PEF plans big BASH to support area schools

This year’s PEF BASH supporting the Petaluma Educational Foundation will be held Sept. 9 in the Petaluma Veteran’s Building. The night will be another big night of dancing, dining and auctions benefiting all 38 Petaluma-area public, not-for-profit and charter schools.

Starting with signature cocktails, a super-silent auction and Wine Wall raffle, the night continues with a live auction offering an opportunity to bid on packages featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences, culinary and excursion auction lots.

It all leads to the gala’s highlight when the essence of the night’s message about financially supporting the effort to elevate the educational opportunities for every student leads to the 450-plus guests collectively raising their paddles to pledge support to all Petaluma students.

One-hundred percent of the pledges during the Fund the Future paddle raise go to support the foundation’s annual grant program that this year exceeded the milestone mark of $3 million in support since the program started in 1982. This, combined with the total PEF Scholarship awards, amounts to more than $6 million in giving through the mission of PEF since its inception.

Live music by the Bay Area’s own Pride & Joy will add to the night’s ambiance. All-inclusive tickets ($150 per person until Aug 10, $175 starting Aug. 11) are available by contacting the PEF Office at 778-5063 or visiting the event website at petaluma.ejoinme.org/bash17. PEF’s Online BASH Auction kicks off Aug. 17 and runs through Aug. 31 at biddingforgood.com/pefinfo/bash2017.

Annual PEF Partners for Education are Clover Stornetta Farms, Petaluma Market and Petaluma Health Care District. Presenting event partners are Exchange Bank and Dairy Delivery.

Several other businesses have committed to keep education as a priority in the community by becoming corporate sponsors. They include: Salutatorian partners: Law Offices of Bridget Mackay, Lace House Linen and St. Joseph Health; Honor Roll partners: Bank of Marin; Encore Events Rentals, First Community Bank; Hansel Auto Group; Hennessy Funds; Mike Hudson Distributing; Petaluma Argus Courier; Petaluma Minuteman Press; Petaluma Post-Acute Rehab; Pisenti & Brinker LLP; Sonoma Clean Power; W.K. McLellan Co.; Teacher’s Pet partners; Bergin Glass & Etching; Cinema West; Comcast; Don Ramatici Insurance, Inc.; Friedman’s Home Improvement; Kaiser Permanente; Morris Distributing; Roman’s Plumbing; and Top Speed Data Communications. This year’s table wine sponsor is Kendall Jackson Wines.