Taste of Spring Benefit: 2010

The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute hosted the 7th Annual Taste of Spring event, on Thursday, May 13, 2010, to honor Peter Burki of LifeCare and Kobrand. The event was a success all around – transition to new venue, inclusion of online auction, Board attendance and support, and surpassing our budget goal! It was a fun evening with close to 300 delighted, supportive attendees (the one who won an I-Pad in our raffle left especially happy); a gourmet's delight with delectable dishes from Bar Breton, Mesa Grill, Jean Georges, David Burke's Fishtail, The Wright, Yuva, Zarela and Artisanal Premium Cheese, along with magnificent wines from around the world donated by Kobrand, Bottlenotes, Sherry-Lehmann, Shea Wine Cellars, RO Imports, Sequoia Grove, St. Francis, TeAwa, Taittinger and Cognac One; a wonderful opportunity to toast our honorees, Peter Burki and LifeCare, along with Kobrand; and, last, but certainly not least, a financial winner that raised well over $300,000 to enable our important work.

We had a very strong Board attendance that evening! Board Members who attended the event were (alphabetically): Anne Chambers, Doug Fleming, Lynn Franklin, Kathleen Hricik, Jurate Kazickas, Katharine Legg, Sandy McManus, Ruth McRoy, Doug Mehne, Jennifer Evans Montgomery, Susan Notkin, Susan Schoon and James Stevens. Our special guests that evening were Honorary Co-Chair Deborra-lee Furness, Honorary Board Member, Jane Aronson, Katie Brown (whose cooking show on PBS is wonderful), Iron Chef Bobby Flay of Mesa Grill, Zarela Martinez of Zarela and Cyril Renaud of Bar Breton.

This year's Taste of Spring featured scrumptious food tastings from Artisanal Premium Cheese, Bar Breton, Fishtail by David Burke, JG Jean Georges, Mesa Grill, The Wright, Yuva and Zarela. The magnificent wines were donated by Cognac One, Kobrand, Ro Imports, Shea Wine Cellars and Sherry Lehmann.

To look at the event's program, listing the entire event's honorees, featured restaurants, wine donors and supporters, click here.

Board Members Jim Stevens and Lynn C. Franklin with Jim Dougherty and Mimi Stevens	Honorary Chair Bill and Jane Donaldson with Benefit Co-Chair Kim Donaldson
Executive Director Adam Pertman with guests	Board Chair Susan Notkin, Honoree Peter Burki and Executive Director Adam Pertman
Board Members Doug Mehne and Susan Notkin, Executive Director Adam Pertman, a Representative from Honoree Kobrand, Board Member Sandy McManus and Benefit Co-Chair Kim Donaldson	Board Members Kathleen Hricik, Susan Notkin and Doug Mehne with guest chef Bobby Flay
Honorary Co-Chair Deborra-lee Furness with Honorary Board Member Jane Aronson	Executive Director Adam Pertman, guest chef Bobby Flay, special guest Katie Brown and Benefit Co-Chair Sandy McManus
Guests sampling Zarela's creamy rice casserole	Curt and Angel Schade with Jim Forbes and Benefit Co-Chair Hollis Forbes
Board Member Anne Chambers with Cara Mehne and Mark Kirtzman	Guests with Sarah Fleming and Board Member Doug Fleming