Fillmore, CA - The 5th Annual Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley Taste of the Valley fundraising event was held on Saturday, June 5th at the Fillmore City Hall Courtyard. The day was a picture perfect ‘Chamber of Commerce’ day, with the weather tempered by a slight breeze, which was welcomed by the 18 participant/vendor restaurant and beverage presenters as well as the 200 plus guests.

Food presentations included savory offerings from Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ, Central Station, Great Central Steak & Hoagie, Mupu Grill, Enzo’s Italian Restaurant, Jonathan’s at Peirano’s, La Unica Bakery, Garden Market, Vallarta Restaurant and Spencer Makenzie’s Fish Company. Desserts provided a sweet respite with donations from Marie Callenders, Bobalu Berries, La Michoacán Bakery and Yanni’s Best Charbroiled. Beverage vendors provided liquid refreshment from Mike Mobley’s Lemonade, Moosehead Properties Group Iced Teas, Pacific Beverage donated bottles of Stella Artois imported beers, and water was provided by Tresierras Market.

Vendors came together from Ventura, Moorpark, Santa Paula and Fillmore to provide these delicious ‘tastes’. The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley was thrilled to play host to guests from around Ventura County, and from Southern California areas as far away as Burbank and Pittsburgh, PA.

The event is being considered by the Club as a success, based on the numbers of guests and participant/vendors. But it would not have been possible without the generous financial support of sponsors, Santa Clara Valley Disposal, Union Bank of Ca, Limoneira Company, Calavo Company, Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs Assoc., Rabobank, Santa Paula Times, Anita Pulido, Fillmore Riverview LLC, Fillmore Lions, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, FGL, Inc., Ventura County Star and Z-Pipeline.

All-Star volunteers for the ‘Taste of the Valley’ were committee co-chairs Patty Harrison and Tammy Hobson. Individuals that gave of their time on a Saturday morning include Mike Mobley, Tony Soriano, Gary Hobson, Netta & John Shelton, Ari Larson, Oralia Herrera, Jane Lax, Jayna, Jessica and Josiah Nordmark (Patty Harrison’s nieces and nephew) and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust’s Bank Manager Mario Grande, and Nan Drake and Jim Harrison of Santa Clara Valley Disposal.

This was a wonderful event, filled with good food, fun people, interesting Silent Auction items, and great music by The Tune Bandits, and fun in the Fillmore Sun! And, all of this helping support a great cause, the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley! If you were there, thank you, if you weren’t, be sure to put us on your calendar for 2011. You won’t want to miss out on the next Taste of the Valley!