Left to right: Michelle Tabisola, Dark Trooper, and Amy Blasco at the Discovery Museum of Santa Maria Valley’s annual fundraiser on Sept. 23. Tabisola is the chair of the board and Blasco is museum staff. The trooper was visiting from a galaxy far, far away. PHOTO BY HELEN ANN THOMAS
A night at the museum
A dark and glossy Dark Trooper from Star Wars stood out in the crowd of more than 100 at the Discovery Museum’s annual fundraiser, A Night at the Museum, on Saturday evening, Sept. 23.
The event combined an emphasis on science and technology with food, wine, and beer. The live auction, conducted by Jim Glines, and a silent auction raised money for the exciting, in-the-works, Vandenberg Launch Experience exhibit.
Executive Director Chris Slaughter was happy to see the IT team from Honda of Santa Maria at the VIP tables. Honda gave the museum $10,000 for the exhibit fund, and wants to be involved in other science-oriented projects.
Fabian Zaragaza, general manager of Honda, and staff members Victor Christiansen, Bailey Hunter, and Austin Maesta were present.
Trattoria Uliveto’s owner and chef Afonso Curti brought his portable pizza oven to fire up mini-pizzas. His team also served meatballs in tomato sauce, mussels in the shell, cream of zucchini soup, sweet Italian sausage, and grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon. Guests did not go away hungry.
A vibrant Michelle Tabisola told me she is thrilled to be president of the museum’s board. Longtime museum supporter Jeff Barnes demonstrated what the new exhibit experience would be like, with a handheld gizmo that I did not understand. My fault, not the gizmo’s!
Mark and Natalie Huerth, Mike and Michelle Buhring, Edwin and Caroline Woods, John and Debra Hood, board member Roy Reed, and Susan Appel were among the crowd. So was Susan Houghton, executive director of college advancement at Allan Hancock College, who is in charge of the AHC Foundation’s upcoming 40th anniversary gala.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.