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Spring Fling Wrap-Up

     If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to make a fundraiser successful. Spring Fling 2010: Under a Parisian Moon was exactly that.  So many in Tallahassee gave so generously of their time and effort, house specialty or much-needed service for that wonderful evening, April 29th. 
     First and foremost, hats off to Paul Brock and the staff at Tallahassee Nurseries.   The nursery could not have been more beautiful nor a more perfect venue for this event.  Five hundred guests were feted under live oak trees dressed in twinkling lights.
     The music set just the right tone and each of the nationally renowned musicians donated their talent.  J.B. Babich, Brian Hall, Mark Russell and Richie Summa were brought together as an ensemble for one night only by Jeff James.  But it was the food coordinated by chair Susan Turner and Leni Koikos that stole the show. Calls were made to local restaurants for donations and the food community responded bountifully.  There were petit salad nicoise canapés from a la Provence; goat cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy; salmon beautifully smoked by Karl Suber from Southern Seafood; and Nella Schomburger’s famous escargot in crème sauce; mussels and pate.  Chef Albert served coq au vin with the help of Paula Kendrick and Mark Suber’s new outfit, Black Fig Catering; Georgio’s donated succulent leg of lamb; Food Glorious Food provided pate, lentil salad, chocolates, pastries and crepes prepared by Legran Saunders; and oysters were donated by Barnacle Bill’s 
     A special donation, three years in a row now, was the work of Karen Watson, her students in the Leon High School culinary arts program, Libby Dasher and her students in the Lively Technical Centers culinary arts program.  The chefs-in-training prepared foodstuffs donated by Publix, Bradley’s Country Sausage, Cheney Brothers, Costco, Connie’s Hams, Fresh Market and Sysco providing beouf bourgignon, salads, hors d’ouevres and desserts.
     Inspired creativity was evident in the buffets decorated by Ben Baldwin, Cricket Mannheimer, Tom Hunt, Carol Anne Thompson and Rayanne Mitchell, setting the table for donations from Chez Pierre, Sage, New Leaf Market, Shula’s 347 Steakhouse, bella bella, Cabo’s, Red Elephant, The Cake Store, Kool Beanz, Andrew’s 228, Cabo’s, Panera, The Winery, Uptown Café, Tomatoland, Tasty Pastry, Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grill, Red Eye Coffee, Sandy Stone Catering, Transatlantic Wine, and Atlanta Bread Company.  Guests departed that evening under a late-rising full moon in valet cars and vans provided by Martin Proctor and Proctor Acura/Honda; Crowder lent the lighting for the parking area and photographer Shem’s Hamilton captured that magical evening on film.
     Spring Fling is the concerted effort of so many volunteers from our community, especially committee members Jean McCully, Rose Marie Young, Wilma Lauder, Anne Phipps, Kathy Bye, Leslie Elliott, Dee Crusoe, Kathy Guilday, and Eleanor Smith.  Big Bend Hospice is humbled by all this support of our raison d’etre to provide the best care possible for those we serve. 

Merci Tallahassee!