Letter: Gilroy Demonstration Garden thanks the community

Dear Editor,
On behalf of the Gilroy Demonstration Garden I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community and sponsors for their support of our first Dinner in the Garden fundraiser, this past Saturday, Nov. 5.
Despite the threat of rain, over 75 adventurous friends arrived in the garden to show their support. We shared the cozy evening together, enjoying appetizers, dinner and dessert; family style!
Friends of the garden cozied up by our wood fired pizza oven (built as a boy scout eagle scout project), and dined at one long and lovely table complete with fresh herbs and flowers, linens and china!
Part of our effort to keep our evening green. We were overwhelmed by the generous support of our community.
You can view photos from the event: here.
Our evening began with yummy appetizers courtesy of The Millias Restaurant, and Patti Tartaglia of the Food Fixx. Pizza was baked in our very own outdoor pizza oven, using our home grown herbs from the garden as her zesty topping! (You might want to consider the Food Fixx for cooking lessons with Patti). Delicious appetizers donated by The Millias Restaurant were served by our very own local Rebekah’s Childrens’ Home and their Culinary Academy students! We were also thankful to our local wineries for sharing their time and wines with us. Tastings were pared with appetizers and offered in the garden. Six Strings hosted a delightful and informative pouring table supported by co-owner Iain Crabb.  Fortino, Kirigin, and Lightheart Cellars also contributed lovely wines to complement our tasting selections.  As we mingled throughout the garden, we enjoyed the jazz instrumentals  provided by Butch and Friends.
Extra, extra, gratitude goes to Joe Walton & Lizarran Tappas Restaurant for their eternal support, generosity, and partnership! Lizarran supplied all of our tables, chairs, glasses and place settings … greatly enabling us to minimize our waste, reduce our costs, and make the garden a lovely place to be. A grand meal of tasty vegetable paella was prepared by chef Joe Walton himself, right in the garden. As neighbors and friends sipped on their local wine, and nibbled their garden hors d’ouerves, all seemed to enjoy the fellowship and company of the garden. 
Additional thanks to everyone who donated to our silent auction and enabled it to be such a success! Many local stores and friends made this possible.  Gifts included, “Dinner in the Garden for 8,” “two nights stay at a cabin outside of Yosemite,” “Yummy Gourmet Food Baskets,” “Sports Memorabilia,” “Children’s Books and Toys” and many others. Thanks and congrats to all our winning bidders!
As the sun went down, we finished the evening with Rachel and her wonderful Culinary Academy students, (Rebekah’s Children’s Home) serving their delicious home baked goodies! Rebekah and the Culinary students were weekly vendors at our summer Farmers Market, so we knew their treats would be a perfect way to complement the evening. (We look forward to next spring when we will see them once again, at the Market!)
We close with great gratitude and thanks, to our community for their ongoing support of our mission in the garden. Our Dinner in the Garden was made successful with your partnership. Your partnership enables us to continue our goal.  For Gilroy to unite as a community in the garden, learning about good health, healthy garden practices, and “creating community, one seed at a time.”
If you would like to support the Gilroy Demonstration Garden, be it a gift of time,  talent, or through a donation; all are welcome and greatly appreciated.  For more information on how you can become a volunteer or “friend of the garden”, please contact us at fr****************@ya***.com. You can also drop by the garden on our official work days, Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m.  to noon.  In addition to gardening, we host a variety of programs and workshops, summer camp for kids, teen interns, a Saturday morning Farm Stand where you can purchase our organically grown with love, vegetables, flowers and herbs; Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Judy Hess, Garden Director; Sue Middagh, Volunteer Coordinator;and all our volunteer gardeners!