CLEARLAKE — Thanks to generous donations from the Lake County Wine Alliance, incoming Culinary students can rest easier.
New students will receive a chef coat, knife kit, and textbooks for the Spring semester. In an interview with Chef Robert Cabreros and Culinary Club President Barbara Bibby-Hamilton, the details of the gifts to the program were explained.
Chef Cabreros says, “I’ve done the Wine Alliance fundraiser for the last six years or so. We’ve done the salad and the dessert. Over the years, it has turned into a Three-course meal with a 2 1/2 hour service, from the time the first guest gets their plate until the last guest is served. That’s entirely too long. I decided to present a scenario by which we have dinner on the table by 6:30, and then they can move on to the Silent Auction, and then to dancing all night. This is what the guests wanted. We accomplished that, and the guests were pleased. We delivered a different concept, and we did really well. There were a couple of folks who felt the plate was a bit light, and we would adjust for that in the future.
The theme for the meal was “Celebrating Our Success Through Your Support”. So we made dishes that illustrate how far our program has come, through the generosity of their donations. We also provided a free Taco Bar for after hours dining, which was very well received. We served more than 300 tacos. This added value to the event. Looking back, I’d add more food to the dinner plate, but overall we were all pleased with the outcome. Many people don’t know this, but there are many Arts and Sports programs that would not be alive today without the generosity of the Lake County Wine Alliance.” They just gifted the Woodland Community College Culinary Program with $10,000.
It is this donation that is paying for new students’ supplies. Culinary Club President Barbara Bibby-Hamilton expressed the sincere gratitude and excitement of the students.”This donation will make such a difference in the lives of students who would otherwise have struggled with obtaining books and supplies.”
The Culinary Club is responsible for raising money for scholarships for Lake County Campus as well as the Culinary Program. The club also has a heavy community service commitment. They raise funds for CMAS, Hospice, and the Park Study Club, to name a few of their beneficiaries.
Woodland Community College is accepting students. Chef Cabreros can be reached at 707-995-4175.
