NPC’s annual gala on September 11th was a befitting tribute to NPC’s founding executive director, Isabel Wade.  Thanks to Grey Goose cocktails, Cameron Hughes Wine, and the delicious food and dessert of Melons Catering, guests enjoyed a fabulous and festive sit-down dinner.

After the presentation, which included toasts from Isabel’s friends and colleagues, a wonderful video tribute produced by Rick Bacigalupi (watch it below), and remarks by Isabel herself, everyone danced the night away.  Christine Krieg generously donated her time and talent to photograph the event–check out her photos here.

“We appreciate the loyal support that our coalition has given to Isabel over the years, and we are so grateful that they continue to support the organization through the transition in leadership,” says NPC’s new Executive Director, Meredith Thomas.  The gala was an apt celebration of Isabel’s inspiring work, and of the community of park groups and partner organizations that made her myriad accomplishments possible.

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WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE GALA SPONSORS:

Park Benefactor:

Park Pioneer:
James C. Hormel and Michael P. Nguyen
MJM Management Group

Park Steward:
Casa Buena Vista
Boris Dramov and Bonnie Fisher
Dana and Bob Emery
Robert and Chandra Friese
Anne Halsted and Dr. Wells Whitney
Local 261
Marjorie S. Munson
Pacific Waterfront Partners, LLC
Julie and Will Parish
Patty and Mike Phleger
San Francisco Apartment Association
The Sutton Law Firm
Jerry Tone and Martha Wyckoff
Diane Wilsey

Park Partner:
Alvin Baum and Robert Holgate
Bionic- Landscape Architecture and Planning
Golden Gate Disposal/Sunset Scavenger, Co.
San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
Safeway, Inc.

Park Host:
CAVEC
Emerald Fund/Oz Erickson
Hanley Chan Solutions
Henry N. How III and Jennifer Ruddock How
Landis Communications
Jane and Larry Manning
Miriam Philips and Charles Eley
Webcor Builders
Barbara and Chris Wilson

Party Supporters:
Barbary Coast
Friends of Ina Coolbrith Park
Friends of Redwood Park
Thomas Harrison
Port of San Francisco
Russian Hill Neighbors
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
Mike Sullivan and Paul Loeffler

A note of gratitude:

Grey Goose
Cameron Hughes Wine
1 Fort Mason
Christine Krieg Photography
Video by Rick Bacigalupi

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HONORARY HOST COMMITTEE

The gala is guaranteed to be a fabulous event for the whole city—and if you live near Duboce Park, it’s an extra special occasion to experience your park in all its splendor, and share it with your neighbors. Duboce Park neighbors can get $100 discounted tickets (regular price = $150), so please click on the button below to get your tickets today!

IMPORTANT: To get the neighbor discount, on the donation page, under Donation amount, choose “Other” and fill in $100. We will confirm that you are a neighbor through your address!

Below are a few of the exciting items we will be auctioning off at our gala on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 (6-9 PM.) Click here for more information about the event.

1. MAUI VACATION
Spend a few days in glorious Maui. Simply the most luxurious condo in the complex. Our second floor ocean view condo is as nice as a luxury resort for a fraction of the price.  Visit http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p139616 for more info

Condo features:

• Bamboo ceiling fans blow soft trade winds through classic island decorated rooms.
• Slate floors throughout. Chef’s kitchen with state of the art stainless steel appliances, granite counters.
• Counter bar has seating for three.
• Dine on lanai with views of ocean, the lovely grounds of the Luana Kai and volcano, Haileakala Stunning bathroom with Walker Zanger glass tiled Walk-in shower and designer fixtures.
• Bedroom features Queen sized bed. Sofa sleeper provides additional sleeping arrangements.

2. DINNER FOR TWO AT ZUNI RESTAURANT
Dine at Zuni Restaurant – a gift certificate for you and your guest to enjoy!  Read more about Zuni at http://www.zunicafe.com/

3. MYFARM ORGANIC GARDEN
Enjoy a beautiful organic garden in your backyard — and find a box of your own edibles on your doorstep each week. MyFarm will analyze your garden site and offer ideas for your own personal garden delight!  Learn more about MyFarm at http://myfarmsf.com/about.html

4. ECOTOURISM IN ECUADOR
A trip of a lifetime – enjoy a stay at Sani Lodge, an ecotourism experience in Ecuador! Wildlife, nature activities, and lovely accommodations make this an ideal way to see one of South America’s most glorious countries.  Visit http://www.sanilodge.com

5. HOTEL KABUKI IN SF
Get a great night’s sleep in the lap of luxury at Hotel Kabuki. Two guests can enjoy a wester style room with a Japanese deep tub bath. A “staycation” for us locals!  Check out http://www.hotelkabuki.com

6. 4 BASEBALL TICKETS
4 tickets to Dodger vs Giants – Friday, September 26, 2008 at 7:15 pm with a parking pass. Club Level section 204 Row 1 Seats 5 -8.

7.  SF JAZZ FESTIVAL TICKETS
2 tickets to the 26th Annual SF Jazz Festival – Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 7:30 pm.  For details about the festival, visit http://www.sfjazz.org

8.  WHALE WATCHING
Whale watching for 2 in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.  More info at http://farallones.noaa.gov

9.   CITY CAR SHARE MEMBERSHIP
$400 toward your membership. Launched in 2001, City CarShare serves the Bay Area with top of the class fuel efficient vehicles. It’s perfect for people who want to pick-up and go whenever and wherever they need a car without worrying.  The City CarShare website is http://www.citycarshare.org

10.  PEGASUS VOYAGES
Sail the Bay on a Pegasus – Pegasus Voyages – Gather up to 10 of your friends and family for a 3-4 hour sail on the San Francisco Bay.  Experience a voyage you will never forget!  Read about Pegasus at http://www.pegasusvoyages.org

11. GEYSERVILLE RETREAT
Enjoy a two night stay in beautiful Geyserville.  Spend the weekend overlooking the Alexander Valley vineyards and the Russian River in a charming house nestled in wine country – value $1,150.

12.  ARROWOOD VINEYARDS
Make a bid on a private tour for 4 and a bottle of wine.  More about Arrowood at http://www.arrowoodvineyards.com

13.  TENNIS LESSONS WITH PROFESSIONAL COACH
Tennis coaching/lessons – one on one coaching for an hour with professional coach

14.  4 PASSES TO THE BRAND NEW ACADEMY OF SCIENCES!
Enjoy 4 passes to the new California Academy of Sciences and see one of the worlds most diverse collections of aquatic life in the world and its thousands of inhabitants.

15.  YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
4 Family Gallery Passes to this SF landmark of contemporary art!  If you have never been there, check out their website: http://www.ybca.org

PARK GROUP WINNERS

First Place: $2,500 – Friends of Balboa Park Playground
Friends of Balboa Park Playground began with two parents collecting signatures at the Excelsior Festival in Fall 2006 and a few more distributing flyers in trick-or-treat bags on Halloween. Local residents – including parents who had played on the same structures when they were children – were inspired at the potential for a new, safe place in their neighborhood for families to play.

Balboa Park has great open space, but the only playground within walking distance was built in the 60’s and had rusty and sharp edges, protruding nails, broken equipment and no play space for smaller kids. The playground received a “D” in NPC’s 2006 Playground Report Card but was not made a priority for renovation by the City.

Through the hard work of the group and a generous playground donation, Balboa Park now has a new playground. The new playground was the ultimate accomplishment, but getting there was just as important. The group made new friends, their kids got to know each other and together they experienced a civics lesson in action. Their work continues as they received a $75,000 grant to provide safe access to the playground from the Community Challenge Grant Program.

Second Place: $1,500- Friends of Cabrillo Playground
Playgrounds build community. Cabrillo Playground has suffered from broken glass in the sandboxes, overgrown shrubbery, litter, plumbing problems and graffiti, made those who frequent it feel frustrated. This group brought the community together through work parties organized to sift sandboxes and remove litter. Working with City gardeners, shrubbery and plantings have been pruned, and Rec/Park is quickly apprised of need to remove graffiti or repair damaged equipment. The play structures got a fresh coat of paint, the broken tire swing was replaced and the huge metal container box was removed to give children back their space. There is a revitalized attitude at Cabrillo playground as neighbors get together for clean-up days and meetings. It is no longer a neglected playground and parents feel better taking their children there.

Third Place: $1000- Friends of Upper Douglass Dog Park
Friends of Upper Douglass Dog Park transformed a scraggly, un-loved looking space into a community centerpiece. By organizing innovative and spirited fundraising events such as Dogtoberfest and large-scale self-care programs, the park group brings together a broad range of stakeholders. The group is thankful not only for great volunteers and park users who make the space a great place for dogs and people, but also for the way in which they have received feedback and cooperation from the community. They enjoy the excellent relationship they have forged with both NPC and the Rec and Park staff who guide and assist them in achieving their goals.

The final recognition goes to an organization without whom are parks simply would not have the artistic beauty they help the community provide.

Honorable Mention: Precita Eyes: Mosaic Tile Project with the Friends and Advocates of Crocker Amazon and the Excelsior
In the summer of 2007, Precita Eyes, a Mission-based community mural arts organization, led three design workshops in the community for children youth and adults to craft mosaic tile designs for four cement benches and one cement boat at Crocker Amazon Playground. Precita Eyes founded, Susan Cervantes, helped the Friends and Advocates of Crocker Amazon (FACE) and the Excelsior realize their dream of creating a lasting art piece that all members of their community to help to create regardless of age, ability or language. The result of months upon months of tireless oversight by Susan and her team and hundreds of volunteer hours by FACE’s Linda, Linda and Grace has been not only a set of magnificent, glittering gems in the playground, but a renewed sense of attachment to the neighborhood park.

SPECIAL THANKS

Thank you to all of the nominated groups for the effort, love and support they pour into their parks. The following groups will receive a Certificate of Recognition for their work:

1. Alemany Farms
2. Friends of Dolores Park Playground
3. Fallen Bridges Mini Park/ MUNA
4. Friends of Fay Park
5. Friends of Fillmore Turk Mini-Park
6. Friends of Franklin Square
7. Big Year Volunteers for GGNRA
8. Friends of Mountain Lake Park
9. Mount Sutro Stewardship Award Panel Park Presidio Neighbors
10. Friends of Parque Ninos Unidos
11. Hayes Valley Neighborhood Parks Group
12. Plant S*F*
13. Randall Museum Friends
14. Sunnyside Park Families & Neighbors

LUNCHEON SPONSORS

Kenwood Investments Group

TABLE CAPTAINS

JEAN BOGIAGES
MOLLY BUCHSIEB
DAVID CAMPOS
ARTHUR CHANG
JAN CHERNOFF
GRACE D’ ANCA
NATLIE DIGGINS
KARIN EDWARDS
MEL FLYER
CHLOE GOOD
NANCY GONZALEZ-
MADYNSKI
JAIME ROSSI
PATTY-JO RUTLAND
KATE SCANLAN
CHARLES SPENCER
DENISE SPIELMAN
LINDA STARK-
HARTE
JIM SUTTON
MEREDITH THOMAS
ART TOM
NEIL TRAMA
ISABEL WADE
SUMMER GRAHAM
LUIZ GUEVARA
CHRIS GUILLARD
KRISTAL IP
JOHN KATZ
STACEY LEYTON
CARISSA LOOK
SHIRLEY MOORE
JANAN NEW
FRANK NOTO
ALFREDO PEDROZA
PATTY PHLEGER
ALEX RANDOLPH