Big ‘Bash’ a gala way to support all Petaluma-area schools

This year’s PEF BASH, supporting the mission of the Petaluma Educational Foundation, will be another legendary night of dancing, dining and auctions, but the fun is secondary to the cause - the continued mission of the Petaluma Educational Foundation to benefit all 38 kindergarten through 12th-grade public, not-for-profit and charter schools in the Petaluma area.

On Saturday, guests will be in awe as they enter the creatively transformed venue of the Petaluma Veteran’s Memorial Building to raise funds in support of more than 13,000 Petaluma students.

The night starts with cocktails, a super-silent auction and Wine Wall raffle, and continues with a live auction offering an opportunity to bid on sought-after packages featuring once-in-a-lifetime experiences, including sought-after culinary and excursion auction lots. The live auction will take place during an elegant sit-down dinner.

It all heads 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 pledging support to all students who benefit from PEF’s Impact Grant program.

One hundred percent of the pledges during the Fund the Future paddle raise go to support the foundation’s annual grant program which 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 PEF since its inception.

Live music by the Bay Area’s own Pride & Joy will add to the night’s electric ambiance. All-inclusive tickets ($175 per person) are available by contacting the PEF Office at 778-5063 or visiting the event website atpetaluma.ejoinme.org/bash17.

PEF Partners for Education include Clover Stornetta Farms, Petaluma Market, and Petaluma Health Care District who join presenting event partners Exchange Bank and Dairy Delivery, as top-tier sponsors. Several other businesses will underwrite the festivities as corporate Salutatorian event partners: Law Offices of Bridget Mackay, Lace House Linen, Sonoma County Office of Education, St. Joseph Health; Honor Roll event partners: The Regan Team Home Loan Group, 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 event partners: Dow Development Laboratories, LLC, Bergin Glass & Etching, Cinema West, Comcast, Frontrow, Don Ramatici Insurance, Inc., Friedman’s Home Improvement, Kaiser Permanente, Morris Distributing, Roman’s Plumbing and Top Speed Data Communications. This year’s event table wine sponsor is Kendall Jackson Wines.

PEF, which does not receive any government funding, is committed to ensuring that vital resources are available to all charter, public and private campuses in the community. The annual PEF BASH event provides the public an opportunity to hear first-hand how they can partner with others to continue the mission of the foundation as it launches its 36th year as a local nonprofit with a legacy of positively impacting generations of students.