On Saturday evening, Aug. 26, Elks Lodge No. 1538 was overrun with young people from Allan Hancock College all sporting numbered football jerseys and, maybe, shoulder pads.
Who were these bulked-up bulldogs? Well, the big guys and the really big guys were likely football players, the tall guys were likely basketball players, and the gals were likely from a variety of sports teams. Non-Hancock volunteers also wore the shirts.
They were assisting with the 16th annual Joe White Memorial Dinner and Auction. Sponsored by the Hancock College Boosters, this annual fundraiser brings in big bucks for improving and expanding sports facilities at the college. Since the inception of the event, it has raised (before Saturday night) $764,000 for the athletic programs.
This is an important event that attracts dedicated and diehard Hancock fans (sports and otherwise).
More than 300 tickets were sold at $60 each. Attendees had the opportunity to open their wallets for silent- and live-auction items, some of which were simply fantabulous.
One live auction item, “NASA’s First Ever Mars Launch VIP Experience,” blew me away and made me wish I could have bid on the opportunity to watch this historic event, scheduled for May 5, 2018, at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The lucky winner of this package, which went for more than $5,000, will get four viewing site passes and two nights at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, where there will be activities related to the historic launch.
At the dessert table (featuring immediately edible live-auction items), Sue Holder pointed out to me the three-tier cake she made and decorated. Awesome, Sue! She is proud of the fact that she does this every year.
Serendipity struck when I bumped into Ron Lovell at the live-auction item display table. He teaches in Hancock’s culinary arts program and told me that some of the graduates of that program go on to great jobs in the booming hospitality industry.
Jan Bartleson, Delores Luis, and Marian Long were among the attendees. I enjoyed brief chats with Richard Mahon, a dean at Hancock, and board trustees Hilda Zacharias and Jeff Hall.
Among the crowd were City Council members Mike Cordero, Dr. Mike Moats, and Etta Waterfield. County Supervisor Steve Lavagnino was a most engaging master of ceremonies, while Jim Glines, legendary Hancock Booster, was auctioneer.
The New York strip steak dinner included tamales, salad, and garlic bread. Billy and Sue Ruiz of Cowboy Flavor prepared the delicious spread. Hancock students served. There was something called a $2 Bill Frenzy, and the sale of mystery bags for $20 a pop. One mystery bag buyer told me a gift certificate to Cool Hand Luke’s restaurant was in her bag.
Hobnobbing begets more hobnobbing. When you are out and about, you learn about upcoming events. And thanks to Ron and Stacy Verbryke for a heads up on developments at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum.
Lee Graulich, CFO for Plantel Nurseries (they donate plant seedlings to the Discovery Museum for kids to take home), also gave me some info on what the Discovery Museum has coming up.
Joe White was dean of students, athletic director, and a coach at Hancock. He was instrumental in building the foundation for the success of Hancock’s athletics department. The annual dinner is a great tribute to him.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 7, 2017.
