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Mendocino College Foundation announces 'Gala on the Green' details
UKIAH, Calif. – This year’s “Gala on the Green,” Mendocino College Foundation’s annual fundraiser to benefit Mendocino College students and programs, will take place Saturday, June 23, at Campovida, 13601 Old River Road, Hopland.
The dinner will feature DK Catering and fine wines provided by Destination Hopland wineries.
The annual fundraiser includes appetizers and wine pairings, dinner, live and silent auctions, music by the George Husaruk Jazz Trio and dancing.
The gala begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be preceded by optional activities including an informational talk by Hubert Germain-Robin of Germain-Robin Distillery and a tour of the Campovida gardens between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
“This year’s line up of food pairings and fine wines prior to dinner, and the dinner itself, will not disappoint,” said Richard Cooper, foundation board member and chair of the Special Events Committee. “The entertainment also promises to be outstanding, and we look forward to having fantastic offerings in the live and silent auctions. Guests should also plan to arrive early to see Campovida’s gardens prior to the event. The garden tour is a real treat.”
Tickets for the event are $100 per person. Tables, with seating for eight people each, may be reserved for $700.
More than half the tables have sold, according to Katie Fairbairn, the foundation’s executive director; individuals wishing to attend should purchase their tickets soon, she said.
Additional information about tickets and table reservations is available on the foundation’s Web site, http://foundation.mendocino.edu .
Proceeds from the event are used to fund scholarships for students and provide support for college programs as recommended by the administrators.
Last year’s Gala on the Green raised more than $60,000 for scholarships and educational programs.
Expanding the “footprint” of the event by utilizing more of the Campovida grounds, the foundation’s Special Events Committee is planning for 400 guests this year for the largest gala ever.
“The Foundation is proud to be able to grow this event annually to help build awareness and raise funds to benefit the students of Mendocino College,” said Cooper.
DK Catering will prepare this year’s dinner. Event coordinator Travis Scott worked with the catering company’s husband and wife team, Dave and Patricia Huerls, to create “a wonderful menu of family-style dishes for the main dinner.” DK Catering also will produce four appetizer reception stations, Scott said.
The meal will consist of a Caesar salad, grilled chicken penne pasta with roasted mushrooms, red onions, sweet peppers and Chardonnay cream, plus Tuscan ravioli with tomatoes, herbs, Parmesan and light cream served with bread and butter. Dessert will be the chef’s choice.
The gala’s welcome reception is an added feature this year, according to the Mendocino County event planner and tour coordinator.
Eight wineries from Destination Hopland are scheduled to pour varietals during the wine and appetizers reception.
Participating wineries include Weibel, Parducci, Nelson Family Vineyards, Campovida, Cesar Toxqui, and Terra Savia, according to Scott.
Mendocino and Lake County food purveyors, including Stan’s Maple Café and Nicholas Petti of Mendocino College’s Culinary Arts Program, will join DK Catering in providing the appetizers.
Foundation board member and Mendocino Sheriff Tom Allman is tapped as the master of ceremonies for the evening’s presentations and live auction.
Several sponsors are lending their support to the foundation to present the Gala on the Green. Campovida LLC is a “Presenting Sponsor” for the event. Use of Campovida, the setting for the annual event the last four years, is provided by owners Gary Breen and Anna Beuselinck.
Additional sponsors for this year’s event are Mendo Lake Credit Union, the Skunk Train, TLCD Architecture, Richard Cooper, SHN Consulting and Gary Smith.
Wells Fargo Advisors has offered to sponsor the appetizers for the event while the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College is sponsoring the Gala’s Dessert Bar.
Midstate Construction is the sponsor for the martini bar. Kit Elliott and George Husaruk have once again signed up to sponsor the live music, which is provided by Husaruk and his band.
Most recently, Ukiah Valley Medical Center, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Wright Contracting, Jared Huffman for Congress, Gary Nix, and State Farm Insurance agents Jay and Lisa Epstein signed up as sponsors, Cooper reported. Also, Tri County Certified Inspections has donated its inspection services.
For more information about the annual Gala on the Green or about the Mendocino College Foundation, call the foundation office at 707-467-1018 visit the foundation’s Web site, http://foundation.mendocino.edu .