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Published on 09/14/1998 All articles from this issue

'Partners' symposium set for Oct. 1

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Town Crier Staff Report

Joe Renati tutored one Santa Rita School student from the third through fifth grades. The student was having trouble with reading. With Renati's help, he improved. Now he's an honors student.

Bob Adams and Larry Madsen volunteered in noontime sports programs at Montclaire School in Los Altos and at Alta Vista High School. Students were appreciative, and one said he couldn't believe these adults would volunteer their own time to help out.

These are just a few of the many success stories involving some 140 volunteers who participated in last year's Partners For New Generations, a program originated by the Los Altos Rotary Club that matches needy students with helping adults.

This year's program will kick off with a symposium, scheduled from 7-9 p.m., Oct. 1, in Graham Middle School's multipurpose room, 1175 Castro St., Mountain View.

Residents of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View are invited to learn about volunteer opportunities involving youth, including tutoring, child advocacy and youth court.

Featured speakers include: Leo Chavez, Foothill-De Anza Community College District chancellor; Richard Fischer, Mountain View-Los Altos High School District Superintendent; Jim Cunneen, assemblyman; and Bob Hinds, California state assembly deputy associate.

"The purpose (of the event) is to bring people out of the community who want to bring some assistance to the young people of Los Altos and Mountain View," said Adams, the program's founder. "It could be tutoring, mentoring or coaching. One thing we're attempting to do is to give exposure to the various agencies who want volunteers and what their needs are to the poeple who can fulfill those needs."

Examples of participating programs and agencies include Friends For Youth and Dreams and Futures, which matches at-risk kids with adult mentors, and programs through El Camino YMCA and the Children's Health Awareness Council.

The symposium will involve participants in choosing areas of volunteering that interest them. Three "breakout rooms" after the speeches will feature presentations from five different agencies in each room, said Joanna Medin, this year's program chairwoman. Prospective volunteers can turn in "interest sheets" at the end of the sessions.

Medin said last year's program "grew significantly from the prior year, and the goal is to bring in a lot more people this year.

"We would love to hit the 200 number. We've structured ourselves so that we would be able to manage that many people in Los Altos and Mountain View."

She looks at Partners as "a resource, where people can call one place and say, 'I'd like to volunteer - what's out there?' "

Partners for New Generations is sponsored by local Rotary Clubs and the Los Altos Community Foundation. For more information, call 562-1195, ext. 2.