and we purchased the very last (playhouse) that CostCo had. I was brought to tears by the generosity of the community.”Now the couple and their son are in the process of rebuilding their float with the new playhouse. This time, they have a locked storage unit to work in and secure the items when the owners are not on site.And on July 16, the Kromers plan to give away the playhouse to one of their members as part of The Little Gym’s 10th anniversary celebration. The community is invited to the celebration, which will take place 3 to 5 p.m. at The Little Gym.The Little Gym offers classes in gymnastics and other sports, as well as dance, karate and music for children from 4 months to 12 years of age. They also host birthday parties and camps, Carol Kromer explained. She expects up to half a dozen of her member children to ride on the Independence Day parade float.“We are even more excited to take our amazing float down the parade route and show it to the community and thank them for helping make it possible,” Carol Kromer added by email. “A huge thank you to the individuals and families that donated money to help us purchase the second house.”The downtown Morgan Hill Independence Day parade will start at 10 a.m. July 4. The route begins on Monterey Road, and circles to West Main, Peak and West Dunne avenues. Last year, the parade featured more than 2,500 participants, including marching bands, colorful floats, a variety of performance groups and numerous specialty entities.For more information about the Freedom Fest holiday festivities—including the July 3 Patriotic Sing and Street Dance, and July 4 fireworks—visit morganhillfreedomfest.com.

South County residents will get a reprieve from the scorching temperatures as a gradual cool down is forecast for the rest of the week, according to National Weather Service Meteorologist Drew Peterson.

Community Solutions, an organization dedicated to offering an array of services to those in need, was honored June 22 as the Nonprofit of the Year by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) during the inaugural California Nonprofits Day celebration in Sacramento.“Community Solutions is a well-established nonprofit that has fought for those who have the greatest need for more than 40 years,” Monning said.  “It tackles some of the most difficult social issues, such as human trafficking, mental health, and housing. I commend Community Solutions for its service to our region.”Community Solutions, which was first established as a teen drop-in center in 1972, is headquartered in Gilroy and has offices in Morgan Hill, San Jose and Hollister. Today, it offers a comprehensive spectrum of prevention, intervention, treatment and residential services, which include help to overcome challenges engendered by mental health problems, substance abuse, trauma, severe family dysfunction, sexual and domestic violence and human trafficking.From 2014 to 2015, Community Solutions helped more than 3,880 children, families, and individuals and offered a myriad of community volunteer opportunities throughout the year, such as assisting with the annual Holiday Giving Program, organizing clothing that has been donated, and advocating for domestic violence, sexual assault and/or human trafficking victims.For more information about Community Solutions, visit communitysolutions.org/index.html.Monning represents the 17th senate district, which includes all of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz counties, as well as portions of Monterey and Santa Clara counties.

Living, breathing and loving the game of baseball, Loyola High School Varsity Baseball Player, Jake Peters awoke on December 15, 2014 never realizing he was going to be playing the game of his life the following day.A little more than a year ago, Jake lost the use of his arms and legs due to a very rare disease. It turned his and his family’s lives upside down as the now 17-year-old went from living life as a normal high school student to someone struggling to move and breathe.Jake suffers from Neuromyelitis Optica, a rare disease in which the autoimmune system attacks the myelin sheaths on the nerves of the spinal cord and optic nerve. The sudden onset of this disease in December 2014 rendered Jake a quadriplegic overnight.Jake's parents care for him in their home in Southern California. Deborah Wright-Peters, Jake’s stepmother, helps to take care of Jake when she is at home in Santa Clarita. Every few weeks, Deborah commutes from her home to Morgan Hill, where she operates her business at Sola Salon Studios as a hair stylist.Brethren CrossFit of Morgan Hill is holding their 3rd annual CrossFit Throwdown at the Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose Sunday, June 26 and is donating a portion of the proceeds to help the Wright-Peters family through this trying time. “We all feel so helpless and want to help somehow, someway with Jake’s rehabilitation,” Brethren CrossFit owner Lee Pappas said.A portion of the  proceeds from the Brethren Throwdown will benefit Jake Peters. The rehabilitation fund will go toward providing Jake with necessary physical therapy. It will also aid in the purchase of medical supplies and any further rehabilitation equipment.Every six months, Jake must undergo chemotherapy to suppress his immune system and prevent any further damage to his spinal cord and optic nerve.Before his attack, Jake was a vibrant student athlete. His game is changed now as he continues to fight the disease, learning how to breathe and transition into a power chair.Despite his ongoing ordeal, Jake finds humor in everyday life as a way to stay positive and enjoy himself. Jake just recently graduated from Loyola High School, in Southern California. This took an awe-inspiring amount of tenacity and strength for Jake to accomplish, but he was determined to reach this personal goal. Jake plans to take the next few months to contemplate his academic future at the collegiate level while looking forward to his next big event, which is his make-a-wish trip to the MLB All-Star game in San Diego next month, and then a short trip up north in August to watch his beloved Giants.The Brethren CrossFit Throwdown fundraiser to help benefit Jake Peters will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:00p.m. Sunday, June 26th, at Silver Creek Sportsplex, 800 Embedded Way, San Jose. Anyone who cannot attend but wishes to donate can do so atgofundme.com/jakepeters. Visit Jake's CaringBridge site to read his story caringbridge.org/visit/jakepeters

Morgan Hill’s annual Independence Day celebrations, which have brought thousands of visitors to town for the holiday festivities, promise to bring a busy slate of family-friendly fun yet again.The two-day celebration will start July 3 with the children’s Patriotic Sing and Family Street Dance in the heart of downtown.On July 4, the festivities continue early in the morning with the Freedom Fest 5K and 1-mile children’s run, for which registration starts at 6:30 a.m. That will be followed by the July 4 Car Cruise n’ Show at 9:30 a.m.Then is the cornerstone of the annual festivities organized by nonprofit organization Independence Day Celebration—the Independence Day parade. The procession will follow its usual route around the downtown core: Monterey Road, West Main Avenue, Peak Avenue and West Dunne. Pre-parade entertainment starts at 9 a.m., with the parade starting at 10 a.m.This year’s parade theme is “America, My Home Sweet Home.” The grand marshal is Eddie Bowers, a local resident and Vietnam War veteran. Bowers is known to locals chiefly as the organizer for annual ceremonies honoring veterans at the downtown First Street memorial every Memorial Day and Veterans Day.The parade will be dedicated to the memory of former Morgan Hill Mayor Dennis Kennedy, who died due to complications from a brain tumor earlier this year. Kennedy is also a past grand marshal of the Morgan Hill July 4 parade.After the parade, revelers can relax by taking in the car show downtown, and making their way over to Condit Road for “fireworks with a splash.” The Dennis Kennedy Aquatics Center, 16200 Condit Road, will be welcoming swimmers from 6 to 10 p.m. (purchase tickets at morganhillaquaticfoundation.org).Bring a picnic to the Outdoor Sports Center (Condit Road between Tennant and East Dunne avenues), where pre-fireworks live entertainment starts at 5 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dark at the OSC.The annual Freedom Fest celebration is organized and funded by nonprofit IDC.“Morgan Hill has been a special home for me,” reads IDC President Jeff Dixon’s introduction to the 2016 Freedom Fest, found in the event’s program. “It is a vibrant place with a strong sense of community and willingness to give back that I haven’t seen anywhere else in my travels.”For more information and a complete schedule of Freedom Fest events, visit morganhillfreedomfest.com.

South County residents and public safety officers paid their respects to fallen San Jose Police Officer Michael Katherman June 21 by gathering on U.S. 101 overpasses as his funeral procession traveled through the area.  Funeral services for Katherman, who died June 14 in a traffic accident while on duty with SJPD, took place at SAP Center in San Jose June 21. He was 34 years old, and left behind his wife April and sons Josh, 10 and Jason, 8. April teaches at Pacific Point Christian School in Gilroy.After the funeral, his remains were escorted by hundreds of police officers from throughout the state to the Gavilan Hills Memorial Cemetery in Gilroy. Leading the procession were dozens of Katherman’s fellow motorcycle officers.On the East Dunne Avenue overpass, two Morgan Hill Fire Department officers stood atop an engine and saluted the procession as it passed. Residents waved American flags as they lined up along the edge of the overpass, peering through the fence facing the southbound traffic as it passed underneath them.“We’re here to show our respects,” said Morgan Hill resident Cindy Chapman, who brought her grandsons Jonah Roush and Devin McCusker to the procession. “We know that officers give their lives for us every day.”On the Burnett Avenue overpass about the same time, Dave Carney and his wife Monica showed their support for Katherman and his colleagues. Dave Carney lost his leg 16 years after being hit by a drunk driver while he was riding his motorcycle. He makes an effort to support law enforcement whenever he can as a thank you.Katherman’s remains were buried in a private service at 2:30 p.m. June 21 in Gilroy.

The Morgan Hill Community Foundation awarded more than $13,000 in local grants through its spring grant cycle and donor advised fund program, as well as $5,500 in high school scholarships.

Earlier this month, a 17-year-old Chicago teen diagnosed non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last summer was granted his wish by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to tour Specialized Bicycle Components headquarters in Morgan Hill.

The Leadership Morgan Hill’s 2016 fundraiser project, titled “Paving the Way to Success,” is hoping to spruce up the grounds at the Loritta Bonfante Johnson Education Center, which is located at 85 Tilton Avenue.