The St. Johns County Council on Aging welcomed guests to its River House Aug. 28 for the agency’s 13th annual gala.
“An Evening on the Matanzas” brought together approximately 300 of the COA’s friends, supporters and clients for an evening that included dinner, dancing to the Frank Saffi Band, and live and silent auctions. Guests also enjoyed complimentary beer and wine and hors d’oeuvres as they perused the silent auction items and admired the panoramic views of the Matanzas River.
Silent auction items included numerous golf packages, restaurant gift certificates and overnight or weekend stays at local hotels. Live auction items, meanwhile, included such diverse offerings as a wine tasting class for 20 people, a Serenata Beach Club membership, a half-day sailing excursion for six with lunch, and a one-week stay in a condo near Asheville, North Carolina.
The gala was followed the next day with a golf championship held at the Slammer & Squire in World Golf Village.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said COA Executive Director Becky Yanni. “Proceeds from this event support all our services, including our memory care facilities, our Meals on Wheels program, in-home services and our senior centers.”
Yanni noted that last year’s gala and golf tournament raised $90,000 to support the Council on Aging.
“This is the 13th year for the gala and it gets better every year,” COA Board Member Bruce Barber said, noting that the agency was particularly active in Ponte Vedra, where it operates an active community senior center and a new memory care facility. “People love the Council on Aging; they understand why we’re here.”
