Menlo Park Boy Scouts honor veterans on Memorial Day

Boy Scout troop 206 based in Menlo Park spent Saturday morning, May 27, planting flags at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in Colma as an annual tradition to honor veterans who served in the U.S. military, according to Carrie Rassbach. The flag-planting ceremony is a tradition done each year in preparation for Memorial Day. Scouts gathered and placed hundreds of flags all over the cemetery.

-Almanac staff

Portola Valley's Sue Crane and Gary Nielsen given lifetime achievement awards

Portola Valley town government recognized former Town Council members Sue Crane and Gary Nielsen with the first ever Founders' Award for Lifetime Contributions to the Town of Portola Valley on May 10. This award recognizes the cumulative civic engagement and leadership of longstanding volunteers in the town.

During a Town Council meeting, Mayor Jeff Aalfs recognized the two with award plaques, followed by a reception.

"The ceremony and reception filled the room to capacity with members of the Town Council, town staff, and many members of the community and families who came out to show their appreciation for the honorees and their contributions to the town," according to a town newsletter. "We can't say enough about the decades of service both of these amazing people have dedicated to creating a thriving community. We are grateful they have led our community though both great and difficult times and have been a guiding light to us all."

Crane, who served on the council from 1982 to 1990, moved to Portola Valley as the town was being incorporated in 1964.

She volunteered as a pottery teacher in the Portola Valley schools. She also played an integral role in purchasing the land to create the Town Center and played a key role guiding the general plan in 1979.

"Our community benefited greatly from her work with our schools, open spaces, library, The Sequoias and celebrating our important community anniversaries," the newsletter states.

Nielsen began volunteering with the town in 1969 as a director of the now-dissolved Los Trancos County Water District. He served on the Town Council from 1992 to 2000.

"In his over 50 years of volunteerism he has had significant contributions in the creation of our current Town Center, protected and educated citizens about our open spaces, guided land use and financial health and served as our police commissioner," according to the newsletter.

Record 31 Sacred Heart student athletes to play collegiate sports

For the 17th consecutive year, Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton will send 15 or more student athletes to play intercollegiate sports. The Class of 2023 is sending 31 student-athletes to play in 12 sports at 26 colleges.

"Our athletes' dedication in both the classroom and in their respective athletic program is unmatched," said SHP Assistant Principal for Athletics Jason Armstrong. "The fact that we are sending 31 athletes to play at the collegiate level from what is a relatively small school — with just 171 graduates in the SHP class of 2023 — makes this an even more impressive feat."

Twelve of SHP's varsity sports programs were named Central Coast Section (CCS) Scholastic teams. The school's teams won 11 league championships and earned 20 CCS Playoff berths, which is a school record.

"Each of these student-athletes carries a sense of teamwork, dedication, sportsmanship and community — dynamics that are foundational to the athletics experience here at Sacred Heart," said Armstrong. "We wish them the best in their future playing careers and know they will continue to uphold everything we stand for as SHP Gators."

-Angela Swartz