|
|
Posted on Sat, Jan. 08, 2005 |
|
|
|
||
|
WISH BOOK ELF'S MOVING STORY It seems
that Carole DiFilippi's days as a Wish Book elf aren't over. She's just
changed venues. When
DiFilippi moved from her home in the Meridian Avenue-Branham Lane area of San
Jose, she handed over elf duties to Laura Meth, who now ably coordinates that
neighborhood's donation drive to benefit the annual community fundraising
project. Now that
DiFilippi has settled into her new home at the Vineyards in Saratoga, she's
back at it. With the help of other members of the community's safety and
security committee, she pulled together a social in the clubhouse that
included trimming the tree, noshing on holiday goodies and a little auction
of donated items. The auction
raised $475. Vineyard residents who participated earmarked their donations to
help out Kathleen Davey and her family, whose story kicked off this year's
Wish Book series on Nov. 21. She is the wife and mom from Campbell who has
been in medical facilities for most of the past year, instead of at home, as
she has struggled to recover from a brain injury. ``We have
all followed the story of Mike Davey and his family since Kathleen had her
cardiac arrest,'' wrote DiFilippi. ``It is important that we realize how
fortunate we are, and the many things we take for granted.'' DiFilippi
hopes to make the holiday social-Wish Book fundraiser an annual event at the
Vineyards. For 22
years, thousands of Mercury News readers have helped neighbors in their
communities through the Wish Book. Donations of any size continue to be
welcome and are tax-deductible. If more
money comes in than is needed for a specific wish, we'll use the extra funds
to pay for other wishes in the series. Any money left over will provide camp
and class scholarships to families who can't afford these experiences for
their children. Many readers
dedicate their donations in honor or memory of loved ones. Others give
anonymously. Following is a partial list of donors: Linda
Acosta, in honor of Peter Poss; Paula Aiello, in honor of Pietro Luoni; Tom
and Betty Amis; Janice Anheier; Mary Artibee, in honor of Sarah Ann Bishop
and Brian Badenoch; Dale and Leslie Bailey; Baker Elementary School, San
Jose, third grade classes of Miss Amico, Miss Ibarra and Mrs. Lanka; Ted
Balgooyen and Mary Jansing Balgooyen; Jeanette Beavers, in honor of the
LeFevre family; Dennis and Bette Bedford; Jerry Bernstein; Mike and Rhonda
Bertram; Susan Brain, in honor of Sam Brain; Phil Brandon; the Breber family;
the Breitenbach family; Nancy and Christian Bremeau, in honor of Nicholas;
Randolph Brine, in honor of Louise Pritchett; Marcie and
Wayne Caccamo; Luca and Mary Cafiero; Patricia Cardwell; Marilyn J. Clough;
Robbin, Michael and Bryan Cohn; D. Cormier; Kathie and Ken Corsello; Wm. and
Rita Crawford; Creative Wood Design; Gordon and Carolyn Davidson; Michele
Dulleck; Susanne Duncan; Phyllis Ebersole; Alison Inafuku Edge, in honor of
Raymond and Alicia Inafuku; Cheryl Enders; Janet and
Charles Fee; Elliot Finkle; Patricia L. Fischer; Ruth Frey; Mayella Gardea;
Dawn Garrett, in honor of Michelle Garrett; Beth Garry, in honor of Michael
Conlon; Evelyn Goldstein, in honor of her classes at Willow Glen High School;
Ricardo Gonzalez; Patricia Hammett; Barbara Jean Hawley; Susan Herdman, in
honor of grandson Skyler Herdman; Joel and Queta Herrera and family; Richard
and Julie Hood; Swan-In Hsieh, in honor of James Hsieh; the Huguenor family,
in honor of the staff of Valley Medical Center; Shirley A.
Israel; Art Jasso; the Jesuit Community at Santa Clara University; Parto
Karimi; Diana Knutson; Martha Kokes; Robert and Ruth Krandel; Joanna Kulesa;
Jennifer and Mike LaBarbera; the Laurelwood/Mulberry neighborhood, San Jose;
Connie Lear; the Lakatos family; Steve and Monica Lipscomb, in honor of their
dads Burney and Mario; Christine Lora; Beverly Lozoff; Lynhaven Elementary
School Student Council, San Jose; Lynbrook High School student body, San
Jose; Carla A.
Madden; John and Olga McKay, in honor of Brett Mocherman; Lori Mello; Ken and
Linda Merbler; Lauren and Julie Mercer; MIG Realty Advisors Inc.; Mary V.
Miller; Rosemarie and Barry Mirkin; Luis and Julia Montes, in honor of
grandson Marcus Reyes; the Jim Morelan family; Doreen A. Morgan; Lisa
Moulthrop, in memory of Frances Moulthrop; Sharon Nelson; Rose Ng, in honor of
Maria and Jone Ng; Mrs. A. Nichols and her third graders; Steve and Pat
Owens; Chris Palmer
and Ann Sjolander, in honor of Walter and Justine Palmer; Binh Pham; Mary
Jane Pionk, in honor of Marie Pionk; Joy Rabins; Anya Rehon, in honor of aunt
Jenny Roberts; Nicky Rehon, in honor of grandfather Pete Rehon; Mary Render;
Casey Rhea; Rhoda, in memory of Callie, Rosie, Edsel and Bud; Lisa Roberts
and Peter Rehon, in honor of Jenny Lynn Roberts; Maxine Rodgers; Lindsay
Rosewater; Mike Rucker; St. Francis
High School Administration; Esther Sais, in honor of grandchildren Ashleigh,
Austin, Andrew and Richelle; Ellen Schwartz; Jim Shea, in honor of the Shea
kids; Linda Sherry, in honor of Max and Erna Eisenmann; Joan Sieling, in
honor of Laci and Connor; Joseph Sinn; Irena Smith, in honor of Tsilya V.;
Betty and Bud Stump; Cindy and Sergio Tacci; Susan Theise; Nancy Tromblee;
Erin Tuttle; Sandra Underhill, in honor of Alice Underhill; Taylor Unger;
Tammy and Steve Ursenbach; Scott and Roberta Uyeda, in honor of Edward
Kasper; Gail Valenzuela; Johanna Vallecillo, in honor of the Vallecillo
family; Phyllis Verna; Joy Wagner; Beth, Bill, Will and Camille Wilson, in
honor of Mitchell Wilson; the Wizard Girls; Dave Zody and employees; the
Zlotoff family, in honor of Anita Goldwasser. • Special thanks to a close group of friends in San Jose
who made donations to the Wish Book in lieu of personal gifts to each other:
Jean and Louis Barbaccia, Cathy and Joseph De Maria, Virginia Fanelli and
John Ralston and Sharon and Charles Longwello. Questions or comments about the Wish Book?
Call Holly Hayes at (408) 920-5374. |
||
