As a cool breeze blew in off the Stanislaus River on Saturday evening, June 18, a sizeable crowd gathered at Del Rio Vista Garden along River Road. Music, dinner and drawings for prizes were all part of the night’s festivities, with the event serving as a fundraiser for the Escalon Historical Society.
Entertainment was provided both before and after the catered dinner, with the BluesBox Bayou Band taking center stage to serve up the music. Historical Society President Dave Russell took the microphone to welcome the crowd and thanked them for both their attendance at the event and support of the local historical group. Fundraisers such as the dinner help the Escalon Historical Society continue to run and keep up the museum, which is at 1630 Main St., Escalon.
“You can’t believe what this does for the Escalon Historical Society,” Russell told attendees, with the money raised helping to keep the organization afloat.
Those attending the Saturday evening fundraiser were also pleased to come in ‘comfortable’ clothes, as it was billed as the ‘Blue Jean Ball’ and jeans were the suggested attire.
Along with Russell as president, Wendy Fenton serves as vice president of the society and she also was on hand for the dinner and helped gather the wide variety of prizes available in the drawings and oversaw that portion of the evening.
Adrian Van Houten is treasurer for the society and other key members of the group, said Russell, are Evelyn Swass, Dorothy Miller, Vickie Mello, Sandy Russell and Pat Wood.
Monthly meetings of the Society are the second Monday of the month at 2 p.m. at the Main Street Museum. Hours of operation for the museum are Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and the first Wednesday of each month is ‘Reminisce Day’ with all invited to come and hear stories of long-ago Escalon.
“Our real treasures are people like Evelyn, Dorothy, Vickie,” said Russell. “We are a slice of Americana.”
More information about the museum and the historical society is available by calling 209-838-8070.
Several tables of diners filled the area at the Del Rio Vista Garden complex and there was time for socializing prior to dinner as well as a chance to enjoy the music. Members for BluesBox Bayou band performing for the evening were Peter Grimaldi on accordion and vocals; Julie Johnson on bass; Frank Grimaldi on guitar; Michael Ray on fiddle and Pete DeMattos on drums.
