February 16, 2006

Councilwoman Nancy Pyle gives ‘Good Neighbor’
award to Almaden Valley Women’s Club

By Sheila Sanchez
Staff Writer

Over the past 40 years the Almaden Valley Women’s Club has raised nearly $600,000 for nonprofit groups in the community, serving those who are most vulnerable.

For those praiseworthy efforts, Councilwoman Nancy Pyle honored its members last week with this year’s District 10 Good Neighbor Award, which the group officially received during San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales State of the City address Feb. 8 at the new City Hall rotunda.

Nine other groups and individuals were also recognized with the award by other members of the San Jose City Council.

“The Almaden Valley Women’s Club is an incredibly dedicated group of local women who continue to reflect a fantastic amount of talent and dedication in their planning and running of the Almaden Art and Wine Festival each year,” Pyle said of the 75-member group, headed this year by Almaden resident Cindy Griffeth.

The Almaden Valley Women’s Club was established in December of 1965 by a group of local women who wanted to raise money for local schools and worthy causes.

This year the club is expected to give $12,000 in scholarships to local high school seniors. Scholarship amounts are determined by how many applicants apply and are subject to strict criteria.

Griffeth said she was surprised when she received a call from Pyle’s office in December announcing that the club had once again received the recognition. Former Vice Mayor Pat Dando gave the club the award in 2003.

“She knows that we’ve worked very hard to organize the Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival. We’re a small group of women who put on a major event and raise a generous amount of money for Almaden Valley,” Griffeth said.

The club worked hard to change the festival’s location two years ago from Parma Park—where it had held the event for 25 years—to Almaden Lake Park.

Griffeth’s said the venue was changed due to the construction of the new Almaden Branch Library and Community Center. Plans are to continue the festival in the future at the lake.

The first year the festival was at the lake the club raised about $30,000 for the community. The following year there was a significant increase and it appears the community is adjusting well to the festival venue change.

Just a few years ago, in September 2001, the festival raised $62,000. Although it was a tough decision to go on with the festival, which was held right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the community responded with open pocket books and prayers. The money raised was divided into two organizations: The Todd Beamer Foundation and the International Association of Firefighters.

Michelle Correa, vice president of fund-raising for the Almaden Valley Women’s Club, said Pyle’s recognition was wonderful.

“It’s a great honor and it acknowledges the hard work that all of the members of the women’s club put toward ensuring we have a successful festival and that we continue to support the entire community,” Correa said.

The club allocates about $10,000 in academic scholarships for high school seniors and also has a disbursement group that uses all the money generated from the festival to support local schools, the Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen, Martha’s Kitchen, the Assistance League of San Jose and the Diabetes Society, to name a few.

This year, the club donated $10,000 to the new Almaden Branch Library and Community Center, the biggest amount the group has allocated to a public organization because of its expected use and impact on the community.

“Every single penny we make during the festival goes back to the community,” Griffeth said. “It’s exciting to have received it twice in the past four years.”

Pyle said she chose the group because of all the people in the district the women continued to stand out as a group that has worked hard to raise money to give to other groups.

She praised the women for being methodical about selecting the groups they support and doing background checks and research to make sure the groups will make good use of the money donated to them.

“They follow up to make sure their goals have been accomplished,” Pyle said. “They’ve broadened their appeal and are trying to bring more people to the Almaden community. A lot of it is helping us to bring together Blossom Valley and Almaden Valley.”

For more information about the Almaden Valley Women’s Club visit http://almadenartwinefestival.com/avwc/avwc_welcome.htm.