 On The Line -- Issue 682 -- April 11, 2008  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 682 -- April 11, 2008 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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The San Benito County social mixer, held on the second Wednesday of each month except in January and December, has been a tradition for more than 15 years. It is peripatetic, moving from one location to another and sponsors sign up months ahead.
The April mixer was held at the Polaris Law Group on the second floor of the Whalen Building. Attorney Gary Gregory was the host and greeted guests along with Jessica French and Frankie Arballo, Chamber executive manager and president, respectively. Barbara Cosio signed in the guests and Jack Hance and Will Sutton stood near, ready to help. Michele Dias of the Chamber staff also was on hand, and Elizabeth Gage quietly circulated to take notes and pictures for the monthly Chamber newsletter. It was evident from very early that the affair was going to have a good-sized crowd, and guests came well before the 5:30 p.m. official starting time until well after 6. Robert Scattini was among the earliest as he often is because he sometimes must leave early because of his marshal duties. Ruth Erickson is frequently among the early birds. She enjoys the mixers immensely and talks to many people on many topics while there. She was just coming down from the euphoria engendered by the visit of the Sister City delegation. Ron and Dianne Rodrigues are mixer regulars. They gravitated naturally toward old friends Shirley Horn and Helen McAbee. Jim Horn is a regular attendee but had elected to stay at home that evening. After registering and buying raffle tickets many guests headed directly to the food tables where a good assortment of sandwiches, cheese, dips and other hors d'oeuvres had been set up by Danielle Jimenore, who learned her food skills at the Culinary Center of Monterey. Wine and soda were also available. It was good to see Paul Breen there. He is an attorney like many of his family past and present. Breen is a quiet, courteous man who is valued as a good listener. His was the first non-Hispanic family to settle in what is now San Benito County after having survived the Donner Pass tragedy. Ed and Deni DeGroot were among the guests. They are both quiet people who enjoy watching others have fun. He is also an accomplished keyboard player and often provides music to accompany his singing at social events. Tim Foley's smile was especially broad and one did not have to ask him why. He proudly volunteered the information that Ila Foley, his daughter, had been accepted at the Carnegie-Mellon Institute in Pittsburgh, Pa. "Nants and I are overjoyed," he said. Ty Holmquist came in and confided to a friend that he had just suffered a disappointment. Holmquist is an antique car enthusiast, and was scheduled to go to New York City at the end of May to join in a significant automotive event. He and other enthusiasts were to reprise the Great Race of 1908, in which six automobiles started in New York, went from there to Canada, then were shipped across the Pacific where they went from China to Russia and eventually ended in Paris. The first trip took more than six months but Holmquist said that the centennial trio would be completed in a little over two months. "We all were very enthusiastic," he said, "but we just received word from China that our visas were revoked." Although he didn't comment on China's reason, that nation has been responding to world criticism about its treatment of Tibet. The recent Olympic torch run in Europe and in San Francisco -- its only appearance in the United States -- and in South America has been met with many protestors because the Olympics will be held in China this year. Thus, the international contention has even fallen upon Hollister. Holmquist conceded it is unlikely that China will have a change of heart about allowing the Great Race centennial to continue. Meanwhile, most of the guests were unaware of Holmquist's disappointment and happiness reigned. Host Gary Gregory stopped to talk with many of the guests who were enjoying themselves. Architect David Huboi, who has been involved in many projects since making Hollister his home in 1994, has become a familiar figure at the mixers. His wife, Ravena Huboi, was at home with their daughter, Carmen, that night, although she usually accompanies him. He spent some time with Charlie and Barbara Scott and they talked about a number of subjects. The Scotts attend mixers frequently and are always welcomed by friends as they are at other events. Gordon and Joanne Machado were also there and talked with many other friends attending. Beth Ivey and Machado talked for awhile about Hazel Hawkins Hospital, where they have been especially busy for the hospital's centennial year. Another regular couple, Reb and Jill Monaco, circulated through the crowd together and separately. Marv and Reba Jones did, too. They are staunch Republicans and activists for their party. Jones winked at a Democratic friend, probably at the way the Democratic contenders, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, are feuding in the primaries, and giving the presumptive GOP nominee, John McCain, much ammunition to use in the general election campaign. Keith and Linda Keller enjoyed themselves. They recently became Chamber members and do not know all the Chamber regulars but are on their way to do so. Frank and Liz Perez, also fairly new members, got acquainted with more people. Shannon Grissom was there as full of enthusiasm as ever. Her television series on painting, "Give Your Walls Some Soul," has been picked up by more television stations in California and out of state. Jack and Phyllis Swallow arrived after the mixer had a glow on and they added to it. He is an avid outdoorsman and loves the history of the Old West, in particular the era of the Mountain Man, and has often been a re-enactor. Kollin Kosmicki, editor of The Free Lance, arrived in the final 15 minutes of the mixer. He talked for awhile with Kathy Bisbee, the new executive director of the Community Media Access Partnership (CMAP), and both were persuaded to have a bite to eat. It was one of those pleasant events that tend to linger in the mind, as good mixers do, and many people will remember it with similar enjoyable evenings for a long time to come. |
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