December 1, 2006

Partying for Success

Willow Glen Foundation holds successful fund-raiser for schools

By Carol Rosen
Editor

This year’s Willow Glen Foundation fund-raiser, which supports activities for Willow Glen Middle and High Schools, was deemed a success. The event moved to a larger venue, the Garden Theater on Lincoln, and contributions rose substantially.

Bob Johnson played his saxophone while his wife Karen Johnson was at the keyboard entertaining supporters throughout the evening.

The event collected more than $25,000, more than twice the $12,000 collected last year. The Garden Theater Building’s larger space also added more features, and more ways to raise money. There were three wineries instead of just one. There was cheese, chocolate and gelato tasting as well as a balloon fundraiser. There were twice as many silent auction items and the live auction included a “Fund a Need” opportunity, which raised various amounts of money for the Helping One Student to Succeed program.

Besides the HOSTS program, which is one-on-one mentoring with students, the foundation also helps support the schools’ robotics programs, music and performing arts, college and career counseling and special needs for core class programs such as electronic balances for chemistry, graphing calculator projectors for math and an online writing assessment tool for English.

There were at least 230 people attending the event, compared with 150 a year ago. With the change in venue a lot more people could attend. Although the venue was larger, there were still crowds to move through especially for the tastings and the silent auction items.

Six couples chose to spend $300 each for dinner with SJUSD board member Pam Foley and Willow Glen Principal Elaine Farache. The group after they bought the dinner includes Mike Foley, Rick Guptill, Mitch Kahn, Andrea Wheeler, Eric Hoppe, Foley, Annie and Kim Guptill, Alex Hoppe, John and Teresa Piscane and Andrea Chacon. Not pictured is Humberto Chacon and Elaine Farache. Photos by Carol Rosen

Three wineries—Clos La Chance, Martin Ranch and Stroth-Hall—held tastings and the Grapevine offered various cheeses including a rich Brie and a peppery one that bit the tongue. Schurra’s Candy Factory brought chocolates to taste including a pumpkin confection that melted in your mouth. At the last minute, Yagoz brought in gelato for tasting, courtesy of Ellen Santaumauro and Jonathan Laurence.

Tasty hors de oeuvres abounded so that everyone had more than enough to eat. And throughout the evening Karen and Bob Johnson donated their musical talents.

Balloons also were popping throughout the evening as people donated $10 each for 100 balloons containing gifts of $5 to $35. Silent auction items included a surfing lesson from San Jose Unified School District’s Superintendent Don Iglesias plus lunch and a ride in his “woody” vintage station wagon; exceptional art work from the students; principal for a day at both the middle and high schools; and a flight over the Bay Area in a private plane. Live auction items included pearl and amethyst necklaces, Sharks tickets, a round of golf with lunch for four and a weekend in Aptos.

The top money maker, however, was dinner for six couples with high school Principal Elaine Farache and SJUSD Area 3 Trustee Pam Foley. That raised $1,800 or $300 per couple.

Sequoia Hall, left, and Paul Stroth, center from Stroth Hall Cellars in Campbell talk about wine with Karin Linthicum, who lives in Willow Glen and whose children attend Booksin Elementary School. Both Hall and Stroth are Willow Glen High alums that graduated in 1990. They were neighbors growing up in Willow Glen just off Paulo Street.

A number of foundation volunteers helped make this year’s program successful. These included David Heiman, who chaired the event, Auction chair Barbara Bremner, auctioneer Tom Cremer—the voice of Willow Glen sports, public relations chair Beth Martinez, Maria Fox who handled the art exhibitions and sales as well as decorations, food chairs Christine Bramer and Greg West and committee members Becky Hettema, Michele Bertolone and Robin Denton.

Michael Mulcahy donated the Garden Theater Building to the foundation for the event. Individual sponsors included Amy Lambert and John Braunreuther, Andrea Wheeler and Mitch Kahn, Becky and Jim Hettema, Bill Pelletier, Bill Talley, Breeta and Mike Hope, Christine Bramer, Claire Owens, Debra Upton, Diane and Time Moran, Dom Gotelli, Elizabeth and Farber Johnston, Gayle Shean, Greg West, Halina Janus, Karen and Will Clinton, Kathy and Scott Rockwell, Ken Martz, Ken Yeager, Kent Peltz, Kim and Rick Guptill, Lauren Cesare, Leslie and Mark TenBoer, Lloyd Kinsworthy, Melissa Foster, Michele Bertolone and Andrew Shebanow, Pam and Mike Foley, Robin and Steve Denton, Samantha and Joel Mier, Steve Bullock, Sue and Dave Markham, Susan Shum-Maxwell, Sally and Arthur Zarmpwotz, Trish and Eric London, Valerie and Jack Hayes and students from Willow Glen Middle and High Schools. Nearly 100 businesses also helped sponsor the event providing food, gifts and auction items.