January 10, 2008

Daughters of the American Revolution honor Grace Longinotti

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Staff Writer

The Los Gatos Branch of the Daughters of the American Revolution honored Grace Longinotti for community service at the Terraces in Los Gatos on Jan. 7.

The Los Gatos chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presented a community service award to Grace Longinotti Jan. 6. when Almaden residents and historians Art Boudreault, left, and Michael Boulland presented a history of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mining area. Pictured with Boudreault and Boulland are DAR historian Phyllis Finkle, registrar Diana Claussen, regent Kristin Khanna, assistant treasurer Anita Bell, treasurer Cheryl McLean, secretary Sandy McCorkle, parliamentarian Sue Bergtholdt, vice regent Nancy Wark, and assistant secretary Jeanna Wood. Photo by Jeanne C. Carbone

“I first met Grace many years ago when she was working at the Almaden pharmacy where her husband was my parents’ pharmacist,” said Sue Bergtholdt, Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] Los Gatos branch parliamentarian. “I met Grace again at the Unicorn Thrift Shop where she’s done a tremendous amount of volunteer work. She started volunteering there in 1993 when they were planning the store and served as many different officers.”

Community service
Longinotti, whose involvement in volunteering started long before the inception of the Unicorn Thrift Shop, was among several Almaden residents contacted by Eastfield Ming Quong [EMQ] Children & Family Services 15 years ago. The private nonprofit annually helps almost 7,000 children and their family members every year. EMQ is a leading provider of mental health and social services for troubled children and their families in California.

Her volunteerism actually started when she was a child. “I remember campaigning for my father when I was 10 years old in Montana,” said Longinotti at the DAR award luncheon. “I’d wave an American flag.”

As she grew older, she offered her services to the American Legion Auxiliary, the USO, the American Association of University Women, the Unicorn Thrift Shop and others. She calculates that she has donated her time to worthwhile causes for 50 years.

She admits that there were difficult years during the Unicorn Thrift Shop inception, which was started by the Almaden League Auxiliary. But since then the retail outlet has tripled its square footage as volunteers like Longinotti carefully stock, collect and sell gently used clothing, books and household wares. The more than 65 volunteers recently implemented eBay sales as well as soliciting estate sale items.

Longinotti has served in many capacities and positions at the Unicorn Thrift Store for its 15 years. She helped write the first handbook with the bylaws, rules and regulations, served as a department and day manager, committee chairperson, treasurer, first vice president, president and is currently parliamentarian. She is in charge of the accessories in the store. Longinotti, who lived in Almaden for 30 years and moved to The Villages in Evergreen three years ago, spends at least four days a week at the thrift shop with her husband Charlie.

“Every time I pick up the Almaden Times, I read articles about Grace giving money to EMQ,” said Bergtholdt during the presentation of a DAR certificate and community service pin. “A check for $35,000, another for $60,000. The store raises tremendous amounts of money for a very valuable cause. Thank you Grace for all your many years of dedicated volunteering.”

In 2006, the Unicorn Thrift Shop reached a pinnacle with $1 million donated to EMQ. “We’re working on our second million now,” said Longinotti. “We’re always looking for donations and new members. It’s a great cause. I can’t believe the DAR is honoring me.”

DAR
The Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The volunteer women’s service organization is dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and securing Americans’ futures through better education for children.

The California State Society, organized in 1891, is comprised of approximately 8,200 women from age 18 to more than 100. Membership provides opportunities to honor American heritage, preserve family and local histories, promote the celebration of national holidays, support national defense, enjoy the member-owned buildings in Washington, D.C. and to form friendships with others who “share the love of God, home and country.”

The Los Gatos chapter of the DAR was organized in 1929 and welcomes women 18 and over who can prove a lineal bloodline from a man or woman who aided in achieving American independence such as signers of the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States, or who served in the military, civil service and patriotic service.