Montalvo Arts Center Raises More Than Half A Million At Annual Gala

From acrobats to can-can dancers Montalvo Arts Center's historical Villa and grounds were transformed into the iconic Parisian night club Moulin Rouge for its biennial fundraising gala, Moulin Montalvo: A Gala Night in Montmartre on June 16. The event broke all previous fundraising records, collecting more than half a million dollars for the arts organization. The evening included live entertainment, an array of sumptuous cuisine by Le Papillon paired with Champagne Taittinger and French wines, plus a high-spirited live auction. The $600,000 raised from this black-tie event will support the Center's artistic and educational programming efforts and ongoing mission to engage the community in the creative process.

The Moulin Montalvo committee prepared a thrilling event that raised funds to support one of Silicon Valley's premier outlets for the visual and performing arts. Guests for the night indulged in fine dining and delectable wines, and danced to The Money Band inside the historical Villa. The exciting live auction helmed by "auctiontainer" Letitia Frye was a highlight as guests snapped up a getaway to Maui; an adventure in Pebble Beach; a golfing trip to St. Andrews, Scotland; a wine bottling party with a meal provided by Le Papillon, and other treats.

Among the guests enjoying the festivities were members of the Moulin Montalvo committee, who spent countless hours on this biennial gala: co-chairs Marcia Hansen and Deborah Stolle of Saratoga and Sydene Kober of Monte Sereno; and committee members Gretchen DiNapoli and Sue Mueller of Los Gatos, Debbie Gong-Guy of Saratoga, and Gayla Wood of Los Altos.

Sponsors of the event included: Peggy Dozier, The Harriman Family, Cathie and Jeffrey Thermond, Charmaine and Dan Warmenhoven, Kim Worsencroft and Dennis McEvoy, Applied Materials, Heritage Bank of Commerce, Gretchen and Matt DiNapoli, Alice Phelan Sullivan Corporation, Gayla and Walt Wood, Karen and Todd Bria, Marcia and Russ Hansen, Joseph George Wines, Vintage Wine Merchants, Fleur de Cocoa, and Anne Sisteron Fine Jewelry.

Montalvo Arts Center is a donor-supported nonprofit institution whose mission is to engage the public in the creative process, acting as a catalyst for exploring the arts, unleashing creativity, and advancing different cultural and cross-cultural perspectives. Located in Silicon Valley's Saratoga Hills, Montalvo occupies a Mediterranean-style Villa, built in 1912 by Senator James Duval Phelan and surrounded by 175 stunning acres. Senator Phelan bequeathed the Villa and grounds to the people of California for the encouragement of art, music, literature, and architecture, a mandate Montalvo has carried forward ever since its founding. The grounds include the campus of the Sally and Don Lucas Artists Residency Program (LAP), the Claire Loftus Carriage House Theatre, and the Lilian Fontaine Garden Theatre. For more information about Montalvo Arts Center and its programs, the public can call 408-961-5858 or visit montalvoarts.org.