2010 Spring Gala Results

Spring Gala Earned OVER $47,000

The Gala was once again very successful with an all time high of $47,000! The weather was perfect, the buzz of the night seemed full of great energy and the evening was loaded with enthusiasm and fun. Here are some of the big earners from the night:

• $1,700 Teacher Excursions
• $2,000 Desserts
• $3,500 Photos/Laura Cottril (with more coming in)
• $5,000 Raffles
• $6,000 Fund a Need
• $12,000 LIVE

Once again this year an earning highlight was Fund A Need, which is part of Live Auction where people simply make cash donations. We received everything from $500 to $25. Our parents and guests donated $6000!!! You know it's a great school and community when you look over and see teachers and Principal Voris donating too! Simply an amazing night! We are lucky to be part of a community with dedicated parents, staff & community.

Thanks to everyone for your help and making the Gala another successful and fun year! Thanks to the Auction Team, Donors, Volunteers, PHE Parents & Staff, and Sequoia Elementary for all your help creating and running this event. And, a huge thanks to Parents, Staff, Family and Friends of PHE that attend the auction and spent money!

The Dessert Line is In! You can catch these in Live Auction!

Tippy's Banana Cream Pie!
We all know how good a Baker's Square Pie can be, but one taste of this one and you will never go back! Everything about this pie is homemade- the crust, the filling, even the bananas (Ha!) The homemade recipe for this pie has been handed down from Tippy’s mother and it is always requested instead of birthday cake! Prepared and baked with love by Jen Tipton

Biscotti
A tray full of Italian Biscotti....Cinnamon, Anise, Chocolate! Something for everyone to enjoy! Pair this up with a shot of Grappa and you will feel like you've traveled to Italy for dessert! (minus the cost of airfare!) Baked and composed by Julie Stern

Ganache Brownie Bites
A Dozen homemade brownie bites made with Ghirardelli chocolate, drenched in chocolate ganache and topped with a perfect raspberry. What more do you want? Prepared for your pleasure by Hillary Hibel

Carrot Cake
At twist on the classic decadent Carrot Cake; A moist, spicy cake made with a rich cream cheese filling and finished in a white chocolate buttercream. Created by Julie Ormerod

Lemon Meringue Pie
Grandma’s famous Lemon Meringue Pie made with lemons picked from her tree and a flaky buttery homemade crust. Mmmmm….Donated by Tess Nicosia and her Mom

BAKLAVA …The traditional dessert of Greece! Layers of Phillo dough, sprinkled with chopped walnuts, coated with Cinnamon and sugar, baked till golden brown--swimming in syrup simply delicious!! Authentically created by Athena Apostolopolos

“Leave the gun. Take the cannolis.”
Ever watch The Godfather and wonder why Clemenza loved cannolis so much that he remembered to take them with him as he left the scene of a “hit”? Find out! After your lovely meal, buy this famous Sicilian desert of tube-shaped pastries filled with sweet cream along with a selection of éclairs for the French pastry fan. Tonight, take the Cannoli. You won’t regret it. From Sorelle di Dolci, donated by la famiglia Mastrogiogio

The (in)famous Bodacious Ta-Ta Cake!
Don’t let this one get away again. You know you want it. Or he does, anyway. And, of course, it’s Devil’s Food cake with a rich Chocolate Mousse filling. Painstakingly Created by Julie Ormerod

Kilimanjaro Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce – A creamy ivory white cheesecake with side of fresh raspberry sauce. Baked by Tomas Triana and his dad, Ray"
.

LINE UP for Live Auction

Here's the official list for Live Auction this coming Saturday night April 17th, 2010.

1 Two Giants Baseball Tickets for May 15th, 2010
Grab your mitt because you’ll be sitting just 11 rows behind home plate while the Giants play the Houston Astros on May 15th. This exciting game will be played at AT&T Park at 1:10pm so be sure to bring your sunscreen as you’ll be enjoying the sun in Section FC 113, Row K, seats 1 & 2. Donor: The Fife Family

2 Four Cal Women’s Huddle Tickets-July 30, 2010
Come play football with the 2010 California Golden Bears! Chat it up with Coach Jeff Tedford! Begin the night at Memorial Stadium with a reception of food and drinks while mingling with the players. This is your chance to get autographs and pictures. Then gather at the “tunnel” to get pumped up, and it’s out to the football field where we you get to play several different positions with the players as our guides. The women get to tour the locker room and gym and then it’s back to have some more food and drinks. The event begins at 4:30 pm when you arrive for Registration, the Huddle goes from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm and you’ll want to stick around for the Post-Huddle Social until 9pm. A unique experience you won’t want to miss. Donor: Cal Athletics

3 Golf for Four at the Contra Costa Country Club
Enjoy a round of golf for four (including cart) at the exclusive Contra Costa Country Club. The championship 18-hole golf course measures 6,550 yards and is consistently rated one of the top private courses in Northern California. This wonderful course was originally established in 1925 and was renovated in 1992 by Robert Muir Graves. All of the greens were reconstructed with a drought-resistant design. The course is routed through 145 acres and landscaped with mature native Oak, Eucalyptus and Redwood trees. The course gives all players a perfect blend of challenges and dramatic views. Days of use are Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday. Expires 3/11. Donor: Contra Costa Country Club Golf

4 Summer Furniture Suite
This lovely set of Ikea outdoor furniture will be yours to enjoy this summer in your outdoor living space. The line is called Applaro and includes a drop leaf table, two chairs and a bench for optional and flexible seating. No work required - it’s already been assembled. You’ll also get bright and comfortable seat cushions as well as an umbrella. To top the whole look off, you’ll also receive colorful lanterns that are great for decorative and evening lighting purposes. Donor: Ikea
5 Dinner and Wine Pairings for Four at Amber Bistro
Get together with friends or family and enjoy a wonderful evening of fine dining at Amber Bistro in Danville. You will be treated to a fabulous dinner for four, including wine chosen by the owner, Eric Janssen, who is a certified sommelier and a PHE dad! Tax and gratuity ARE included! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to wine and dine at Amber Bistro. Donor: Janssen Family - Amber Bistro

6 Hiking and Hamburgers with Sitka and Mrs. Voris
Sitka and Mrs. Voris will be your guides on a one- to three-hour moderate hike in the beautiful open space of the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed. After a few hours in the open air, enjoy a picnic with homemade hamburgers and all the fixings. Sitka will promise to eat your leftovers! All snacks and food will be provided to the members of your family. Vegetarian options will be provided upon request. Sitka and Mrs. Voris live in San Geronimo, Marin County, a 75-90 minute drive from Pleasant Hill, and their home is surrounded by acres of gorgeous open space. Choose your Date for the Hike: May 1 or May 8, 2010. Final arrangements to be made with winning bidders
and Mrs. Voris. Donor: Jennifer Voris

7 Principal for the Day
This spring, one lucky child will join Mrs. Voris in all the important PHE daily duties as Principal for the Day. Your student will receive a special name badge, make the morning announcements, do yard duty, observe classrooms, help with lunch duty, and attend important meetings. Your child’s leadership skills will shine on this special day! Principal for the Day will take place on: May 28, 2010. Donor: Jennifer Voris

8 Professional Chef Prepares Dinner for Eight!
A spectacular dinner for eight in the privacy of your own home! No need to go out because a private chef is coming to you to prepare a delicious three course meal for you and your friends. Chef Anne Dickey brings the food and 4 bottles of wine along with loads of experience from famous kitchens such as Chez Panisse, Fleur de Lys, and Postrio. Either treat your friends to an amazing evening or team together with your friends to win what is sure to be an auction highlight. You will then be able to relax and enjoy the company of your guests, while all culinary tasks are masterfully handled by your chef. Date to be mutually agreed upon. No Holidays. Expires 11/01/10. Food & wine provided by the Hanken Family. Donors: John & Nancy Hanken and Chef Anne Dickey

9 Guided Fly-Fishing Trip for Two
You and a friend will enjoy a guided fly-fishing trip on either the McCloud, Klamath or Upper Sacramento Rivers. John Rickard a highly regarded flyfishing guide will lead you in every aspect of the sport and at the end of the day you’ll walk away with an in-depth knowledge of equipment selection, casting techniques, entomology, techniques for fighting, landing and releasing fish and memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a novice, John will give you the fly-fishing trip of a lifetime. All trips include a streamside lunch, use of equipment, flies, etc...Please have a valid fishing license and appropriate stamps. Date to be mutually agreed upon, species of fish available subject to state law. Transportation not included. Expires: 4/17/11. http://wildwatersflyfishing.com; ohn@wildwatersflyfishing.com Donor: John Rickard

10 Mayor for the Day with Karen Mitchoff
This is always one of our most popular live auction items: Mayor for the Day for your child with Pleasant Hill Mayor Karen Mitchoff. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for your son or daughter to help run a Pleasant Hill City Council meeting, get to know the mayor and her aides, and learn about local government. Your lucky little one will start the day with a tour of City Hall and a photograph with the Mayor and your whole family. Then, after reviewing the City Council meeting agenda, the Mayor for the Day will help call the meeting to order, do roll call, and run the first 30 to 45 minutes of the meeting together with Mayor Mitchoff. Your child will also receive a gift bag with Pleasant Hill souveniers along with a certificate and DVD of the city council meeting. Date must be arranged in advance with Mayor Mitchoff’s assistant. Donation arranged by Mayor Karen Mitchoff, Council member Michael Harris, and the City of Pleasant Hill. Donor: Mayor Karen Mitchoff

11 Mid-Week Retreat in Beautiful Calistoga
Book your parents or in-laws for a quick getaway with this fabulous retreat package. Escape to Calistoga for one night, mid-week (Monday-Thursday) and stay at the historic Calistoga Inn. With a hundred year history of serving visitors, the Calistoga Inn is quintessential hospitality. You can enjoy lunch or dinner with the $50 gift certificate that comes with this basket at The Calistoga Inn Restaurant which hosts a popular outdoor dining patio stretching along the Napa River. Live jazz guitar is featured nightly during warm summer nights. During the day use the $100 gift card for spa services at the Goldenhaven Spa in Calistoga. Experience the magic of the Calistoga hot springs mineral water and rejuvenating spa treatments. For additional fun and shopping, use the $50 Visa Gift Card and $20 Gas CardPLUS to tour the Napa Valley. You’ll also receive 2 Riedel Wine glasses with 2 bottles of wine from Napa Valley: Newton the Puzzle…valued at $80 and Franciscan Magnificat…valued at $40. Don’t miss this fabulous opportunity! Donor: Mrs. Waters’ First Grade Class

12 Family Camping Trip...The Amazing Race
Back by popular demand and the LAST year to win a spot for you and your family at what might be the easiest and most fun group camping trip you’ve ever experienced! The Stokes family has organized this camping trip for 12 years running, and now you can join in the fun on KidTrip13. This year’s theme is The Amazing Race. You will be provided a beautiful camp location at Pinecrest Lake, dinner on Friday night, Saturday breakfast, lunch at the beach and a catered dinner and breakfast on Sunday morning (with plenty of adult beverages in between). Enjoy outdoor movies, swimming at the lake, kid’s night parade and dancing, frisbee golf, Friday morning 20-mile down hill mountain bike ride (car ride back to camp), Friday night ladies’ happy hour, camp fires, Amazing Race activities for the kids, and much, much more. Bring your sleeping bags, camp chairs and a few snacks & drinks, and an appetite for food & fun. A tent will be provided if you don’t have one. Join the Stokes with lots of other PHE families and friends. If you are already committed to going, this is a perfect opportunity to invite another family of your choice. First-time campers are encouraged to come! Dates: July 16-18th, 2010. Donor: Ron & Lori Stokes

13 Three Night, Four Day Stay at a Fabulous Cabin on Bass Lake
Nestled in the mountains near Yosemite is this wonderful family cabin on beautiful Bass Lake. There are plenty of things to do any time of year -- hiking, swimming, snow skiing, water sports, boating, fishing, and just plain relaxing just to name a few. Just a quick three-hour drive from the Bay Area and you’ll find yourself enjoying a little piece of heaven in the Sierra’s. This is a spacious cabin with six bedrooms (sleeps 12) plus an additional sleeping porch which sleeps four more, three full baths, a fully remodeled and stocked kitchen, wireless internet access, BBQ, TV/DVD and the most gorgeous views off the deck. Get a group of family or friends and go in on this fabulous getaway weekend. September is best month of all, the weather is still hot, the water is still warm and there are no crowds. If snow is your thing, use it in the winter and enjoy the alpine elements of the Sierras. Cannot be used during high season of mid-June through mid August. Deposit of $150 is required. Check out the property and it’s amenities at: www.basslakevacations.com/site/Overview/PropertyID__20550/4693/default.aspx Donor: The Sanner Family

14 Private Tasting for Ten at the Wine Thieves!
You and nine guests are invited to a privtae winetasting at Wine Thieves’ Lafayette location. Includes private cellar setting, stemware, education and fine wine service. You’re welcome to bring appetizers, create a potluck with your friends, or get a caterer. Have fun learning without the pretense of inhibition! Must call to schedule. Expires: 10/31/10.
Donor: Wine Thieves