Archive for May, 2019

31 May

Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Garden Shines Again

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in City of San Jose, Jeffrey Fontana Park, MFPA, Park Maintenance, PRNS, SCCAOR. Tagged: , , , , , .

Six years ago, Officer Fontana’s Memorial Rose Garden was adopted by the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors .  They  stepped up with grants to fund the upkeep of the garden on McAbee Road, and volunteered to work in the garden twice a year to help keep it maintained.

Saturday, May 25, the Realtors joined Martin Fontana Parks Association volunteers and two employees of San Jose’s Adopt-a-Park program, to weed, trim trees, remove plum tree suckers, and spread rose fertilizer and mulch over Jeffrey’s garden.

Linda Wilson signing folks in
Matt Mahan is digging it
Linda Opp feeding the roses
Pat Pizzo trys to move the boulder
Weeding & trimming

MFPA extends a big ‘THANKS” and job well done to Realtors Scott Raley, Doug Goss, Frank Cancilla and Neil Collins, assisted by MFPA members Linda Opp, Linda Wilson, Patrick Pizzo, Matt Mahan, and Chris Chen.

Thanks also to San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services for providing all the equipment needed.

*Wayne Opp, our new official MFPA photographer, aptly recorded the action. 

Wayne Opp

Don’t forget, as you pass by Fontana Park on McAbee Road, to stop and smell the roses and appreciate the beauty of the garden.

 

25 May

A Soggy Day in May

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in CA Native Plants, City of San Jose, Dog Parade, Dogs, Events, Guadalupe Oak Grove Park, Heart of the Park, Jeffrey Fontana Park, Johnny Khamis, MFPA, PRNS, SJPD, TJ Martin Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

A hearty round of applause and a big thanks to all the volunteers who braved the drizzle and rain to put on our ninth

Heart of the Park Celebration!

 

Thanks to the morning set up crew of:  Robert Braunstein, Theresa Wellman, Dennis Abad, Rich Grialou, Kent Wilson, Chris Chen, Tami Demayo, Paul Dornell, Michelle, Dan and Grace Judd, Brandon Koehne, Sunny Wagstaff, Rosy Bowring, Stacey and Mike Winters, Patrick Pizzo, Kelly Shepherd, and Wayne and Linda Opp.

They set up the 21 canopies while waiting in the rain for the delivery of 21 tables and 130 chairs.

Linda Opp, District 10 Councilmember Johnny Khamis, Jean LaMarca, and Tami Demayo

Thank you to Linda Opp, Jean LaMarca, and Tami Demayo, who signed in new memberships at the Membership Booth.

The MFPA raffle items collected by our board members were labeled, arranged and readied for the raffle by Michelle Judd, Christine Noordam, Praneetha Vukkadala, Kathy Mulholland, Pat Burrow, and Rosy Bowing, with Kari Wilson once again announcing the winning draws.

Richard Grialou kept winning & winning
Kathy Mujlholland wins prize
Announcer Kari Wilson and another Raffle winner
Some more happy winners

The ever-popular “Strut Your Mutt” dogs paraded in the rain with a small but enthusiastic crowd, under the management of Stacey Winters, Dick and Joy Stevens, and the help of Sophia Snyder and Vince Piazzisi registering the playful pups.  Councilmember Khamis let the judging team and prizes were awarded the winners.

1st & 2nd place winners
Vince Piazzisi, Dick Stevens, Johnny Khamis, and Stacy Winters
First place winner

 

Kathy Krenn and her daughter Hannah, braved the rain to take care of the refreshment booth, while free ice cream was given away at SJPD’s Operation Frozen Treats Patrol ice cream truck during the afternoon.

Starting the day off, for the second year in a row, Lisa Myers of Los Gatos Bird Watchers, led another successful birding tour of Guadalupe Oak Grove Park with 15 intrepid bird watchers. 

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Our photographer for the event was Wayne Opp, who captured the activities on film and preserved the rainy memories!  Also providing photos were Johnny Khamis and Dave Poeschel.

9 May

TJ Martin Beautification Project

Posted by Martin-Fontana Parks Association in MFPA, Park Maintenance, Scouting, TJ Martin Park. Tagged: , , , .

Thanks to Scout Jason Graves and his Eagle Scout project, we will be seeing more beautiful native plants blooming under one of the electrical transmission towers in TJ Martin Park.  This particular tower is located between two towers in the middle just across from Glowing Court and Oakglen Way.

Scout Jason Graves on the right along with fellow Scout Brian Zayas
On the left is Larry Sasscer, MFPA project coordinator
Tilling the soil
The finished project
Awaiting the blooms to come

Helping with the project is Martin-Fontana Parks Association’s Project Coordinator, Larry Sasscer.

Thanks to Scout Jason and his fellow Scouts and volunteers for doing such a wonderful job.  We will be looking forward to seeing the fruits of all their labor in the years to come.