EDITOR: One of the greatest things about Morgan Hill is how
people come together to support a cause.
EDITOR:
One of the greatest things about Morgan Hill is how people come together to support a cause.
We attended Friday night’s South Valley Wine Auction to benefit Live Oak’s cross country and track and field teams, and I was so impressed by the community effort that went into it. Many local eateries served delicious food, from Mr. Hong’s Chinese salad and hors d’oeuvres to Rosy’s salmon shish-kebobs, and Friendly Fred’s and San Martin Meat and Catering spicy sausages to LeBistro’s gourmet salad, and Trail Dust’s succulent ribs to Maurizio’s pasta and My Pizza’s pizza, to name a few.
Wine flowed freely from 10 great area wineries, as far south as Hollister, and many businesses and individuals had donated incredible auction items.
Of course, the parents and many teachers had put in innumerable hours organizing the event and eliciting all of the donated food and wine and auction items. The new community center was the perfect venue for the affair. It reminded me of the community center’s ground breaking event two years ago when so many local restaurants donated tons of food and made that occasion so memorable.
Morgan Hill definitely knows how to party, from the Friday Night Downtown Music Series in the summer (made possible by community efforts and donations), to the impressive Fourth of July festivities (the volunteer efforts of I.D.I. are phenomenal), Taste of Morgan Hill in September (thanks to Sunday Minnich and her crew at the Chamber of Commerce), and the crowning glory, our famous Mushroom Mardi Gras in May. That two-day event takes an entire year to plan and would not be possible without the hard work and devotion of people like Tilly Mayeda and Steve Silveira. Not only does that festival bring two days of fun for locals and out-of-towners alike, it also generates 25-28 scholarships each year for Live Oak students. It has given out more than $350,000 since its inception.
With all the strife and uncertainty in the world today, it’s nice to know that in our little corner, people come together and work toward ways to make things a little bit better and brighter. Whether it’s raising money for Live Oak sports and scholarships, providing a venue for exposing local businesses, or just putting on a festive celebration for the community, Morgan Hill has innumerable opportunities to show community spirit and help people out.
So, next time you enjoy dancing or shopping in the street, watching a parade, gorging on local delicacies and wines or being entertained at Community Park or the new Cultural and Community Center, remember all the behind-the-scenes effort put into your enjoyment and thank the local businesses that contribute and the volunteers who work endless hours to make it all possible. Or, better yet, get involved yourself, and join the ranks of these special volunteers. Such dedicated, fun-loving people are what make Morgan Hill such a special place to live.
Brooke Bailey,
Morgan Hill
