Volcan Mountain Foundation

The Volcan Mountain Foundation’s 21st Annual Dinner Dance & Auction on Sunday, March 4th at Camp Stevens, was by all accounts a picture perfect event.  Kids With Cameras, recognition awards for special VMF supporters, and donations for an upgraded well pump and water tank made the biggest splash.  In strong evidence throughout the evening was how critical the role is that volunteers and financial supporters play in the ongoing successes of the Foundation and its work to protect and preserve Volcan Mountain.

The Dinner Dance is VMF’s largest annual fundraiser, and over $43,000 (and counting) has been raised through this year’s event.  While guests shopped the silent auction and native plants for sale donated by Tree of Life Nursery, they were treated to complimentary wine and spirits from La Serenissima Winery, J. Jenkins Winery, and Julian Hard Cider, with hors d’oeurves courtesy of Orchard Hill Country Inn.  Guests have been raving about the fantastic dinner provided with substantial underwriting by Peartrees Catering, and skillfully served by Peartrees crew in partnership with Camp Stevens’ fantastic volunteer staff.  The array of tempting desserts provided compliments of Anita Nichols of Mom’s Pie House and her loyal crew of dinner dance volunteers did not disappoint.

The Foundation is incredibly grateful to the many auction donors, and Fab Feast and Experience hosts, whose generosity contributed to over $25,000 in proceeds.  There are still some auction items and event spaces available.  Please visit us at www.VolcanMt.org for a list of the generous donors, and items and events that are still available.

Larry & Susan Favrot were honored with VMF’s 2012 Guardian Award for their years of conservation commitment and generous support for VMF through The Favrot Fund.  Toni Marquette was honored for volunteering as VMF’s Treasurer and bookkeeper for 22 years before recently stepping down to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.  Her passion for the mountain showed in her sweet, tearful acceptance.

Laural Cantor and Ethan Elisara, Julian Elementary sixth-graders and participants in the recent inaugural class of Kids With Cameras, gave inspiring and articulate presentations on how their involvement with Kids With Cameras has increased their connection with and awareness of the importance of the environment, art and protecting special places like Volcan Mountain.  Volunteers were truly in focus and key to bringing Kids With Cameras, which was the brain-child of VMF board member, Jeff Holt to life last fall.

Longtime VMF supporter, MaryBeth Burnham, who could not attend this year, had a beautiful plaque specially made and presented to honor the generous donors to last year’s ‘fund a need’ project—a state-of-the-art composting toilet.  The plaque will be ceremoniously affixed when the composting toilet is installed this spring.  Following the exciting and successful live auctioning of a one-week trip for two to Rancho La Puerta by Master of Ceremonies and VMF Board President, Michael Pinto, VMF guests, once again, showed their boundless generosity by pledging a collective $10,000 for this year’s ‘fund a need’ project—a much–needed well pump and water tank upgrade.

Special thanks go to the many volunteers who gave so generously of their time and energy to make this event such a success, including everyone at Camp Stevens, VMF Fundraising Chair, Pat Straube, VMF Auction Chair, Vicki Bergstrom, and the VMF staff and volunteer ‘hands on deck’ who went ‘above and beyond’ to help pull this event off:  Kathleen Beck, Colleen Bradley-Kaltenthaler, Gina Campus, Rita Cantor, Anne Dawkins, Tulay Elkin, Tricia Elisara, Sheana Fry, Kathy Goddard, Leena Hannonen, Virginia Levenson, Jim Lydick, Marisa McFedries, Jonathan Mittleman, Maril Parker, Dana Pettersen, Allison Pettross-Conitz, Kathy Schuett, and Arlene Smith.