San Jose crossing guard gets 80th birthday surprise
Retired San Jose teacher Bob Pfaff has been a crossing guard at Los Alamitos Elementary School for eight years now, but Tuesday was a morning at work unlike any other. It was Pfaff’s 80th birthday, and students, parents and teachers greeted him with cards, gifts and a big “Happy Birthday Bob!” banner on the corner where he was ferrying kids safely to school.
His daughter, Dawn Sawkins, says the school community had been planning the celebration for a while, and some of the students had been asking Pfaff if it was his birthday for a few days. (Remember, if you want to keep a secret, don’t tell a second-grader).
Classes made birthday cards with hand- drawn pictures of him holding his stop sign in his crossing-guard vest, sending messages of appreciation to the man they call “Mr. Bob.” And no doubt some of Pfaff’s former students remember him, too, as he taught for more than 30 years, most of it at Ida Price Middle School.
CENTENNIALMAN »
Speaking of big birthdays, John Valente celebrated his 100th on Sunday with more than 150 people at the Italian American Heritage Foundation’s Cultural Center in downtown San Jose. Marge Valente, John’s wife of 76 years, handled the invitations, of course, as she has done at countless events over the years. But she did get to enjoy a festive evening of Italian music and food with her dapper gentleman of a husband. The family and friends on hand to wish him a happy birthday included Eddie and Helen Owen, Jeanne and Jim Maggiore, Frank Fiscalini, Nina Boyd, Gloria Citti, Karen Storey and Steve Tedesco.
POSADAAT THE PLAZA »
For the seventh year, Alcario and Carmen Castellano have donated the 25-foot Christmas tree that will be lit tonight at Fiesta Navideña y La Posada, a holiday celebration at the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose. The festivities, which run from 5 to 9 p.m., will include coffee, pan dulce and other savory dishes, as well as the school’s Winter Recital, featuring youth mariachi and ballet folklórico students. The Rev. Jon Pedigo, director of projects for peace and justice at the Diocese of San Jose, will lead a procession around the plaza that incorporates spoken word and musical performances to explore how the Latin American posada tradition continues to apply to issues of social justice in the Santa Clara Valley. STAGE FRIGHT » The talented dancers of Smuin ballet company are best known for their compelling choreography, but they got to show off a frighteningly creative side at their annual Ugly Christmas Sweater class and contest before opening night of “The Christmas Ballet” in Carmel. There were ornaments, candy canes and more adorning the dancers’ comfy outerwear, but none could top Oliver-Paul Adams, who walked away with the top prize for his garish getup: a tree skirt, a sweater decked in tinsel garland and a real tree-topper of a hat. The company — no sweaters this time — is performing “The Christmas Ballet” at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts through Sunday. You can get tickets at www.smuinballet.org. TUNE IN » San Jose Musical Theater has teamed up with Evergreen College to present the popular holiday musical “The 1940s Radio Hour” this weekend only. The show, directed by C. Michael Traw, revolves around the behind-the-scenes goings- on at a small New York radio station that is recording a broadcast to send to troops overseas in December 1942. It plays today through Sunday, with tickets and details at www.sjmt.org.