Wine Tasting
Please attend this event and please donate an item for our live or silent auction.
At this event, you will enjoy Dave Bender from channel 13 as our Master of Ceremonies and live auctioneer, the Honor Guard from Travis Air Force Base, the Sacramento Blues Band, plus the wonderful wineries and restruants serving tastes of food, live and silent auctions, ballroom dancing demonstrations by Showcase Ballroom Studio from Folsom, and you can dance the night away.
Questions Janet LaPerle Cell 916-628-1572 Home 916-983-2765
In November 2004, I started thinking about the many children who have lost a parent in the war. At that time, I was also working full time, taking a college class, helping our daughter get ready to travel to Italy for four months and our son was starting his senior
year at Jesuit High School in Sacramento, CA. Still, the thought would not leave me. I really wanted to know more about the children and their well-being. In January, I did some research and found out how the government assists the children.
After learning more about the many children who have lost a parent in the war, I decided to plan a fundraiser of some kind to honor the children and to let them know they are not forgotten. The first step was deciding whether to start a new organization or chose one that already had a sound reputation for distributing the donated funds.
A month later, I came upon "Freedom Alliance," which was founded by Oliver North as a non-profit organization 15 years ago. Oliver North has fought in, and reported from, several wars and received many requests from soldiers asking him to "Please take care of my children."
Accordingly, Oliver North decided to do something and started the "Freedom Alliance" scholarship fund for teenagers who have lost a parent during military service.
Another organization I researched was "Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors", also known as “TAPS”. Bonnie Carroll founded this non-profit organization after her husband, a Brigadier General, was killed in a plane crash several years ago.
"TAPS" devotes itself to supporting spouses and children immediately following the death of a parent.
It was, indeed, heartwarming to find such great organizations. After some deliberation, the Folsom Community Center was selected as the venue to hold this fund-raiser.
At first, I was reluctant to submit a deposit not knowing how successful the event would be, but I held profound faith and passion for the children who suffered the loss of a parent. I was convinced that the event would be a success.
Before securing the Folsom Community Center, I asked if Greg Scott, a professional singer, song-writer and friend, if he would perform at the event.
Since he has a big heart for the children, he readily accepted the offer.
I also asked Greg to write a song dedicated to the children. Greg was inspired when he watched a "Freedom Alliance "DVD which demonstrated how the Alliance enabled the children to attend college.
Because Greg is a perfectionist and wanted the song to be very meaningful, he took his time writing the song and asked a gospel choir to accompany him.
Greg and the team thought "Keep On Believing" was such an appropriate title for the song Greg wrote and dedicated to the children. The CD was completed and is available to purchase for $15.00. Greg performed the song "Keep on Believing", at our event and his Grapefruit Wine Band performed, as well.
On April 15, 2005, my family and I invited 17 friends to our home and ask them to be part of this heartwarming journey. They all came without really knowing all the details and it was such a blessing. After four months of team meetings, and long hours our August 13, 2005 benefit event was a huge success.
A big "Thank You" to the twelve wineries from Folsom, Camino, Coloma, Lodi, Shingle Springs, Acampo, and Manteca including the twelve restaurants from Folsom and El Dorado Hills that served tastes of food. They were a huge part in making our event successful last year. It is my sincere hope they will join us again this year to serve their wonderful wines and foods.
A big “Thank You” to the wonderful businesses from Folsom, Placerville, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Sacramento, Lodi, Grass Valley and surrounding areas that donated over 180 items for our live and silent auction from amounts of $10.00 - $2,100.00.
Dave Bender from Channel 13 is amazing. He did a fantastic job as our live auctioneer. Dave will be back again this year. Yes!, July 29, 2006.
In addition, Colonel Emory J. Hagan III spoke, the Travis Air Force Base Color Guard performed, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Jerry Helmen graced us with a prayer, and a Folsom Children's Group sang the "Star Spangled Banner". Military women and men in dress uniform greeted guests at the door. Sheriff John McGinnis and Assemblyman, Tim Leslie, attended along with many other wonderful people supporting our event.
The Tell The Children...Keep On Believing 2005 event donated $5,000.00 to Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors and $5,000.00 to Freedom Alliance after expenses were paid.
Many Thanks to everyone who supported volunteered, attended, and supported this wonderful event and making it a huge success to remember our Fallen Hero’s and their Children this event to remember the Fallen Hero’s and their children.
It would not have been successful without a wonderful team Thank You to all of you that worked for months to make the event a success.
Please mark your calendars
Date: July 29, 2006
Time: 6:00-11:00
Folsom Community Center
Cost: $25.00
Questions: Janet LaPerle, Founder & Chairperson
Phone 916-628-1572
teamjarv@sbcglobal.net
Candy Scherr 916-284-4049
Toni Pacheco 983-7286
We are asking for your support again to make our July 29, 2006 event even a huge success. Again, please attend on July 29, 2006 bring your dancing shoes, your appetites, a little extra cash if you think you want to bid on an item or two.
"Tell the Children...Keep On Believing" event
Last years benefit was held on Saturday August 13, 2005
|
