Time With Friends
Community gathers at museum gala
A wonderful evening with friends, family, and good music as well a silent and live auction in a benefit for the Porterville Historical Museum made for a fun and elegant evening for community members.
The evening weather was balmy and just perfect for the outdoor event Wine and Dine Gala, with white linen covered tables and chairs outside on the museum patio, with guests enjoying each other’s company, touring the museum or looking at all of the various auction items, or chatting and sipping wine.
Friends had a marvelous time, seeing each other for the first time since the pandemic, and it made the evening especially memorable for many.
The beautiful weather made the evening even more enjoyable, George Baker entertained the guests with music from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and other classics throughout the evening
While guests browsed the auction items in the large back exhibit room, Jerry Kirby and other Museum Board members took turns hosting the wine bar and pouring wine for guests.
There were prints and original art by Justin Manning, Len Dicksen, and Brent Hudspeth on display that generated a lot of interest for the silent auction, as well as a great variety of other items such as a pewter statue of a mounted Indian similar to Remington, genuine Rayban Sunglasses and case, Jewelry donated by David Horowitz, a colorful vintage orange crate label, a large utility bag, a beautiful handmade quilt, a Quilt Gift Basket, a beautiful handmade African basket, a wrought iron candle mantelpiece, a handmade Neck Knife with a rawhide sheath, various artworks, and many more interesting items.
There was also a live auction featuring artwork and other items later in the evening after the delicious dinner of pot roast, green beans, rice, green salad and a
roll, with various types of cheesecake for dessert.
Early in the evening, when guests were perusing the silent auction items, Tina Pixler said she and her husband Todd came to see the artwork by Dickson and Manning, who are both local artists. The Pixlers have a small collection at home.
Susan Uptain, the Museum Curator, thanked all the guests for coming, and thanked the Museum Board of Directors for all their efforts. She also thanked David Hawley for his contributions.
Uptain esspecially thanked Richard Stover and Weisenberger’s hardware for their help with equipment for laying newly donated memorial bricks, and she thanked bricklayer Joe Sanchez who “Is an absolute artist” who laid the bricks on the walkway. Each memorial brick “inscribed in honor of family members or friends” was $100.
Uptain also thanked all the women who spotlessly cleaned the museum for the event, as well as Don Stover for the installation. She also thanked Stan Edwards for his generous donation of the new digital museum sign.
She thanked everyone again for their enthusiasm and for supporting the museum and spoke a bit about the new alarm system.
Linda and Roland Hill enjoyed the evening, and Linda said, “It went very well, so wonderful to see people again.” Many other board members also enjoyed the evening, the indomitable Bill Horst was there, with other members Jay Faure, Dan Hogan, and John Mcwilliams.
Richard Osborne chatted with friends, and David Horowitz sat at a table with friends. Sharon Kamberg and her husband attended, as well as Denise Marchant and her husband, lou. Dorothy Wagy and Dolores Mahnke were there, and many other community notables.
A good time was had by all and the benefit was a success as always.
“Look for new auction items at next years benefit,” said board member Kirby, “we have new ideas for next year.”