July 2, 2004

Summer activities in San Jose and Willow Glen

This summer offers a number of activities and classes for children and adults in the San Jose area. Following are a few of the offerings:

San Jose Safari Weeklong Day Camps
Give your child a passport to San Jose this summer at a new camp that highlights San Jose. It also includes activities at several local outdoor and cultural institutions, including Guadalupe River Park and Gardens, Mexican Heritage Plaza, San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, San Jose Museum of Art, and History San Jose. 

The camp, for children ages 7 to 10, is $225 for the week. The price includes activities, transportation and snacks. Campers need to provide their own non-perishable bagged lunch daily.  Partial scholarships may be available to qualified families. 

Campers will meet at Guadalupe Garden Center, Taylor and Spring Streets. The camp is scheduled for July 12, July 26 and Aug. 9 and will meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

For more information, call 298-7657 or visit http://www.grpg.org/safari.html

Arena Green Adventures Puppet Show and Carousel Rides
Grab a picnic blanket for the lawn, pack some snacks and bring your young children out for a couple of hours of low-key summer fun to the Arena Green, Santa Clara and Autumn Streets, across from HP Pavilion in the Guadalupe River Park on Friday July 16 and Friday, Aug. 20 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. The admission is free. 

For more information, call 298-7657 or check out the Internet at http://www.grpg.org for details on the entertainment and educational programs for children each of these days. Sponsored by the city of San Jose, the Sharks Foundation and the Friends of the Guadalupe River Park and Gardens.
 
Storytime in Guadalupe Gardens
 A summer garden is the perfect place for story time!  Bring your young children to Guadalupe Gardens on Friday, July 9 and Friday, Aug. 13 to enjoy a good story and participate in a simple activity. Meet on the hill in the Courtyard Garden by Spring and Taylor Streets from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Bring a blanket to sit on, sunscreen and sun hats or an umbrella for shade. Admission is free, but reserve a spot by calling the Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Gardens at 298-7657.

Dealing Effectively with Difficult People and Effective Communication
The Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) is holding this class on Wednesday, July 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the center, located at 43 East Gish Road, first floor.

When people with different beliefs, ideas and procedures come together in a neighborhood association or workplace, conflicts may occur. Through a combination of effective communication and focused problem solving, conflict can be resolved to benefit all parties. This process requires both risk-taking and creative thinking on the part of the individuals involved. Course content includes typical conflicts, problem-solving models to create win-win results, communication techniques that promote creativity, and relationships between people.

To register for this class, contact the NDC staff at 392-6771 or check out the Web site at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/NDC.htm.

Financial Management (or “Handling the Money”)
NDC also has planned a class on handling money, scheduled for Tuesday, July 20 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the center on the first floor at 43 East Gish Road.

This workshop focuses on basic financial planning and record keeping. Topics include creating a paper trail documenting expenditures from restricted funds, alternate ledger methods (from check register to computer), how record keeping relates to budget review and projection and the fiduciary roles of the officers and organization to the funding agency.

To register for this class, contact the NDC staff at 392-6771 or check out the Web site at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/NDC.htm.