Community support abounds at Sip & Savour fundraiser

October 22, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
It’s quite something when the Big Apple comes knocking.
King residents were treated to the New York style Sip & Savour fundraiser Thursday evening, in aid of the King Township Food Bank.
It was a gala affair, complete with pomp and pageantry, offering food and drink fit for VIPs and red carpet celebrities.
The event came together thanks to the hard-working efforts of Food Bank volunteers and King’s very generous sponsors, who rallied around this worthwhile cause.
This was the largest fundraiser to date for the Food Bank, a testament to the community support for this worthy cause. The event raised roughly $20,000 far more than organizers hoped.
Rallying the troops was Margaret Hastings, the fundraising chair. Local corporate sponsorships helped make the event a huge success.
The hall at Nobleton Lakes Golf Club was transformed into a big city cocktail party, complete with masterful culinary creations from the club’s chef and staff.
Passed hors d’ouvres included shrimp Caesar shots, chicken Teriyaki satays, stuffed mushrooms with Chorizo sausage, pastrami cured salmon gravlax on rye.
There was a display of imported Italian cheeses and stone fruits, and a harvest table of antipasto selections that included grilled vegetables, tomato-bononcini, melon-prosciutto and a variety of fresh baked breads. The antipasto station, sponsored by Joe Saraceni, was a full 16 feet long.
“Take me to the ball park” was the theme at the pulled pork station, complemented by a popcorn machine. The pulled pork sliders were sponsored by Schomberg Quality Meats.
The shucked east coast malpeque oyster bar with shrimp cocktail was a popular spot. It was sponsored by Orr Insurance.
The dessert table, sponsored by Lucy Brookhouser, featured more than 500 desserts donated by Dorio’s Bakery, Cappucino Bakery, Sweet Regards, Sin’Sational Sweets and Zuccaro.
The food was exquisite, and was prepared by Nobleton Lakes from meat, seafood and produce supplied by sponsors John’s No Frills, Schomberg Foodland, and Schomberg Quality Meats.
Paper Crane, sponsored by Trends Realty, was on site with its authentic sushi.
King Weekly Sentinel Editor Mark Pavilons was MC for the evening.
He introduced the three live auction items. The total raised in both the live and silent auction was $5,670.
The first was lunch with MP Paul Calandra at Locale in King City.
A private suite at the Air Canada Centre to watch a Toronto Raptors’ game was generously donated by Preistly Demolition.
The hottest item was breakfast with Mayor Steve Pellegrini. As the bidding went back and forth, the winning bidder asked whether the mayor would go to her house to cook breakfast. He agreed and his services sold for a whopping $2,000 to Lucy Stocco, from Tribute Communities.
The entertainment for the evening was provided by King resident and funk/soul singer Ron Littlejohn, joined by guitarist Garreth Parry.
Scotiabank sold 60 tickets in their branch, and matched every ticket sold with a $40 donation, donating a total of $2,400 on top of their platinum sponsorship.
It was a total community team effort and next year’s gala, to mark the Food Bank’s 10th anniversary, will be bigger and better than ever.