
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
13 Sep
Celebrating Our Parks
12 Sep
Who will be at our Heart of the Park event?






Almaden Valley Public Safety Net
Birds of Our Parks
California Native Plant Tour/Society
District 10 City Council Office
Friends of Guadalupe Oak Grove Park
Handmade Almaden Market
Master Gardeners of Santa Clara Valley
MFPA membership, raffle, & refreshment tables
Party by Alina Face Painting
San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services
Volunteer Unit SJPD Crime Prevention Ice Cream Truck
8 Oct
It’s A Beautiful Day!!

October 17-18 is Beautiful Day 2020! Since its inception in 2004, Beautiful Day has sought to invest in communities with simple, direct, and unyielding kindness. Each work project is an act of no-strings-attached service for those who are otherwise unable to help themselves. I have been honored to have Beautiful Day operating in District 10 and to have participated in many of their projects over the years. You can participate in this year’s projects as a volunteer!
This year, they have 21 projects spread throughout Santa Clara County. Two of them are in District 10, in the Almaden area. The first is a wall painting project at Coleman and Almaden Expressway, that will also involve putting down weed barrier. The second is updating and improving the Learning Center at the City of San Jose Corporation Yard at Almaden Expressway and McAbee/Winfield.
To sign up for the Almaden/Coleman project, please click here. This project can utilize volunteers ages 14 and up.
To view all their projects, including the Learning Center near Almaden Lake, visit https://beautifulday.org and click on 2020 Projects.
3 Apr
Spring-like weather is upon us! Time to enjoy the flowers.
Yes, there is more rain in the forecast (that’s okay); but Spring is coming. As most park-users know, Martin Fontana Parks Association, (MFPA), has introduced many California native plants in our parks, both TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana. Now, and for the next two weeks, many of the most colorful native plants will be in bloom.
*Video produced by MFPA member Sunny Wagstaff
The flowering period of the Manzanita was earlier; but now it is the Ceanothus turn and other native plants. Walk the garden at the west end of TJ Martin Park where Fleet Street ends. Member Larry Sasscer has introduced many flowering native plants in the gardens. On Oakglen Way, take time to stop and look at the many plants in bloom at Glowing Court. In Jeffrey Fontana Park west, the Five Island Project is worth a visit; as well as the other two islands just east of there. There is one Concha Ceanothus in the largest island which is in full bloom, and its bright blue inflorescence are something to see. Further east, near the intersection of Golden Oak Way and Castello Dr by Tree 13 there are Ceanothus Ray Hartmanns, tall shrub-like Ceanothus, and they too are in full bloom. The flower color of the Ray Hartmann is a softer blue than Concha. These Ceanothus are loaded with inflorescence making it hard to see the leaves! Look just south of Tree #13, at the five Ray Hartmann Ceanothus along the peripheral fence.
Don’t forget the colorful show along the northern periphery of Fontana near McAbee Road and across the street. There you will see more Ceanothus and soon, a Cistus display. If you continue to Almaden Expressway, more flowering native plants will await your glance.
By the way, there were butterflies all over our parks! I believe they are the Painted Lady Butterflies,
but I am no expert. They may be drifting through the parks on their way to other places; but they seem awfully happy to stop and visit our native plants and flowers. You will see them flutter across your field of view if you are only patient and take the time to stop and focus in one area of the park.
Patrick P. PIzzo
26 Feb
Thank You 2019 Sponsors
2019 begins another year of advocating for our TJ Martin and Jeffrey Fontana Parks. Your Memberships and your Sponsorships make it possible for us to complete projects, beautify our parks, and advocate at the City level for increased maintenance and attention! We want to take this opportunity to Thank and Salute all our Members and outstanding Sponsors.
CURRENT SPONSORS OF MFPA
COAST LIVE OAK
($1000 – $ $4,999)
Almaden Valley Nursery
Del Grande Dealership Group
East Bay Wilds Nursery
Office of Councilman Johnny Khamis, San Jose District 10 – SAP Grant
PG&E
Santa Clara County Association of Realtors
SEQUOIA
($500 – $999)
Larry and Betty Hinman
Steve and Nicole Ricossa
SYCAMORE
($250 – $499)
Rod and Ellie Carpenter
John and Dolores Carr
Rich Grialou and Pat Burrow
Steve and Maureen Harrington
Maureen Ryan and Frank Leonardi
Don Phillips and Janet Morris
James and Sally Petersen
Ram and Anita Praturu
Pat and Sunny Wagstaff
Theresa and Ryan Wellman
Linda and Ron Wilson
CREPE MYRTLE
($100 – $249)
Dennis and Linda Abad
Applied Materials Foundation
Thomas and S.D. Bailey
Vance and Jacki Bishop
Malcolm and Janie Bramwell
Robert and Annie Braunstein
Ralph Brooks
David and Honey Chai
Eldon and Nancy Cherniss
Richard Clark and Stacy Whiteman
James and Judith Eldridge
Linda and Gary Exberger
Vance and Grace Garland
Ernie Hirt
Stan and Gloria Hoo
Walt and Joyce Johnson
Michelle and Dan Judd
Mike and Nancy Kalashian
Howard and Carol King
Chris LaPlante
Michael and Cynthia Lauth
Pier and Gail Maggiani
Wayne and Linda Opp
Pat and Diane Pizzo
DeAnna and Sridhar Pursai
Ronak Shah
Kelly Shepherd and Dave Gonzales
Joanne Shimoguchi
Bill and Gayle Snyder
Shirley South
Dick and Joy Stevens
Joan Takemoto
Maureen and Paul Tarkington
Danielle Vigil
Robert and Carol Von Raesfeld
Gaya Vukkadala
Richard and Vicki Wendell
28 Jan
Fontana Memorial Rose Garden Volunteer Event
Thank You Leland Teen Volunteers!
Several teens from Leland High School spent their Saturday morning in the Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Garden pruning intimidating, thorny, rose bushes.
A big MFPA Thank You to the Leland teen volunteers who turned out to prune the roses and prepare the garden for spring.
Thanks also to the PRNS Adopt-a-Park leader, Mollie Tobias and the Adopt-a-Park crew who were on hand to supply tools and people power.
Also helping were PRNS parks employee, Edmund, and MFPA members Scott Raley, Teresa Wellman, Linda Wilson, and Rich Grialou. MFPA member Patrick Pizzo led the effort and instructed everyone in the pruning techniques.
14 Jan
Guadalupe Oak Grove Park Meeting Notice
It’s All About The Oaks! The Future of Guadalupe Oak Grove Park
Do you like to take walks in the park? Interested in helping to advance the future of the park? Good stewardship includes community participation! Please come learn about the new “Friends of Guadalupe Oak Grove Park”! Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Time: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM Place: Almaden Community Center (6445 Camden Avenue, San Jose, 95120) Purpose: To bring together volunteers who are interested in the future of Guadalupe Oak Grove Park. If you enjoy goats grazing in the park, the beauty of the blue oaks, and the availability of nature and wildlife right in our city, please join us for this introductory meeting. Questions? Or if you’d like to join our email list, please call/text (408) 595-3483 or email ParkVolunteer@sanjoseca.gov Volunteers Create The Future! Please Join Us!
27 Nov
A BIG Thank You
MFPA sends a big THANK YOU to the group of realtors who came out Saturday, Nov. 17 to spruce up the Jeffrey Fontana Memorial Garden. Five years ago, the Santa Clara County Realtors Foundation adopted Jeffrey’s rose garden and have worked in the garden twice a year to keep it maintained. Although the day was smoky, and the air quality was poor, they pulled weeds, lightly pruned plants, and spread mulch to control future weeds. This group has donated over $3000 to Martin-Fontana Parks Association that has been used to purchase replacement plants, mulch, and garden materials since they first adopted the area in 2013. Their funding and volunteers have been a crucial part of keeping the garden a fitting memorial to Officer Fontana.
Sincerely,
Linda Wilson
Past President and Membership Chair, MFPA
30 May