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Approximately 200 guests were in attendance at our 7th Annual wine tasting event in the beautiful dining room of Keesal, Young, & Logan in downtown Long Beach.
Wines were generously donated by 4th Street Vine, Phil & Val Bond, Doug & Holly Carpenter, Scott Dionne, Jean Egan, Susan Rivard, Robert Tagorda, Sally Trainotti, Alissa Urbano, Bobbi Villalobos, and Cathy Walsh. Guests had an opportunity to sample fine wines from France, Germany, and Italy, as well as California. Hors d' oeuvres accompanying the wine, provided by Keesal, Young, & Logan Chefs William Hall and Mauricio Perez, included savory bites such as artichoke trumpets, grilled asparagus risotto, and assorted sushi.
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster hosted the evening. The event included a silent auction with over one hundred items, and a live auction facilitated by Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe. Items were diverse, ranging from merchandise and gift certificates from local shops and restaurants to limo rides to sporting events and a catered yacht tour. The highest bid? $2,400 for a dinner hosted by Jerry and Jan Maize with Mayor Bob Foster and First Lady Nancy Foster!
Students majoring in Communication Studies at California State University Long Beach did much of the planning as a hands-on project; along with professor Dr. Kirran Vandinther Moss, the BLAST Board of Directors, and BLAST staff. The event raised nearly $40,000 for the organization.
BLAST is truly grateful to its community. The event could not be successful without the support of so many guests who attended the event, bid on auction items, made a donation, or sponsored the event. Due to their many contributions, BLAST will contnue to provide hundreds of college student volunteers as mentors to children in Long Beach every year.
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