This year’s theme is Mistletoe Martini. Event coordinators are Jan Hawkes, Jeanne Duncan, Jade Neff, and Karen McGowan who are arranging a glamorous and elegant semi-formal dinner dance to be held on Sunday, Dec. 1, at the San Tan Ballroom in Cottonwood Country Club. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with a cash bar, basket raffles, and a silent auction featuring unique donated prizes. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. featuring a sit-down plated Surf & Turf dinner (petite filet and sea scallops, plus sides), followed by live music and dancing by Rhythm Edition starting at 7 p.m. The $70 per-person ticket price includes tax and tip, with tickets available beginning Oct. 4 online at our website, slcommunityfoundation.com.
This gala event is our biggest fundraiser of the season and, as always, we are featuring a fabulous array of raffle baskets and silent auction items, along with our voluntary Crystal Donation Bowl to raise funds to support the mission of the Foundation “to enhance the quality of life for senior residents in the Greater Sun Lakes area in the areas of health, education, and culture.” Since our inception in 2015, the Foundation has awarded more than $150,000 in grants and donations to multiple organizations that serve the older population in the East Valley. Examples of some organizations that have received funding include the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority (AFMA) for the firefighters’ food fund; Neighbors Who Care to support the purchase of their new van, as well as many other programs; The Crystal Card Project, which gives 100% of their sales to help local shelters; the Sun Lakes Community Theatre to help purchase a state-of-the-art lighting system; Sun Lakes Community Theatre Children’s Productions to support the theatre troupe performing plays that are structured to teach children about theater in 25 to 30 Chandler elementary schools each year; Sun Lakes Citrus Sharers who picked over 100 tons of citrus to donate to local food banks; both the Sun Lakes Posse and the Arizona Rangers; and many more local organizations.
The Foundation’s ability to award these grants is made possible through the financial generosity of individuals and companies that wish to enhance the quality of life for residents of Sun Lakes. The support by our friends and neighbors at events like the Holiday Gala and the spring Hoedown, as well as the raffle tickets purchased at TAD musical events at Cottonwood Country Club, are central to the Foundation’s continued support of organizations serving older residents in our communities as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. More information is on our website slcommunityfoundation.com.