`Shops By Harvard Yard' Stages Gala Benefit

Mariachis, octopus salad and President Neil L. Rudenstine were all part of yesterday's opening ceremony for Harvard Square's newest retail venture, The Shops by Harvard Yard.

For a $20 fee, attendees tasted Italian delights from Cafe Marino's, sang a capella with the Harvard Opportunes, partied with a hip hop dance troupe and danced to the tunes of "Eight to the Bar," a rhythm and blues, boogie-woogie, funky soul band.

"It's dangerous," joked Rudenstine. "It's full of good food and candy, but we'll make the best of it."

The celebration marked the addition of 20 new shops and kiosks in the corridor of the Holyoke Center.

Harvard Real Estate President Kristin S. Demong expressed excitement for the new shops and said she was looking forward to the "new energy" the development will bring to Harvard.

After briefly reminiscing about the previously decrepit Holyoke breezeway, Rudenstine said he shared Demong's enthusiasm for the shops.

"There are few cities that can point to the fact that things are getting better rather than falling apart," Rudenstine said. "We have a new building and a better building with bright lights, people and all sorts of things."

Included among "sorts of things" are token-operated bathrooms. The manager of one shop said the toilets were a security measure added before construction began.

The proceeds of the event, which amounted to $12,000, benefited the CambridgeSchool Volunteers, a community-based tutoringprogram for Cambridge public schools.

One of the oldest non-profit organizations inthe nation, the Cambridge School Volunteers has amission to help improve public education inCambridge. Last year, the organization's 950volunteers--50 percent of whom are Harvardstudents--contributed 44,000 hours of service for16 Cambridge elementary schools and one highschool.

Frank White '55, chair of Cambridge SchoolVolunteers, thanked Harvard and said the volunteergroup would "return to the community what you havegiven to us.

One of the oldest non-profit organizations inthe nation, the Cambridge School Volunteers has amission to help improve public education inCambridge. Last year, the organization's 950volunteers--50 percent of whom are Harvardstudents--contributed 44,000 hours of service for16 Cambridge elementary schools and one highschool.

Frank White '55, chair of Cambridge SchoolVolunteers, thanked Harvard and said the volunteergroup would "return to the community what you havegiven to us.