Saturday night
’s gala dinner at the CordeValle Lodge in honor of longtime
Morgan Hill musical mentor Mike Rubino was a success financially,
raising $42,000 for Leadership Morgan Hill programs. The evening
also hit an emotional chord.
Saturday night’s gala dinner at the CordeValle Lodge in honor of longtime Morgan Hill musical mentor Mike Rubino was a success financially, raising $42,000 for Leadership Morgan Hill programs. The evening also hit an emotional chord.
More than 100 friends, family, co-workers and well-wishers of Rubino gathered to celebrate as he received an Excellence Award from Leadership Morgan Hill.
“He was uncompromising in his approach,” said Councilman Greg Sellers who reminisced about his experiences in Rubino’s Live Oak Emerald Regime band during a taped presentation. “To be the best you could be at whatever you achieved.”
Veterinarian Rick Leninger emphasized the magnitude of Rubino’s influence on the community.
“You have a whole generation of kids that came through the program,” said Leninger, who was one of those who felt his influence. “If they took away half of what he tried to instill, you have a wonderful group of leaders.”
Rubino took over as Emerald Regime director in 1971. As he started, he made a rash promise to his new boss: The band would bring home a national championship within five years. He delivered on his promise in the spring of 1976, when the band won in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
During Rubino’s tenure, the band faced many challenges, including the removal of freshmen from the high school and cuts to education funding. He rallied the community and band parents to support the band through a community bingo program and later developed the district’s elementary music program.
Ken Petro, CEO of Indoor Environmental Services, told the dinner gathering that he was more of a “sports parent” when his son joined the band, but he quickly grew to respect Rubino and appreciate the band program.
“I have hired six kids out of the program; they were the best employees and still are,” he said.
Another of the lives he touched, student Aaron Blas, class of 1987, said things that he learned from Rubino transcended music and remained with his students as they moved from teen years into adulthood.
“Class was a cornerstone of his teachings,” he said. “It seemed impossible to impart the notion of class to teenagers, but he did … The trophies (in the band room, which line the walls) only tell one part of the story. Mike deserves this award not because of wins or losses but because he touched lives and made a difference.”
The dinner attendees, which included Mayor Dennis Kennedy and City Council members, as well as MHSD board members, administrators and teachers, current Superintendent Alan Nishino and former Superintendent Carolyn McKennan, rose to their feet several times to give Rubino standing ovations.
He proudly shared credit for success with his wife, Cricket, children Brandi and Michael, and his parents, Jim and Ebe Rubino, all attending the event.
