Hundreds of patrons poured through the doors of Perona Farms on Monday
night to help support Project Self-Sufficiency at the 21st annual A Taste of
Talent, a fundraising event which offered guests the opportunity to sample appetizers,
entrees and desserts from almost 40 area restaurants while mingling with the
chefs. Patrons were also invited to bid
on the tabletop creations of several local designers. Proceeds from the event benefited Project
Self-Sufficiency’s programs for low-income families in Sussex, Warren, and
Hunterdon counties.
Beverly Gordon, President of Project Self-Sufficiency’s Board of
Directors, remarked, “We would not be able to offer this event year after year without
the unflagging dedication of the restaurateurs and chefs in our community. We are indebted to them for their
enthusiastic participation and for their creativity.”
Participating restaurants included Perona Farms; Alice’s; Andre’s
Restaurant; Between the Bread; Black Forest Inn; Bobolink Dairy &
Bakehouse; Café Pierrot; The Carriage House; The Chatterbox Drive-In; The
Chocolate Goat; The Clay Oven; Cliff’s Homemade Ice Cream; De Bragga, New
York’s Butcher; Dominick’s Italian Restaurant; Fossil Farms; Fran’s Farmhouse
Kitchen; Front Porch Organics; George’s Wine & Spirits Gallery; Gourmet
Gallery; Hayek’s Market; The Inn at Millrace Pond; Chef Jesse Jones; Krave Café
& Caterers; Mama’s Café Baci; Milk Street Distillery; Pattycakes Bake Shop;
Pies on Wheels; Ristorante Il Porto; Riviera Maya; Salt Gastro Pub; South +
Pine American Eatery; Springhouse Dairy & Creamery; St. Moritz Grill &
Bar; Tanti Baci Caffe; Texas Smokehouse Barbecue; Upstream Grille; WheelHouse
Craft Kitchen + Bar.
Guests were also invited to stroll through the cavernous kitchen at
Perona Farms and witness a cooking demonstration by Patty Gozdenovich, owner of
Pattycakes Bake Shop, who offered a tutorial on cake decorating and even had
cupcakes on hand for patrons to decorate themselves.
The entryway at Perona Farms was transformed into a showcase featuring
the wares of local designers, including Patricia Bruterri, Sweet P.E.A.’s;
Holly George, Holly George Interior Design; Jacky Murphey, Victory Frame Shop; and
Alicia Shearer, Alicia Shearer Interior Design. Patrons bid on table designs which featured
place settings for eight, art objects, and decorative items designed to highlight
the event’s theme, “Life is Sweet.” All items were sold at a Silent Auction,
with the proceeds benefiting Project Self-Sufficiency.
“A Taste of Talent directly benefits our Sussex County neighbors in need,
and is the cornerstone to our annual campaign,” noted Deborah Berry-Toon,
Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.
“We are exceptionally grateful for the time, talent and resources
provided by the chefs and the designers who have contributed to this event year
after year, and to the entire community for their support of our programs for
low-income families.”
Supporters of the event donated funds at several levels, ranging from
individual tickets priced at $200 to contributions of $30,000 or more. In recognition of the agency’s upcoming 30th
anniversary celebration, those sponsors who pledged at the 30-Year Champion
Level included Francesca Fazzolari, James Alexander Corporation; Beverly and
Bruce Gordon; Greg and Sue Murphy; Selective Insurance Company of America;
Rhoda and Norman Seider.
The Honorable Lorraine and Dr. Tim Parker
offered their support at the Chairman’s Table level.
The President’s Club was comprised of Friends of Project Self-Sufficiency;
Franklin Mutual Insurance Company; J.P. Perry, Henry O. Baker Insurance; and
Don Williams.
Partners included Jay and
Judy Dunn; Kathy and Lou Esposito; First Hope Bank; Joanne Friedman, Gallant
Hope Farm; George’s Salvage Company; Frances Gould Naftal and Marvin Naftal,
Flatbrook Farm; Mark Maruska, Gravity DesignWorks; The McNamara Family, Safety
Scaffolds; Keith Mitchell, The Mitchell Agency; Candace Moose; Luke Olenowski,
Sr.; Harold and Lois Pellow; Friends of Project Self-Sufficiency; Derek
Weippert, Phonenix Insurance Group, Inc.; Vince Perrella, The Printing Center;
Shop Rite, RoNetco Supermarkets, Inc.; Stocker Bus Company and Current
Adventure; Tri-State Insurance Company.
Anniversary Celebrant-level support was provided by Larry and Mary Anne
Condit; Jim and Dolores Fernandez; Brian and Ron-Dee Lockwood.
Supporters at the Patron
level included Anonymous; Ed Susco, Audio Visual Associates, Inc.; Paris and
Ginny Eliades; Hollander, Strelzik, Pasculli, Pasculli, Hinkes, Wojcik,
Gacquin, Vandenberg & Hontz, LLC; David and Margery Inkeles; Kevin and
Susie Jenkins; Julie Killen; Lakeland Bank; Elsie J. Lorber; James Moore
Construction; Morris, Downing & Sherred, LLP; Chuck and Lora Musilli; Newton
Medical Center; Nisivoccia, LLC; Brandon and Shannon Nothstine; Barbara O’Neill
and Gene Bronson; Sony and Fabiola Oozerrally; Greg and Leslie Plifka; Sylvia
and Ron Petillo, Petillo Enterprises; John and Peggy Post; Todd and Melissa
Sacchiero; Smith-McCracken & Wood Funeral Homes; Robert Soldoveri,
Whispering Pines Farms; Dr. Donato Stelluto, School Board Services, Inc.;
Tesoroni & LeRoy, Attorneys at Law; John and Jody Ursin; Bill and Laura
Cowan, Willco Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating, Inc.
Sponsors included Elise and
Tom Adams; Del and Donna Allison; Dr. Pamela Alberto and Dr. Sung Cho; Jeanne
Apryasz; Jim and Lana Ayers; Berkley College; Marjorie Bresler; Dr. Chris
Canzoniero, Wellness Pediatrics; Caristia, Kulsar & Wade; Cliff’s Homemade
Ice Cream; The Cummins Family; Colleen Cunningham, Esquire; William and Marion
Curcio; MaryAnn and Phil Deacon, Deacon Homes, Inc.; Delade Brothers Electric,
Inc.; Damian and Jill DelGaizo; Robert “Mike” Dolan, Weichert Realtors; Jon
Eigner, Northern Rain Irrigation; Fairclough Propane; Farmside Landscape and
Design; Freedom Business Machines; The Honorable Ronald and Virginia Graves; The
Hardware Store; Hautau & Sons, LLC; R.G. and B.W. Huber; Janice
Illingworth; Linda and Bruce Jorritsma; Henry and Patricia Knaust; Charles
Kuperus, Tire King; Hilary Kruce and Vince Signorile; Thomas and Colleen
McGinn; Robert and Valerie McKenna; Linda and George Miller; James and Mary
Milnor; Gail and Richard Miner; Suzanne and Gerry Mirkov; Bill Moynihan; Basil
and Diane O’Connor; Carl Ohlson and Melissa Bogert; Senator Steve and Mrs. Rita
Oroho; Gail Phoebus, Farmstead Golf & Country Club; R. B. Painting Plus; Stephen
Wescott, Sterling Financial Group; Michael and Barbara Stieglitz; Ken and
Cheryl Syberg; Paula Tarzian, In Memory of Harry Tarzian; Dr. Richard Vaz;
Peter and Sheila Ventricelli; Michelle Vosper and Leslie Nai-Kawilo; Fred and
Renee Zierold; Krista Zucherri.
Music was provided by a
variety of individuals and groups, including the Meant to be Jazz Ensemble, Glenn
Merritt, Alan Hayes, Joe Guerra and Pete Omelio; Gary Kraemer, Michael De Maio,
and Larry Supp; students from the Sparta High School Strings program, Buddy
Al-Aydi, Brent Bloomgren, Cameron Ekeman, Amanda Friesen, Nicole Kwan, Sam
Mathusek, Jack McGovern, Lucille Mure, Alex Poret and Jacob Seder; Katie and
Andrew Van Varick; Raphael Krause and John Pachnos, from the Bill Wright School
of Music; harpist Patti Spyer; the Skylands Dulcimer String Band; Elisa
Schaffer and her piano students, Michelle Handrich, Emma Kimble, Avia and Maris
Van Pelt, Sophie Wierzbicki, and Katie Williver; and the Sussex Brass Quintet,
Christian Arnold, Jim Robinson, Kevin Shinall and Harold Woods.
Project Self-Sufficiency is a private non-profit
community-based organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income
families residing in northwestern New Jersey.
The agency’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of holistic,
respectful, and comprehensive services enabling low-income single parents, teen
parents, two-parent families, and displaced homemakers to improve their lives
and the lives of their children while achieving personal and economic
self-sufficiency and family stability.
Since 1986 Project Self-Sufficiency has served more than 25,000
families. To make a contribution to
Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500 or 844-807-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.
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