What an exquisite afternoon it was for the annual Gabilan
Chapter Kinship Center fund-raiser. The sun was warm, not hot like
it has been in the past. What a perfect day to drive our guests in
the 1930 Model A Ford Phaeton to the Paicines Ranch.
It was sure to be fun, unless you were a passenger in the
backseat of an open car-operative
– the key word being
”
open
”
– then it felt like a wind tunnel. It was obvious Ruth’s hair
wouldn’t survive the trip and she graciously directed Jim to
”
stop the car
”
and so she could go back to get her car.
What an exquisite afternoon it was for the annual Gabilan Chapter Kinship Center fund-raiser. The sun was warm, not hot like it has been in the past. What a perfect day to drive our guests in the 1930 Model A Ford Phaeton to the Paicines Ranch.
It was sure to be fun, unless you were a passenger in the backseat of an open car-operative – the key word being “open” – then it felt like a wind tunnel. It was obvious Ruth’s hair wouldn’t survive the trip and she graciously directed Jim to “stop the car” and so she could go back to get her car.
Jim and I have never ridden in the backseat of the open car and never paid any attention to the wind velocity. At my suggestion, I offered Ruth the front seat to see if it made a difference. Thankfully it did and off we went, putt-putt-putting along.
I, on the other hand, didn’t worry about my hair because I could never do anything with it anyway. Underneath my period-piece hat, no one would suspect I was covering bad hair, but rather that I was in costume to match the 1930s era.
Through the years of attending this fund-raiser, it is easy for me to notice the weather and the different trends in style. This year it was hats. Not cowboy hats, but downright classy men’s hats. People don’t usually use the words elegant or stylish when describing San Benito County gatherings and when it comes to hats, the range is mostly cowboy hats to feed-store caps with a few Harley-Davidson and truck-pull caps thrown in for diversity.
But Saturday, many women wore very stylish hats and many of the men left their cowboy hats at home.
In the “classy hat” category, Jim wearing a boater style straw-hat tried to outdo Supervisor Bob Cruz’s “dapper Dan” cap. All I had to do was give Jim my cane and he was ready to do his song and dance routine.
Judge Steve Sanders wore a felt hat that looked liked it belonged to a private eye, while Niessa Guaracha wore a great spy hat. This hat had all the intrigue of espionage.
It was also noticeable people were dressing for the climate and the terrain. Many of us women have worn heels in the past only to discover we had to walk on the grass. This year, I brought my slippers just in case. I remember when Fran Sanders couldn’t take it any more and kicked off her heels. Steve carried his wife over the rocky path. This year, Fran wore flats.
Yes, it is easy to compare the weather and even the attendance to previous years, but there was more happening at the Kinship Center Fund-raiser than most people realize. Money was being raised for a worthy cause. This organization finds parents for children without a home.
Though the fund-raiser is successful because of its benefactors, this year’s attendance was slightly down, which is an indication of the present economy. People and businesses are tightening their belts, but even in a down economy, a child needs a home.
So, the next time you hear about the Kinship Center, consider making a donation. Consider adopting a child or just consider volunteering your time to get the word out. “Hats off” to the Gabilan Chapter Kinship Center.
Linda Lee King is a Free Lance correspondent. She can be reached at wi*******@**no.com
