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In late August, Eddy Rosa posted on the 95033 Facebook group that he spotted kittens at the intersection of Summit and Old Summit Road, very close to Highway 17.

Later that night, Christine Bradbury saw them running across Summit and down into the ravine below the parking lot at Summiteen—even closer to the highway. It appeared they had been dumped in the area. We found a trash bag and some food nearby. It was heartbreaking.

It felt like an impossible task, but within hours several mountain residents were scouting the area and preparing traps to try and safely capture the kittens.

Over the next few days and nights, Christine, Heather Wygant, and Karen Carlo scaled the ravine. They laid, checked, and rebaited traps in various places. That area is filthy. Fridges, mattresses, car parts, and tons of garbage litter the hillside. It’s a sad sight. Not only was the area hard to access on foot, but the parking lot was being used by Caltrans to stage some huge construction vehicles and at night it was very noisy.

Friday and Saturday brought no good news, but on Sunday Chris managed to capture the smallest kitten (Pip) using some roasted chicken. At least two others were spotted in the bottom of the ravine. The next day Heather managed to grab a second one, Vinca. We moved the traps a little closer to Mountain Charlie Road, and on Tuesday we found Frodo inside a trap. Around the same time, a nearby neighbor messaged me that she had trapped a kitten on her property, up the hill from their original location.

Four kittens were safe and sound within four days of the first reported sighting. Considering the ordeal they had been through, and who knows what before, they were in pretty good shape. They had some digestive issues, worms, and parasites, and Frodo was found with a piece of plastic tied around his neck. Summit Vet and Coast Vet got a fair amount of business as tests were run and treatments started. In between the trips to the vets, the kittens have been getting used to cuddles, playtime, full bellies, and lots of love.

We kept the community updated on social media and people reached out with offers of food and donations to help cover the vet costs. We have collected over $1000 to help with medical bills. It’s been truly amazing to see the mountain community come together to support these young kittens.

We can share the good news that Vinca and Frodo (renamed Gabby and Pandy) have been adopted by the Allen family.

Thank you to Christine, Heather, Karen, Casey and Eddy for saving the kittens; to Sydni and family for giving Frodo and Vinca a safe home; and to Laura, Katie, Nancy, Mark, Rebecca, Reyna, Yiwei, Amanda, Michelle, Therese, Margie, Ron, Susan and Jon, and Matt for your support and generosity.

The 9-11 memorial at the Summit Road off ramp from southbound Highway 17 was erected in November 2001, one of the first 9-11 memorials in the Bay Area. Every year for 25 years, Patti Hughes and other volunteers carefully tend this tribute to the victims of 9-11, and especially to two local heroes: Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham.

Mark grew up in Redwood Estates and Todd grew up in Los Gatos. Todd and Mark were part of a team of four individuals who successfully penetrated the United Flight 93 cockpit to take back control on that fateful day in 2001. Todd, Mark, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick were instrumental in ensuring that the flight did not accomplish the final prong of the terrorists’ mission by crashing into the U.S. Capitol Building. They had never worn a military uniform, but they were killed in action while mounting the first civilian counterattack against terrorist actions that day.

Todd and Mark are recognized at the Flame of Liberty Memorial, located on the Civic Center lawn in downtown Los Gatos. On September 11, a memorial was held at the Flame of Liberty Memorial to commemorate the contributions of these and the thousands of others who lost their lives in 2001. Before the LGHS football game that night, a military flyover honored our local heroes.

inside a trap. Around the same time, a nearby neighbor messaged me that she had trapped a kitten on her property, up the hill from their original location. Four kittens were safe and sound within four days of the first reported sighting.

Considering the ordeal they had been through, and who knows what before, they were in pretty good shape. They had some digestive issues, worms, and parasites, and Frodo was found with a piece of plastic tied around his neck. Summit Vet and Coast Vet got a fair amount of business as tests were run and treatments started. In between the trips to the vets, the kittens have been getting used to cuddles, playtime, full bellies, and lots of love.

We kept the community updated on social media and people reached out with offers of food and donations to help cover the vet costs. We have collected over $1000 to help with medical bills. It’s been truly amazing to see the mountain community come together to support these young kittens.

We can share the good news that Vinca and Frodo (renamed Gabby and Pandy) have been adopted by the Allen family. Thank you to Christine, Heather, Karen, Casey and Eddy for saving the kittens; to Sydni and family for giving Frodo and Vinca a safe home; and to Laura, Katie, Nancy, Mark, Rebecca, Reyna, Yiwei, Amanda, Michelle, Therese, Margie, Ron, Susan and Jon, and Matt for your support and generosity.