Keep Smiling!

A powder-coated, hand-wrought steel bench sits on the northwest corner of Alviso Adobe Park on 3465 Old Foothill Rd, not far from Evantide, a striding cougar sculpture donated by Mary Sites, and Rotarians Nancy, and Gary Harrington through the “Harrington Art Partnership Piece for You” (H.A.P.P.Y).  

 Keep Smiling was designed and donated in 2005 by artist Bob Graham. The bench is an artful nod to the valley’s wine growers.  Steel vine branches form the seating area in a vertical lattice. A horizontal vine stretches across the back and entwines in a cluster of hanging grapes. Originally installed on Main Street Green, now known as Rotary Park, it was later moved to Alviso Adobe Park. One small tree offers no shade on a sun-drenched summer afternoon, but the promise of late fall or a winter’s day brings thoughts of respite.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to build goodwill and peace in the world through humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs.

There are more than 28,000 Rotary clubs in virtually every nation in the world comprised of 1.2 million service-minded men and women. Bob Graham was a Rotarian.  His infectious attitude was uplifting even in his departure. Whenever he said goodbye to someone, he would invariably say, “Remember…Keep Smiling!”

 Jan Coleman-Knight