The Live Auction featured a three-night beach house vacation to a Fillmore Fire House Dinner for 20; a Cessna ride, authentic Greek dinner for eight, model ship and other items were snapped up by eager bidders.“I think the rain will hold off, at least I hope so,” said Barbara Kroon of the Boys & Girls Club. “We sold a lot of tickets and are expecting even more with walkups,” with wanderers kept at bay by dozens of roses circling the courtyard courtesy of Otto & Sons Nursery.When she made opening remarks Kroon noted that the gathering was meant to support the club while “celebrating the bounty of food and wine available in our valley” and she urged attendees to vote for their favorite decorated table.Karen Hewlett gave kudos to event Chairperson Jane Kampbell and noted that all proceeds would benefit the club and “the children of the Santa Clara River valley...no child is ever turned away” from club membership due to a lack of funds.Club Board President Mike Mobley thanked the rafter of sponsors and said that the Fillmore City Hall Courtyard is “going to be our home for this event for many, many years...we have plenty of room to grow,” with even more than the approximately 250 Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley supporters who attended Saturday’s “Taste of the Valley.”
|
(Above left) A bunny (Christian Prado) was on hand for the Taste of the Valley event. (Right) One of the restaurant owners on hand with samples was Pam Colvard, owner of Pamela’s Tea Room and co-owner of The Grove Restaurant, both in Santa Paula. Photos by Susan Branham |
Fine wines, gourmet food, great company ingredients for B&GCSCV success
April 20, 2007
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesFine wines, gourmet food and great company were just a few of the ingredients that made Saturday’s Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley’s 2nd Annual Taste of the Valley a rousing success.Hundreds of club supporters flocked to the expansive Courtyard of Fillmore City Hall transformed to an outdoor bistro of fine dining and wine tasting made possible by dozens of generous restaurants and wineries from the river valley and beyond.“The food is delicious!” said Anita Pulido, a longtime and strong club supporter.Nancy Nasalroad, whose husband Gary is a club Board Director, agreed: “I’m going to eat my way through here!” the diminutive Nancy exclaimed.Participating restaurants and food specialty companies were offering everything from rice, beans and ceviche to barbecued beef sandwiches to pulled pork and potato salad to homemade meatloaf to egg rolls to salads to tasty hors d’oeuvre such as cheese stuffed dates to bruschetta topped with delicious treats. Barbecue sauces, salsas and candy were also eagerly tasted when offered by the manufacturers.A spring bunny was dancing to the tunes provided by traditional Mexican folk harpist Xavier “Big X” Montes as guests examined rows of Silent Auction items ranging from various works of art to about a dozen gift baskets offering something for every taste or hobby among other auction items.
