Hello, fellow Avilones. Happy November to one and all! With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it is only appropriate that I begin this month's column with words of appreciation for those who played prominent roles in making the Foundation's inaugural Avila Apple Festival such a rousing success. I apologize in advance if anyone is left out, but so many people deserve credit that I may miss a few. Okay, here goes......first, a big "tip of the cap" to event coordinator Penny Burciaga. Little did she (or any of us for that matter) realize where this odyssey would take us. Going into event committee brainstorming sessions with a blank slate was risky, but in spite of the lofty aspirations Penny and crew were able to pull it off in grand style. The 360 people who attended the "Meet the Growers Farm to Table Dinner" on the secluded grounds of the Avila Barn were treated to a magical evening, largely due to the hospitality and heroic efforts of the Smith Family (Jake, Jesse, Debbie, Bruce, et al) and their staff. I don't know if it was my imagination, but the Smith Family seemed to grow in size exponentially as help was needed the day of the dinner. I also thank the handful of local apple growers who participated over the weekend, which included Avila Valley Barn, Gopher Glen, SLO Creek Farms, See Canyon Fruit Ranch and Cirone Farms.
The Festival event planning committee, which began meeting early in the year, included Foundation board members Stephen Johnson, Carolyn Morton and Chris DeWeese, social media marketing "Guru" Paula Dempsey, Civic Association representatives Vicki Book and Mary Foppiano, Jake Smith, and members of the Gable family, all who helped Penny with a variety of essential tasks such as soliciting sponsors and donors, marketing, securing musicians, coordinating with apple growers, vendors, contests, etc. And honorable mention goes to Foundation board members Mike Ritter, Julian Varela and Rick Rowe, who, along with volunteers Grier Eubanks and Jim LaMarca, were superb as hayride tour guides. I am also grateful for our Major Event Sponsors and business partners, a list that includes P.G. & E., Rabobank, The Richard and Kathy Zacky Family Foundation, Chevron, Avila Beach Tourism Alliance, Whole Foods Market, Joan Gellert-Sargen, County Supervisor Adam Hill, New Times, Tolosa Press, SLO County Parks, Blue Heron Realty, Cal-Coast Machinery, Carol Kiessig, Farm Supply, Founders' Community Bank, Networkmedia.com, and Mid Coast Realty.
While the Saturday "dinner" was a stylish kickoff for Avila Apple Festival weekend, the estimated 2,000 people who dropped by Sunday's Vendor Fair were treated to a uniquely family oriented and fun afternoon. Did you happen to see the exceedingly amusing apple pie eating contest between Cal Fire and SLO County Sheriff's? Surrounded by dozens of cheering fans, the six competitors literally faced off in this hands-free attempt to consume the most pie in the time allotted. Bent awkwardly at the waist with hands behind their back, the "magnificent six" went at it in a frenzy. When the crust settled, it was the Sheriffs by a nose - a nose full of pie filling, that is - who won the trophy and bragging rights until next year's competition. And you just HAD to be in stitches watching both the adults and youngsters who competed in the apple juggling contests, and you surely envied the kids who entered the caramel apple licking contest. Yes, it was indeed an "Everything Apple" weekend, as advertised. We are all anxious to see what Apple Festival II becomes next year.
Switching gears into grant-making mode, Foundation Trustees are in the throes of determining which organizations and projects we can support this coming year. Interviews of first time applicants have been completed, and funding decisions will be confirmed at the Foundation's November board meeting. This is always an interesting exercise because we do not have sufficient funds to support all requests. Community foundations and all grant making institutions constantly face the challenge of balancing the needs of longtime grant recipients with those of new and emerging community needs. Being nimble, proactive and strategic is important, and Avila Beach is fortunate to have a Foundation with Trustees that take very seriously the task of being good stewards of the community trust. I look forward to reporting to you via the December publication the projects and organizations to be funded for the coming year.
Last but not least, and in the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I encourage all of you to remember how fortunate we Avilones are to live in such a wonderful place. We should not take that for granted, and we all have a responsibility to participate when we can to help maintain and preserve life in Avila Beach. So many of you already do this through volunteering your time, sharing your financial resources, and being involved with local boards, committees, councils, etc. Avila is more than just a "beach". Avila is the people who live here, work here, invest here, visit here, and contribute to the town's well-being. That's it for now, fellow Avilones. Happy holidays, and I'll see you at the beach.
The Festival event planning committee, which began meeting early in the year, included Foundation board members Stephen Johnson, Carolyn Morton and Chris DeWeese, social media marketing "Guru" Paula Dempsey, Civic Association representatives Vicki Book and Mary Foppiano, Jake Smith, and members of the Gable family, all who helped Penny with a variety of essential tasks such as soliciting sponsors and donors, marketing, securing musicians, coordinating with apple growers, vendors, contests, etc. And honorable mention goes to Foundation board members Mike Ritter, Julian Varela and Rick Rowe, who, along with volunteers Grier Eubanks and Jim LaMarca, were superb as hayride tour guides. I am also grateful for our Major Event Sponsors and business partners, a list that includes P.G. & E., Rabobank, The Richard and Kathy Zacky Family Foundation, Chevron, Avila Beach Tourism Alliance, Whole Foods Market, Joan Gellert-Sargen, County Supervisor Adam Hill, New Times, Tolosa Press, SLO County Parks, Blue Heron Realty, Cal-Coast Machinery, Carol Kiessig, Farm Supply, Founders' Community Bank, Networkmedia.com, and Mid Coast Realty.
While the Saturday "dinner" was a stylish kickoff for Avila Apple Festival weekend, the estimated 2,000 people who dropped by Sunday's Vendor Fair were treated to a uniquely family oriented and fun afternoon. Did you happen to see the exceedingly amusing apple pie eating contest between Cal Fire and SLO County Sheriff's? Surrounded by dozens of cheering fans, the six competitors literally faced off in this hands-free attempt to consume the most pie in the time allotted. Bent awkwardly at the waist with hands behind their back, the "magnificent six" went at it in a frenzy. When the crust settled, it was the Sheriffs by a nose - a nose full of pie filling, that is - who won the trophy and bragging rights until next year's competition. And you just HAD to be in stitches watching both the adults and youngsters who competed in the apple juggling contests, and you surely envied the kids who entered the caramel apple licking contest. Yes, it was indeed an "Everything Apple" weekend, as advertised. We are all anxious to see what Apple Festival II becomes next year.
Switching gears into grant-making mode, Foundation Trustees are in the throes of determining which organizations and projects we can support this coming year. Interviews of first time applicants have been completed, and funding decisions will be confirmed at the Foundation's November board meeting. This is always an interesting exercise because we do not have sufficient funds to support all requests. Community foundations and all grant making institutions constantly face the challenge of balancing the needs of longtime grant recipients with those of new and emerging community needs. Being nimble, proactive and strategic is important, and Avila Beach is fortunate to have a Foundation with Trustees that take very seriously the task of being good stewards of the community trust. I look forward to reporting to you via the December publication the projects and organizations to be funded for the coming year.
Last but not least, and in the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I encourage all of you to remember how fortunate we Avilones are to live in such a wonderful place. We should not take that for granted, and we all have a responsibility to participate when we can to help maintain and preserve life in Avila Beach. So many of you already do this through volunteering your time, sharing your financial resources, and being involved with local boards, committees, councils, etc. Avila is more than just a "beach". Avila is the people who live here, work here, invest here, visit here, and contribute to the town's well-being. That's it for now, fellow Avilones. Happy holidays, and I'll see you at the beach.
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