Thanks in no small part to the participation of Fritz Coleman, the Chapter’s Fifth Annual Wine Tasting Event was, in the words of Chapter Executive Officer Ron Farina, “the best one ever.” On June 23, over 100 people gathered at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale to sample wines from all over the world, along with cheeses and crackers and mixed nuts.
In addition, Chin Chin Catering provided a mouth-watering selection of appetizers, and Mignon Chocolates was on hand with a delightful array of fine dark and milk chocolates. (And yes, they go very nicely with wine!)
Guests were also able to view The Art of Artis Lane, an award-winning sculptor and painter, and they also enjoyed the musical talents of Olivia May, whose voice and guitar enhanced the evening.
While sampling the wines and the food, participants also browsed the stunning selection of silent auction items, which included art work, jewelry, and gift baskets overflowing with goodies. After bidding on the silent auction items, they deposited tickets to win raffle offerings such as gift certificates for food and entertainment opportunities, along with a much sought-after Amazon Kindle.
Fritz Coleman and Chapter Board Member Michelle Ramirez
A highlight of the evening was the appearance of Fritz Coleman, our favorite Channel 4 weatherman and a long-time supporter of the Red Cross. Fritz conducted a fundraiser/auction to benefit disaster victims everywhere, and thanks to the spontaneous generosity of our guests, quite a bit of money was collected for this purpose. Afterward, Fritz mingled with the guests to talk about the Red Cross and the important work done by the organization, and by the Glendale-CV Chapter.
At the evening’s conclusion, Chapter Board Chairman Gerry Tomsic, assisted by members of our Youth Group, announced the raffle winners, and the lucky ticket holders claimed their prizes.
The Chapter extends an ENORMOUS thank-you to Scott Drolet and Forest Lawn Glendale for providing the venue for this event, not to mention the flowers, the catering, the bottled water, and other supplies.
We are also very grateful to our wonderful Youth Group members, who cheerfully greeted arrivals, served appetizers, and provided help wherever needed to help make things run smoothly. Many thank-yous, too, to our Volunteers and Board Members who collected auction and raffle items, staffed the registration table and wine tasting stations, and helped out in many other ways to ensure all the moving parts of this event ran smoothly. You’re the best!
All proceeds from the wine tasting go directly to the Chapter’s Disaster Relief Fund, to ensure that we’ll be able to respond to future emergencies in the communities we serve. Thanks to everyone who bought tickets, and we hope you’ll come back for more next year.
Photos: Scott Stalnaker, Glendale Community College
Written by Bonnie Schroeder, Volunteer, Glendale-La Crescenta Chapter Board Member
Tags: Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter; Fundraising; Fritz Coleman
