The annual A Taste of Italy dinner fundraiser at Park Place restaurant on Monday, May 20 was so well attended the 6 p.m. seating overflowed to the outside tables and the upstairs deck. The gourmet dinners consisted of an antipasto platter, Caesar salad or Tuscan soup and a choice of Osso Buco Di Maiale, Pollo Marsala or Scampi Fra Diavolo for a main course, plus a dessert of either orange ricotta cannoli or Amalfi lemon cake.
Wines from Gregory Graham, Ceago, Wildhurst, Shannon Ridge, Shed Horn and Castello di Amorosa wineries were poured throughout the evening. Classical guitar was provided by Dr. Paul Farley and a medley of guitar instrumentals was performed by Bert Hutt. Each dinner ticket was entered in the raffle for a one week stay at the Valley Isle condominium resort on the Lahaina coast of Maui, Hawaii. The beautiful condo was graciously donated by long time Hospice supporter, Muriel Schroeder-Carter. The winner of the Maui resort vacation was Kathleen Smith, owner of Nature’s Own Health Food Store in Clearlake. “I told my friend at dinner; wouldn’t that just be totally cool if I won? I could use a vacation,” said Smith when contacted.
The event raised over $12,000. All proceeds go to support Hospice Services of Lake County’s Wings of Hope community bereavement programs which include children’s grief groups conducted onsite at Lake County schools.
Park Place owners, Nancy Zabel and Barbara Morris, generously donate the restaurant, food prep and cleanup for this annual event. The servers and kitchen staff at the event volunteered to work on their night off to support Hospice’s efforts to bring bereavement counseling programs to residents of Lake County.
Anja Koot, executive director of Hospice Services of Lake County, thanked the crowd toward the end of the event. “My thanks to all of you, who bought raffle tickets, attended the dinner and offer your continual support to Hospice Services of Lake County. We could not serve the patients and families without your support and dedication.”