In the wake of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting in late July, residents, volunteers and the South Valley community are in the healing process, which can take many different avenues.

The Gilroy High School Chamber Singers, many of whom were at the festival that day, are helping other and themselves heal through music.

They performed the National Anthem at the San Jose Giants Aug. 30 game, at the Sept. 4 Oakland Athletics game, at the San Francisco Giants Sept. 15 game and are scheduled to perform at the San Jose Sharks Jan. 27, 2020 game.

“At the time of the shooting we had dozens of students and parents working,” Choir Director Jonathan Souza told us. “Some of them ran, others hid while I, and our adult volunteers, ushered hundreds of fleeing festival attendees into our ingredient refrigerated trucks. I share this not for sympathy but for our own healing. We are all trying to find a way to heal our trauma and continue in our daily lives. As the choir director, I get to work with these students and heal through music. Our theme this year is ‘Imagine, Wonder, Dream’ and we are determined to bring light out of the darkness of that day. We want to lift up those around us through song. Imagine the possibilities of our impact. Wonder how many lives we can change. Dream of the impossible and make it a reality. Music changes lives and for us heals. We are challenging ourselves to lift up others around us every day.”

Jonathan, we salute you and your singers’ efforts in helping the community heal.

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Speaking of healing, we got a note from the folks at the Gilroy Foundation who reminded us that the more than $1.3 million that has been donated to the victims of the shooting and their families has come not just from South Valley but from across the globe.

In just a few days’ time in early September, donors have sent money from Texas, Kentucky and Europe, said Vicki Campanella, development director for the Gilroy Foundation.

“We do not have a list of donors to date nor will we for a while,” she said. “But PayPal donations and other online platforms, in addition to corporate donors from all over our state, show how far-reaching the generosity of those affected by the tragedy at the Garlic Festival has been.”

Thanks for the update, Vicki. And keep up the good work.

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Meanwhile, applications for assistance have been on the Gilroy Foundation website — www.gilroyfoundation.org, since Aug. 12 and are due by Jan. 31, 2020.

An oversight committee reviews each application during its twice weekly meetings. To date, all applications received have been approved.

Donations continue to arrive daily and Donna Pray, executive director, says 100 percent of off the donations go directly to the victims, and neither the Gilroy Foundation nor the Silicon Valley Community Foundation will be taking any administration fees.

Donations can always be made at www.gilroyfoundation.org or mailed to the Gilroy Foundation. P.O. Box 774, Gilroy, CA 95021.

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The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce will induct four individuals into the Gilroy Hall of Fame at a lunch ceremony Oct. 26 at Old City Hall Restaurant. The four are Mike Bonfante, Karen LaCorte, Edith Edde and Tom Carr.

These individuals have made significant contributions to the community of Gilroy and will be recognized for their efforts. The Hall of Fame Luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost of the luncheon is $35 per person.

The induction of the four will bring the total of inductees to 144.

The Gilroy Hall of Fame was first introduced back in 1983 by then Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Bob Dyer who  believed it was a way of honoring those who lived and worked in Gilroy and who made a lasting contribution to our wonderful community. The Hall of Fame recognition ended in 1994, but Dyer was the catalyst for restarting the ceremony again in 2015.

Congratulations to all four of this year’s deserving honorees and a terrific job, Bob!

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Congratulations to four Oakwood School students who were recently named National Merit Scholar semifinalists. Nolan Kornelsen, Jashan Pabla, Abhas Rajhans, and James Xu are among the 16,000 semifinalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue for some 7,600 National Scholarships worth more than $31 million that will be offered next spring. Good luck in college!

Robert Airoldi