Wine auction event moves to larger location, garners more guests.

Despite the blistering heat Saturday afternoon, nearly 400
people gathered to honor pioneering supporters of the SCV
Senior Center,
have a little wine and raise a good amount of money for the home-delivered
meals program.

Wine bottles await patrons at Saturday’s Senior Center fundraiser

The 17^th annual Benefit Auction, this year themed
“The Flavors Of Life,” moved from its tradition location behind Le Chene
Restaurant on Sierra Highway
to Mann Biomedical park in Valencia,
where guests could mill around dozens of gift baskets and tableaus of items
available during a silent auction before a delicious meal and the lively Live
Auction.

Before the spending started, emcee Chris Fall and Senior
Center Foundation President Duane Harte introduced the guests of honor, wine
auction founders, Santa Clarita Mayor Emeritus Jo Anne Darcy and Le Chene owner
Juan Alonso, who arrived in a white horse-drawn carriage.

Senior Center Foundation President Duane Harte and auctioneer Chris Fall talk about the honorees

Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar brought Alonso and Darcy up
to the stage on the broad expanse of lawn at Mann
Biomedical Park.

“I’ve
had the privilege of knowing Jo Anne for about 25 years now,” Kellar said. “We
could talk about her all afternoon and not cover everything she’s done for this
city. She has been the biggest supporter and set the standard for the rest of us.”

Councilman
Frank Ferry echoed Kellar’s praise.

“Jo
Anne is what a public servant should be,” he said, remembering Darcy’s work as
both field representative for County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and one of the
founding Santa Clarita City Council members. “I would go down to her office and
we would talk about helping people for hours. She sets the bar at the highest
end for all elected officials when it comes to having a loving and giving
heart. Jo Anne Darcy is my hero and she always will be.”

Juan Alonso and Jo Anne Darcy, founders of the annual wine auction event

Kellar
asked the audience to stand and give Darcy and Alonso a toast for their
dedication to the seniors and their founding of the popular event.

“A
million thanks to all of you,” Darcy said when handed the mike. “It’s been my
pleasure to work with this city, to help create it and make it bigger and be
more helpful to all the needs of the city. Every time we have a program there
are a number of people who always come up and thank me. I thank you all, you
don’t have to thank me, I want to do what I do. I want to help and that’s what
I’m here for, I want to help.”

The
afternoon progressed with a live auction by the enthusiastic Fall who
encouraged bidders to spend generously on items that included collectible
wines, trips, sports memorabilia, lunch with Congressman Buck McKeon in Washington
D.C. and theater tickets, as well as a
surprise SWAT drop in that scooped up the lucky final bidder.

Harte
said that he thought the event went well, but final numbers are not yet
available.

“Everybody
seemed to be having a good time,” he said.

Auction volunteers get ready for bidding