Fourth of July Celebration to Honor Active Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Military

There will be no flashy fireworks display in Los Gatos this Fourth of July.

Instead the town's patriotic celebration will feature the solemn reading of more than 60 names of Los Gatos and Monte Sereno military personnel serving in the Middle East.

The recognition will be possible thanks to local Realtor Mike Frangadakis, who says he's happy the town continues the tradition because "if it wasn't for our military, we wouldn't have the free country that we can celebrate in.

"It's about celebrating the nation's birthday, 1776 and the Fourth of July," Frangadakis said of the festivities, which will start at 11 a.m. at the civic center, 110 E. Main St.

Entertaining the crowd will be Zenith Ark Project, the Sizzling Seniors, the Peninsula Banjo Band and the San Jose Wind Symphony, which will perform after the flag raising ceremony, a welcome by Los Gatos Mayor Joe Pirzynski and the reading of the names. This part of the event is held on the Los Gatos High School front lawn.

Frangadakis is chairman of Operation Yellow Ribbon, an organization under the auspices of the afternoon Los Gatos Rotary Club whose purpose is to help local military personnel serving overseas.

The former Vietnam War veteran formed Operation Yellow Ribbon in 2003, after the war in the Middle East started.

"We've been sending them goodies, care packages, email encouragement. When they come home, the Los Gatos Rotary Club offers them lunch and presents them with a special certificate of appreciation from the Town of Los Gatos and the City of ," Frangadakis said. "We invite their families, too."

Frangadakis began compiling a list of such personnel in 2004, which he gave to town officials.

He also asked the to publish the names and the newspaper complied, he said.

Every year since then, town officials and the newspaper contact him to get the list.

On Wednesday, Frangadakis added another name to the list. A 25-year-old female soldier deployed a month ago who has a baby and has been serving in Afghanistan for a month. "She's got 11 more months to go and we're going to email her and ask her if there's anything she needs and start sending her a care package.

"Every year, when the list is published, I get a call from someone saying, 'Hey I have a relative living in Los Gatos who's not on the list. Can you please add them?' That's how we've been getting the names. 

"It's a way for all of us to say 'thank you' for what they do ... The Fourth of July is a perfect time to do that."

When Pirzynski reads the names on Monday, the whole town will acknowledge relatives of those being recognized, he explained.

Operation Yellow Ribbon will have a booth during the event and Frangadakis will be asking for donations for his cause. "We need money for the care packages and the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. It's all related."

The festival this year will also have a special presentation by Scott Shelsta, retired principal trombonist for the United States Army Band in Washington, D.C.

Frangadakis is also in the California State Military Reserve where he works to help support the troops. He re-enlisted seven years ago and reports to the San Jose Armory on West Hedding Street where he teaches combat life saving to National Guard soldiers being deployed overseas.

Event sponsors this year include the Town of Los Gatos, Los Gatos Saratoga Recreation, Los Gatos High School and A Place for Teens.

Schedule of events

▪                Hometown picnic and games, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., civic center

▪                Strike up the Band, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Los Gatos High School front lawn

▪                Yankee Doodle Dancing, 3:30-7 p.m., civic center

▪                Red, White and Blue Barbecue, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., in the food court where drinks and yummy treats can be purchased from several social service clubs and nonprofit organizations such as the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, and .