by Jake Stump, Daily Mail Capitol Reporter 7.29.08
CHARLESTON, W.Va. Those eager for face time with Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck now have other reasons to attend a University of Charleston fundraiser in September.
Interesting food offerings will certainly whet the appetites of the starstruck, while the grooves of a jazz and big-band musical group should keep everyone on their toes.
Organizers of "Starry Starry Night" are planning the gustatory delights for the evening with Jen and Ben. The couple is scheduled to host a September 19 fundraiser for a multimillion-dollar athletic complex at the University of Charleston.
The event is not yet a sellout, although 800 tickets have already been sold at $250 apiece.
Food service provider, AVI Fresh, of Warren, Ohio, will help University of Charleston Catering cater the gala.
But traditional dorm food it's not.
Potential offerings will include a full raw bar with oysters on the half-shell and shucked on site, clams casino, and Cajun and traditional shrimp cocktail displayed on flowing mounds of ice, said Vince Lombardi, AVI Fresh district manager.
A Tandoori/Brazilian-style barbecue station may also be available to festivalgoers. The station will come with authentic Indian and Brazilian-marinated skewered meats served on authentic flatbreads, Lombardi said.
Also on tap: A grilled fish carving station featuring whole sides of salmon, swordfish and ahi tuna; sushi and sashimi rolled and served to order; a Mediterranean tapas display of cured meats, beef Carpaccio, imported cheeses, olives, vegetables, breads, spreads, nuts and fruit.
Here's the hors d'oeuvres list: lamb lollipops, beef tenderloin crostini, seared scallops with horseradish aioli, fresh local tomato brochette and duck confit cigars.
To tie in with the movie and athletic themes, chefs will toss freshly popped popcorn in a variety of sweet and savory ingredients, Lombardi said.
"We see food as more than merely consumption," Lombardi said about AVI's approach. "It is a multi-sensory experience engaging sight, sound, smell and taste."
"Starry Starry Night" will feature more than 15 chefs from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio, he said.
Food stations will have various themes, and chefs will create unique dishes in front of the guests, he added.
For live entertainment, event organizers have acquired the services of Big Ray and the Kool Kats, which includes a four-piece rhythm section, four horn players, and multiple lead male and female vocalists.
The group was named one of Modern Bridge Magazine's "Best Wedding Bands in America."
The Charleston fundraiser begins with a reception for sponsors at 6:30 p.m. in the Erma Byrd Gallery of Riggleman Hall, followed by the fundraising event at 7:30 p.m. outside on the riverfront.
Event organizer Mary Payne expects about 1,500 people to attend.
"Everyone will have a front row seat of the gold dome," Payne said. "UC has the best setting in the city.
"It will be an evening that showcases that and gets people on campus to see what's going on at UC."
Five levels of sponsorship packages are being sold for the fundraiser. Anyone donating $5,000 will get eight tickets to the event and two tickets to a VIP reception. Other packages are for those who donate $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000. The largest package includes 32 tickets and 20 VIP tickets.
Donations will fund an athletic complex that's projected to cost at least $20 million. The complex will house the men's and women's basketball programs and the volleyball program. It also will include athletic coaching offices, locker rooms for softball and men's and women's tennis and training facilities.
"Starry Starry Night" also will honor the lives of distinguished alumni Louise and Mario Palumbo, the late parents of Corey Palumbo. Mario Palumbo represented Kanawha County in the state Senate for many years and at one point was Senate judiciary chairman. He later became state attorney general.
Louise Palumbo was fashion director for the Stone & Thomas department store chain for many years and often was called on to lead fashion-related events in the community.
"You can come for your support and remembrance of Mario and Louise, you can come to support a new athletic facility, and you can come to an event Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have been invited to," Payne said. "There are all sorts of reasons for people to come and enjoy the evening. I feel that as UC grows, so does Charleston. It's just a vital part of the community."
For more information, call (304) 357-4735.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. Those eager for face time with Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck now have other reasons to attend a University of Charleston fundraiser in September.
Interesting food offerings will certainly whet the appetites of the starstruck, while the grooves of a jazz and big-band musical group should keep everyone on their toes.
Organizers of "Starry Starry Night" are planning the gustatory delights for the evening with Jen and Ben. The couple is scheduled to host a September 19 fundraiser for a multimillion-dollar athletic complex at the University of Charleston.
The event is not yet a sellout, although 800 tickets have already been sold at $250 apiece.
Food service provider, AVI Fresh, of Warren, Ohio, will help University of Charleston Catering cater the gala.
But traditional dorm food it's not.
Potential offerings will include a full raw bar with oysters on the half-shell and shucked on site, clams casino, and Cajun and traditional shrimp cocktail displayed on flowing mounds of ice, said Vince Lombardi, AVI Fresh district manager.
A Tandoori/Brazilian-style barbecue station may also be available to festivalgoers. The station will come with authentic Indian and Brazilian-marinated skewered meats served on authentic flatbreads, Lombardi said.
Also on tap: A grilled fish carving station featuring whole sides of salmon, swordfish and ahi tuna; sushi and sashimi rolled and served to order; a Mediterranean tapas display of cured meats, beef Carpaccio, imported cheeses, olives, vegetables, breads, spreads, nuts and fruit.
Here's the hors d'oeuvres list: lamb lollipops, beef tenderloin crostini, seared scallops with horseradish aioli, fresh local tomato brochette and duck confit cigars.
To tie in with the movie and athletic themes, chefs will toss freshly popped popcorn in a variety of sweet and savory ingredients, Lombardi said.
"We see food as more than merely consumption," Lombardi said about AVI's approach. "It is a multi-sensory experience engaging sight, sound, smell and taste."
"Starry Starry Night" will feature more than 15 chefs from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio, he said.
Food stations will have various themes, and chefs will create unique dishes in front of the guests, he added.
For live entertainment, event organizers have acquired the services of Big Ray and the Kool Kats, which includes a four-piece rhythm section, four horn players, and multiple lead male and female vocalists.
The group was named one of Modern Bridge Magazine's "Best Wedding Bands in America."
The Charleston fundraiser begins with a reception for sponsors at 6:30 p.m. in the Erma Byrd Gallery of Riggleman Hall, followed by the fundraising event at 7:30 p.m. outside on the riverfront.
Event organizer Mary Payne expects about 1,500 people to attend.
"Everyone will have a front row seat of the gold dome," Payne said. "UC has the best setting in the city.
"It will be an evening that showcases that and gets people on campus to see what's going on at UC."
Five levels of sponsorship packages are being sold for the fundraiser. Anyone donating $5,000 will get eight tickets to the event and two tickets to a VIP reception. Other packages are for those who donate $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000. The largest package includes 32 tickets and 20 VIP tickets.
Donations will fund an athletic complex that's projected to cost at least $20 million. The complex will house the men's and women's basketball programs and the volleyball program. It also will include athletic coaching offices, locker rooms for softball and men's and women's tennis and training facilities.
"Starry Starry Night" also will honor the lives of distinguished alumni Louise and Mario Palumbo, the late parents of Corey Palumbo. Mario Palumbo represented Kanawha County in the state Senate for many years and at one point was Senate judiciary chairman. He later became state attorney general.
Louise Palumbo was fashion director for the Stone & Thomas department store chain for many years and often was called on to lead fashion-related events in the community.
"You can come for your support and remembrance of Mario and Louise, you can come to support a new athletic facility, and you can come to an event Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have been invited to," Payne said. "There are all sorts of reasons for people to come and enjoy the evening. I feel that as UC grows, so does Charleston. It's just a vital part of the community."
For more information, call (304) 357-4735.
