Tuscan Moon
Tuscan Moon
Gourmet dinner and fundraiser helps support Rotary’s endeavors all year long
On Saturday, August 28th, the Rotary Club of Ellicottville invites you to an evening of food, fun and good vibes with its annual Tuscan Moon event. Taking place at Holiday Valley’s Cabana Bar, Tuscan Moon is a dynamite way to send off summer while providing the necessary fundraising the Rotary relies on for the admirable things it does all year long.
“It’s paramount to our mission of serving the youth of the Ellicottville community,” Rotary President Doug Anderson said. “The fundraiser helps in our efforts to support scholarships, the Ellicottville Memorial Library, the Ellicottville Food Pantry, amongst many other things. It goes a long way to support all of our community endeavors.”
The event will feature a wide array of dishes from Ellicottville’s restaurants. Katy’s Cafe, John Harvard’s Brew House and others will provide hors d’oeuvres as you arrive, while music from local WNY pair Kody & Herrin will play in the background. A gourmet dinner spread will follow, including an antipasti table by Monroe St. Brick & Brew, Oso Bucco from Dina’s, and special Italian dishes from Villaggio. Chefs from other restaurants will be set up to provide other outstanding treats, and students from Ellicottville Central School will provide waitstaff service. As always, Watson’s Chocolates and Cupcaked will set up an amazing dessert table. (Make sure you save room!)
“ECS students really are the backbone of this event,” Anderson said. “They supply the manpower to serve. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to host this fundraiser. Our volunteers are so important. If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to me or someone at the Rotary.”
Brooks LeFeber, auctioneer extraordinaire, will host this year’s live auction - featuring prizes like tickets to the Buffalo Bills home opener (the hottest ticket in town!), Cutco knives as well as many other great additions. The silent auction will be packed with a wide array of prizes from local businesses.
It can’t be understated how important the work the Rotary does is to the local community. Anderson, a 25-year Rotary veteran (with four coming into Ellicottville), said the work they did over the past year was even more important.
“During the pandemic, the Rotary - in conjunction with Villaggio, Katy’s and Dina’s - provided over 500 meals a week to the ECS community. The kids were provided lunch through the school system, but the Rotary started providing dinners as well. It was a community initiative that really highlighted how important the work we do is.”
The Rotary awarded multiple $500 scholarships to ECS seniors, as well as a $5,000 scholarship that was focused on a student pursuing a trade-school or technical education.
Tickets to Tuscan Moon are $85 and can be purchased through the Rotary at www.ellicottvillerotary.com. If you’d like to donate a prize for the raffle or are a student that would like to volunteer, please reach out to Doug soon at 716-474-7832.
