Having discovered that Morgan Hill residents enjoy evenings of
classic elegance
– dressing up and laying on the jewelry – the Morgan Hill
Community Foundation is gearing up to host its second black-tie
fundraising event.
Having discovered that Morgan Hill residents enjoy evenings of classic elegance – dressing up and laying on the jewelry – the Morgan Hill Community Foundation is gearing up to host its second black-tie fundraising event.
A Directors’ Ball on Feb. 28, is being called “A Night in Hollywood” and organizers hope the celebrity theme will open generous wallets to support the foundation’s third grantmaking season.
Guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite movie star, a suggestion that should boost the evening’s “people-watching factor.” Since the Oscars will be awarded in the real Hollywood the very next night, event planners considered the theme appropriate and glitz a plus.
“We plan to really roll out the red carpet,” said Daryl Manning, event chair and Chamber Woman of the Year. Guests will arrive to Klieg lights and actual red carpets and, possibly even limousines. She said 500 tickets are available, surpassing the 450 sold at her first black tie event, the December 2002 Mayor’s Ball that opened the new community and cultural center.
Twenty-seven foundation planners, including Manning, are working to pull together a fine evening of dining and entertainment. Guests will enjoy special wines from Guglielmo’s, intriguing food from The Lodge at Corde Valle, dancing to Juz Cuz, Merging Traffic and a DJ from Cali Entertainment, movie trivia games, a silent auction and remarkable surprises, all designed to raise funds for the cause.
Custom Creations will be on hand to memorialize the evening with personal portraits of willing revelers.
To add spice to the evening, guests can purchase, for a significant contribution – this is all for worthy causes after all – Oscar ballots that will include a chance for the grand prize – diamond earrings and a diamond ring.
Bands will play in three separate areas, including a tented outdoor space for Juz Cuz, the local rock and funk band that just signed a contract with PPL Entertainment in Los Angeles. To make dining and circulation proceed smoothly, three food stations with tables and chairs will be distributed – one even using the Gavilan College building.
The MHCF, founded in 2002 to formalize a way for community funds to reach worthy programs, considers grants to the areas of arts and culture, recreation, lifelong learning, health and social services, science and technology, youth, seniors and environment and agriculture.
In the first grant cycle, in June of 2003, Morgan Hill Pony League Baseball, South Valley Civic Theatre, the Morgan Hill School District’s elementary music program, South Valley Youth Orchestra, Teacher’s Aid Coalition of Morgan Hill and the City of Morgan Hill’s Parks and Community Services Division all received financial help from MHCF. Details about the foundation can be found at www.morganhillcommunityfoundation.org/
The Directors’ Ball has Diamond sponsors ($10,000) in Charter Communications and The Lodge at CordeValle. It has Sapphire sponsors ($5,000) in Guglielmo Winery, K-Bay/Mix106.5 and The Morgan Hill Times, but there is room for more. Sponsor levels of Ruby ($2,500), Emerald ($1,000) and Topaz ($500) are also available. Each level comes with a basket of benefits; to discover more about what individuals or business owners will receive for their contribution, contact boardmember Steve Kinsella at sm********@*******nk.net or 427-4451.
The Directors’ Ball will be held at the Morgan Hill Community Center, 17000 Monterey Road at East Dunne Ave., 7 p.m.-midnight. RSVP before Feb. 20, $150 per person, to Sharon Hamilton, 779-6337. For event or sponsorship details, contact Daryl Manning at bl*****@***oo.com or 891-1980.
