It’s the Law: Honoring those who do good

Once a year in May, a reception is held at Chaminade Resort & Spa to honor a lawyer, or lawyers, who have gone above and beyond to help our community with charitable good works.
This year, many in Scotts Valley will recognize the names of Laura and Terry LaPorte. While Laura and Terry will almost certainly scold me for announcing their names so prominently, I want to invite those who know the LaPortes — and those who have been touched by their good works — to the reception that will be held on Friday May 15, starting at 5 p.m. on the patio at Chaminade overlooking the bay.
It’s a casual affair. We call it the Elbow Rub. There is no charge, hors d’oeuvres will be served, and there will also be a no host bar, and live music. But the stars of the show will be Laura and Terry.
What, you may ask, have the LaPortes done to deserve such an honor?
It wasn’t easy learning all that they do because they do it in stealth mode. I may never have known, but after coaching their daughter for 10 years, I caught glimpses of the deeds as they introduced their daughter to the philosophy of benevolence.
Laura also worked in my law office for several years. As you can imagine, as quiet as she was about her activities, I would sometimes hear specifics. Being a nosy lawyer, I would also pry it out of her.
It may be that you were coached by Laura at the Scotts Valley High School mock trial team. Or, perhaps, you were coached in basketball by Terry. You may have seen the LaPortes gathering donations for “Nothing But Nets,” — a program that raises funds for mosquito nets to help prevent malaria in Africa.
If you ever go into the Rebele Family Shelter in Santa Cruz, you may notice a “LaPorte Family Suite.” It only takes one guess to figure out why. Have you been to the children’s section of the Scotts Valley library? Who should be thanked for that? Voluntarism?
How about pro bono support for at least a dozen more projects? The Homeless Persons Health Project; library volunteer; Mental Health Advocacy Project; Aids Legal Services; Law Foundation of Silicon Valley; Multiple Sclerosis Society; Pro Bono Placement Project; Center for Social Justice & Public Policy; International Rising; precinct supervisor for elections; Protect the Vote; and, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.
Kind of tires you out just reading all that, doesn’t it? And I haven’t exhausted the list.
So, mosey on down to Chaminade Resort in Santa Cruz on Friday May 15, and help me and others thank the LaPortes for all they do, not only in the legal community, but in the community at large. Thanks, Laura and Terry.
– Gary Redenbacher of Scotts Valley is an attorney in private practice. E-mail him at

ga**@re*********.com