Issue date: January 26, 2000

LOOSE ENDS: Coach Parks, Robert Swezey LOOSE ENDS: Coach Parks, Robert Swezey (January 26, 2000)

Coach Parks gala

Menlo-Atherton's legendary Coach Ben Parks may not still run his age in miles every year, but he's still busy doing good in the community.

The Second Annual Coach Parks Circle of Giving Dinner, set for Friday, February 11, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, will honor many Peninsula people for their good work.

Local honorees include: Bob Boeddiker, Les DeWitt and Dale Lazier of Menlo Park; and Councilwoman Dianne "Didi" Fisher of Atherton.

Proceeds will help needy students, individuals and families, as well as eight Peninsula organizations that help kids. Among organizations to benefit from the gala affair will be Bread of Life, Menlo-Atherton High School, Ecumenical Hunger Program, and the San Mateo Council of Boy Scouts.

Tickets start at $125 each. Make checks payable to Coach Parks Charities, and mail to 1031 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063; or fax guest list to 363-1194 by Thursday, January 27.

All in a day's work

Too busy to make a long commitment to a volunteer organization? Community Impact in Palo Alto offers a list of one-day service projects -- perfect for people with good intentions but busy schedules. For information call 965-0242 or visit the Web site at www.communityimpact.org.

Still mum

Menlo Park resident Robert Swezey has released the name of his new political group -- it's the Menlo Community Association -- but he told the Almanac last week that the group's "platform statement" won't be ready until sometime in March. That's because of "the great number of issues being considered and the number of people involved," he said.

Mr. Swezey confirmed that the group will back candidates in the November City Council race.

Although there's been talk that the group is unhappy with the current four-person, slow-growth council majority, Mr. Swezey won't comment on how he views the council majority's performance. The only other confirmed member of the group is Planning Commissioner Jose Fernandez, described by one council majority member as a thoughtful, fair, "middle-ground" sort of commissioner.