Gourmet for a great cause

Barbara Diamond

Gourmet dinners were served in 12 local homes Jan. 25 to benefit

the homeless.

The 11th annual Dinners Across Laguna raised about $40,000 for

programs at Friendship Shelter, which offers lodging, meals and

support services to down but not out homeless adults seeking to get

back on their feet.

Dave Sanford and Stephen Dotoros were among the hosts, assisted by

their four-pound pooch, Rockie.

“Thank you all for coming,” Sanford told his guests. “Your hearts

are huge. When I sent out the invitations, I thought we wouldn’t even

get 20 responses.”

Turned out that Sanford had to remove all the furniture from his

living room to fit in a table big enough to accommodate the 26 guests

who accepted the invitation.

“This house will raise $3,100,” Sanford said.

Guests paid $125 each to attend the dinners. Donations from

restaurants and the hosts keep down the overhead.

Mark’s restaurant contributed the pork entree at the

Sanford/Dotorus dinner. They shared a donation of desserts from

Madison Square and Garden Cafe with other hosts.

French 75, 5 Feet and Cafe Zinc donated appetizers to all the

hosts. Trader Joe’s supplied the Artisan breads that accompanied the

soup provided by Sundried Tomato. Farantelli’s donated pasta salad.

Wines were poured courtesy of Cedar Creek Inn (and Len’s Wine Cite at

Sanford’s). Deserts were donated by 230 Forest, Gelson’s and Neff

Neft Catering, whose chocolate ganache tart swirled with caramel

sauce was to die for.

Even the service at the dinners was donated.

Laguna Beach High School students Leah Edwards, daughter of

Friendship Shelter board Chair Jill Edwards, and Julia Abel served

the guests at the Sanford/Dotorus dinner. The lush crushed velvet

tablecloth was lent by Kathy Abel, who helped found the event. Garden

Gate created the four floral centerpieces that punctuated the five

silver candelabra that lighted the table.

Invitations to the fund-raiser were printed by Super Printers in

Irvine, of which Sanford is the president.

Dinners were also hosted by Marlene and Terry Baker, Mary and Dan

Shapero and Ketta and Jeb Brown at the Brown home; Stephanie and Bob

Mister; Ellin and the Rev. Colin Henderson, Charlotte and George

Masarik and Gen and Robert McMenomy, at the Marsarik home; Barbara

and Greg McGillvray, Jany and George Gade and Bruce Dwyer, at the

Gade’s Emerald Bay home -- they alternate with the McGillivrays;

Stephanie and Kevin Donavan; Judy and Doug Anderson; Lauren and

Richard Packard; Sue Freeman and John Hancock, Joy Dittberner and Tom

Peters and Paola and Richard Bisson, at the Freeman/Hancock home;

Gina and Philip Chironis; and Cindy and Robert Ortiz/Plant.

Friendship Shelter board Chair Edwards chaired the event and

hosted a dinner with her husband, Steve.

Proceeds from the dinners will help house, feed and provide

services to 29 homeless men and women for up to 60 days, more than

200 a year. Some residents will transfer to Henderson House, a

fully-equipped, eight-unit apartment complex in San Clemente that

provides independent living for 24 adults for six-to-12 months.

For more information about Friendship Shelter or to make a

donation, call 494-6631.

* BARBARA DIAMOND is a reporter for the Laguna Beach Coastline

Pilot. She may be reached at 494-4321.