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Your Morgan Hill.

Shine your spotlight on someone that contributes to our community.

• Service Person

• Police Officer

• CDF employee

• Volunteer

• Neighbor

• Veteran

• Employee

• An interesting community member with a story to tell

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2006 Mayoral Candidate - website
Steve Tate - Morgan Hill City Council  

I'm Steve Tate, age 58. I've lived in MH since 1977. I'm employed by IBM as retired supplemental, working 3-4 days a week. I am also employed by the City of MH as Councilmember.

I've been married to Jennifer for 35 years; she is currently a Personal Trainer at the Fitness Formula, which is above the Coffee Roasting Club downtown. She is a previous owner of the Morgan Hill Seed Company gift shop in the Downtown Mall and served on the Morgan Hill School Board from 1979 to 1983. We have two kids. Our daughter Stacy is 32, married to Keith Huddleston and teaches 7th-8th grade classes at St. Mary's school in Gilroy. Keith and Stacy have two kids, 3-year old Jared who wants to break Barry Bond's home-run record and one-year old Kylie who is heavily into flirting. Son Greg is 30 and is also married to a Jennifer Tate, he works in the Business-to-Business software arena, she works for the Gap and they recently bought a home in San Francisco's Marina district.

I'm an avid runner, usually run 5-6 days a week and try to do a longer run on Sundays. Have completed about 15 marathons and did a 50 mile run to celebrate turning 50 back in 1994. Also an avid sports fan, and especially a big Giants baseball fan. Jennifer and I spend the month of March in Scottsdale, AZ and attend Giants spring training games there and also get to about ten games a year at Pac Bell Park where my son Greg has some great seats he shares with us. Enjoy reading, primarily fiction. Also enjoy time at the beach, we own a condo at Pajaro Dunes and love to spend weekends there especially in the less foggy milder winter months.

I'm a member of the Morgan Hill Rotary Club where I currently serve as Secretary. I am a strong supporter of youth leadership activities in Rotary, including the Rotary-sponsored Interact Clubs at Live Oak and especially at Central High School where I helped start the club; also participate annually in the scholarship candidate and youth leadership camp participant interviews. I serve as Race Director for the 4th of July 5K Run event that is part of IDI's series of July 4th celebration events. Everyone can walk, jog or race the 3-mile distance and it is an excellent way to start this special day and support IDI, so I look forward to more participation next year! I'm also a member of the Morgan Hill Chamber, which I support both as a Councilmember and as a MH resident, and of the South County Democratic Club.

The El Toro Youth Center was recently expanded by about 2200 square feet and I played a leadership role in planning the expansion as well as raising funds for it and securing community-wide volunteers to help make it happen. I was extremely proud of the community support for this much needed addition to the Center that supports low income, frequently at-risk kids with very positive programs.

Serving as a Councilmember is rewarding, but very demanding. In addition to preparing for and attending our regular Council meetings and frequent additional workshops and constituent meetings, I have many other assignments. These include: chair of Library Building Committee charged with designing the new library and working with the School District and County Library to secure Prop 14 funding to build it; serving on the County Library Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Board which I will chair in 2002; chairing the City's update of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Master Plan; serving on the Council's Downtown Committee, which is just kicking off a comprehensive review and planning effort for the greater downtown area; serving on the City/School District Liaison Committee, the MH Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, the Santa Clara County Disaster Preparedness Committee and the South County Advisory Committee to the Water District.

I am also chairing a community-wide task force on Youth Health and Safety, a cooperative effort with the County-wide Cornerstone Project that is aimed at building positive assets in youth. The City has adopted the Cornerstone Project's 40 developmental assets for youth as guidelines for City support of youth activities and programs. The task force has three initiatives underway: identifying available youth activities in Morgan Hill, training MH groups on the 40 assets for incorporation into their existing programs, and interchanges with youth groups to identify requirements and unmet needs. We are very open to welcoming new task-force members; please call me if you're interested.

I love Morgan Hill, intend to spend the rest of my life here and enjoy working on making it the best community possible.

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Linda Tarvin - Chamber Ambassador & Community Volunteer 

Ever wonder why anyone would want to be a Chamber Ambassador? For Linda Tarvin of Hot Spot Printing it is an extension of her business life where her motto is "Do your work the best you can, be kind and have fun!" If you've met Linda you might find it hard to believe that she is a formerly shy person. She feels that's good since she is sensitive to making new Chamber members feel welcome.

She tries to be on the lookout at Chamber events for newcomers who are clinging to the wall and not talking to anyone yet. Linda, whose term as Ambassador began in 1989, says she is proud to be the first Ambassador featured on the Chamber's website newsletter. Linda and her husband John opened their printing and copying shop in 1988. They have two grown children. Their son, Jay, works for the water district in Eureka. Their daughter, Jennifer, works for 2Roam in San Jose. Linda is anxiously awaiting her first grandchild, due July 2002 (Jen gets married Oct 6th so that gives her 10 months, let's see how it works out).

In Linda's previous lives she has been an elementary school teacher in Texas, Georgia and California, a stay-at-home mom, an aerobics instructor and a garden columnist. Linda is a charter member of Morgan Hill American Association of University Women, Morgan Hill LeTip and Gilroy LeTip. Other organizations she supports are The Morgan Hill Historical Society, Associates of Saratoga Horticultural, Pine Ridge Association (Henry Coe Park Affiliates) and Gilroy Chamber of Commerce. Favorite non-print shop activities include traveling with John to exotic places like Cambria and Twain Harte, reading, fiddling around on the piano, ukelele or dulcimer and hunting for unique planters.

She loves plants of many kinds and always has something blooming in her yard. Among her favorites are alstromerias, kangaroo paws, naked ladies, Brazilian plume flowers and lots of herbs, especially lavender and mints. Linda has been a Garden Guide at Bonfante Gardens since its opening in June. Her volunteer work there is much like being a Chamber Ambassador. She explains it this way: "Our purpose is to help visitors enjoy the gardens more. We are sources of interesting information about the trees, other plants and features. Likewise, our function as Chamber Ambassadors is to help members by being enthusiastic sources of information." You will see Linda and other Ambassadors in their red coats at Chamber events. You can email Linda at lindat@hot-spot.com.

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Ken Tougas - Community Volunteer & Senior Advocate

To those of us who are blessed to know this affable, charming man he is the true meaning behind the phrase, “Charity begins at home.”

Ken was the 1999 “Man of the Year” for the City of Morgan Hill. There are many reasons he wore that title proudly for a year, and he has added so many more things to his repertoire in the past two years. He believes in giving back to his community, his home.

Ken is the driving force behind the South County Toys For Tots drive each year. He attends meetings throughout the year planning and reporting on the needs of the “community”. Ken’s community stretches from South San Jose all the way to Salinas, Monterey and San Juan Bautista.

Starting in November, the day after Thanksgiving, you can see Ken driving all over the place with his car brimming with empty barrels to place in businesses across South County. As the barrels fill, he empties the barrel and takes the toys to be sorted and categorized so that each child receives an age appropriate gift.

But that’s not all he is doing. During this time he is also participating in other Toys For Tots events, he schedules Marines for appearances, and coordinates all the lists of toys needed for each sex and age throughout his community. And you thought your holiday shopping list was huge! It is not a job for the faint hearted, but not to worry Ken’s heart is huge!

About the time the stress of all the running around would wear a man down, Ken has another event to go to. Each year he also organizes a toy giveaway, where needy parents can come select a gift for their child, or they can bring the child to select their own gift. The love and holiday spirit in the air at this event is unequaled!

Okay, so that’s the holidays, but what else does he do? Here’s a list of other activities that Ken has been involved with in the last 4 years and continues to serve with.

Council On Aging
Community Action Group
The Lions Club
The Morgan Hill Grange
The Brown Bag Program
Hospital Hearing tests for infants
ChildSpree

Ken is a man who truly enjoys giving. He is also fantastic at convincing others to help in his sometimes grand ideas. Like the Friday Night Rib Feeds to benefit ChildSpree. What a lot of work, but what a great reward. Whatever the task, people line up to help him. We just can’t resist him.

Ken Tougas, along with his wife Pat Steinbrook live here in Morgan Hill. He has two adult children. Pat is always cheerful when she answers their phone and fields all the requests to speak to Ken. We appreciate Pat sharing Ken with our community. Did we mention Ken’s retired from 25 years with Pacific Bell?

Note: Those of us at YourMorganHill.com are part of Ken’s team of volunteers. You will be hearing more about Ken’s projects throughout the year. If your company is planning any donations, please check with us first. We will give you a list of groups that service our community and are in need of financial assistance. Of course, our favorites will be included in the list.

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