This year’s Cerritos College Foundation’s annual Monte Carlo Night will be held at the Long Beach Yacht Club at 6201 E. Appian Way in Long Beach on March 17.
Termed as the third annual Monte Carlo Night, the event, taking place at 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., is promised by the foundation to be a fun evening of music, dancing and gaming.
“We chose the Long Beach Yacht Club because it was close. It’s a private club and we were able to secure it because of a board member that was able to get it open for us. It’s expansive It’s beautiful, especially for an evening event,” said Janice Cole, Foundation Secretary and Monte Carlo Night Planning Committee member.
“It’s at the harbor, behind the Marina, and when the Marina is lit up it is very pretty. It’s not a place that people would ordinarily have an opportunity to go,” she said.
To give alms to the event’s attempt at raising money for student awards and scholarships, silent and live auction items will be available for bid. Among the items up for bid is a two-bedroom suite for three days and two nights at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara, as well as golf at the Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif.
Cole said the foundation desires to raise more than $25,000 dollars to apply toward a variety of programs, including the Academic Excellence Program, the Honors Program, a book voucher program, student scholarships in honor of a variety of people (whether they be faculty members who are deceased or current honorary people) and a variety of other programs that will need funding throughout the year.
Former La Mirada Mayor Wayne Rew will emcee the evening’s festivities.
The Leon Guide Orchestra has been hired by Cole to bring to life the harmonious sounds from the Big Band era for partakers to enjoy music and dancing.
Sumptuous hors d’oeuvres will be served and the Cerritos College Culinary Arts department will cater the desserts.
Gaming will also be available for those in the mood to test their luck. According to Cole, roulette, crap tables and black tables will ready for play. “There will be no money exchange. That’s illegal,” she said. Play money will be given to those who want to gamble. More imitation money may be purchased and the proceeds will be allocated to the fund raising effort.
Tickets will be given to the victorious gamers that will enable them to turn them in for prizes from the prize baskets.
Tickets for Monte Carlo Night are $100 per couple, or $75 per individual.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization that supplements what the college cannot cover with state mandated funds.
This year’s committee was made up of 8 active persons: Chairperson Mary K. Johnson, who is the general manager of AT&T Media Services, Margaret Pashko, with the Gas Co., Sheridan DeBellis, who is secretary of the library, Gloria Cathy, council member of the city of Cerritos, Loretta Rew, the wife of the former mayor of Cerritos, Wayne Rew, Dr. Bob Hughlett, Mayor of Cerritos and director of the Disabled Students Program, Gloria Kappe, Council Woman for the city of Cerritos, and Kim Rangell, who works with Coldwell Banker Real Estate and is on the Foundation board.
According to Cole, this year’s Monte Carlo Night will differ from its predecessors by presenting entertainment by Cerritos College Horticulture instructor Frank Yee, who will present a magic show. There will also be a silent and live auction and the venue will be different.
“I loved Monte Carlo Night! I really liked that it was a formal affair. It was an excellent opportunity for Cerritos College faculty to meet people from the community,” exclaimed Megan Richardson, community relations’ specialist at Cerritos College.
“This year It’s going to be a wonderful celebration and I hope everyone will attend,” she added.
The Foundation is hoping to have a lot of faculty and classified staff support this year’s Monte Carlo Night because it will, in return, benefit the students.
“And that’s the reason why we are here, to help students,” Cole said.
For ticket information call the foundation at (562) 860-2451, ext.2526.
