Around Town with Robert Airoldi: Teacher, volunteer honored with renaming of room at Gilroy Museum

The Gilroy Historical Society named the research room on Dec. 7 in Claudia Salewkse’s honor

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By Robert Airoldi

It’s well deserved. The Research Room at the Gilroy Historical Society has been named in honor of Claudia Kendall Salewske. Claudia was a teacher, author, and an active member of the Gilroy Historical Society.

Using the reference room, she wrote two books about Gilroy history; “Pieces of the Past” (1982) and “Gilroy” (2003).  She developed the third-grade local history curriculum, including a teachers’ manual.

For seven years Claudia volunteered twice a month at the Gilroy Museum, making a significant contribution to Gilroy’s history through her scholarship and research.

The Gilroy Historical Society named the research room on Dec. 7 in her honor with a handsome new plaque. She was well known in the community as a teacher at Gilroy High School and an active member of the Methodist Church. She died Christmas Day, 2016.

The Gilroy Assistance League is accepting grant requests through Feb. 24, 2023. Each year, GALs accepts grant requests that will benefit youth organizations, programs, and schools. Any South Santa Clara County youth-related organization or school is eligible to apply for a grant. Funds will be distributed in late April 2023.

The GALs is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the welfare and development of youth in south Santa Clara County through their annual grant cycle. Proceeds from their Annual Home + Garden Tour & Boutique fund these grants. Since 1993, GALs has distributed more than $360,000 in grants to local programs.

“In 2022, the Gilroy Assistance League was thrilled to award more than $21,000 in grants to eight very-deserving organizations,” GALS President Lori Kent said. “But the news gets better . . .  in 2023 we are increasing our giving by 50 percent. We’re projecting to grant more than $31,000.”

“We’re calling on youth organizations throughout south Santa Clara County,” said GALS Grants Committee Chair Paula Goldsmith. “Gilroy Assistance League grants can provide youth-oriented organizations with an opportunity to fund an existing need or expand outreach or services. If your mission meets our criteria, please consider applying.”

Forms may be downloaded from the web site at www.gilroyassistanceleague.org. For details, contact Paula Goldsmith at [email protected].

The Gilroy Center for the Arts announces its 9th Annual Black History Month Art Exhibit titled “Through their Lens,” celebrating African American photographers who have documented and captured the African American experience. The exhibit will feature photographers, past and present, who use their lens to expand people’s understanding about the important principles of liberty, democracy and justice of Black lives and their experiences.

A reception is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 18.

From Jules Lion, who is credited for being the first African American photographer in 1840, to Florestine Marguarite Perrault in 1895, who is noted for creating photographs of African American individuals that reflected pride, sophistication, and dignity instead of racial stereotypes. Photographer Gordan Parks used his camera as a method to fight back at racism, discrimination, and injustices so prevalent in African American communities.

The exhibit is intended to recognize and honor the African American photographers who advocated for social justice, equality and continue to capture the essence, beauty, strength, and complexities of black lives.

 

 

We got word from Jeff Dixon, who runs the SV5 NFL Flag Football League, that registration is now open for winter. The co-ed league is for those 4 to 14 and now includes a girls-only league. Games are Sunday afternoons with no midweek practice. League runs from Jan. 8 to March 12. Visit www.sv5nflflag.com to register.