Taste of Las Cruces 2014
Taste of Las Cruces is an annual event conducted by the Rotary Club of Las Cruces and the other two Las Cruces Rotary Clubs (the Rio Grande Rotary Club and the Mesilla Valley Rotary Club) to raise funds to meet community needs. Taste of Las Cruces offers attendees a chance to sample the wares of a number of local restauranteurs in one location, while contributing to local causes.
The 2014 event was held at the Las Cruces Convention Center on Thursday, June 12, 2014, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; over four hundred attended. Beneficiary of this year's event was the Roadrunner Food Bank. Over $12,000 was raised through ticket sales, a silent auction, and a live auction. Rotarians Vic Villalobos and Ken Binkley again served as masters of ceremonies, and American Classified (Vic's business) again supported the printing needs of the effort with posters and tickets. (Thanks, Vic!)
Local restaurants participated by preparing and serving excellent food to be sampled by attendees; Taste of Las Cruces participating restaurants make possible our support of worthy causes. We salute and thank the participating restaurants listed below.
| Aqua Reef | Meson de Mesilla |
| Garduño's at Hotel Encanto | Milagro Coffee y Espresso |
| Jason's Deli | Mountain View Market Kitchen |
| Jimmy John's | Olive Garden |
| La Posta de Mesilla | Savoy de Mesilla |
| Las Cruces Convention Center | St. Clair Winery & Bistro |
| Lorenzo's |
We also thank those who sponsored entire tables for the event.
| AAMCO | Sue Groth and friends |
| American Classified | Home Instead Senior Care |
| Bank of the Southwest | Loadstone Transportation LLC |
| Wendy Beserra | Millennium Moms |
| Don Buck and friends | Mountain View Regional Medical Center |
| Clifford Ross Cooper CPAs | Wilson Binkley |
| Guests of Hiram Davis (3 tables) | WIN |
| Dermatology Center | David Yaryan and friends |
| Jackie Edwards Charles Schwab |
Roadrunner Food Bank accepted donations of non-perishable food at the event. Food donors received an extra ticket for silent auction drawings. Our gratitude to our silent auction donors:
| Ashley Furniture Home Store | HBN Design-Nancy Broekhoff |
| Austin's Jewelers-Keith Austin | Hotel Encanto |
| Border Pest Control-Laurie Findley | Northern Business Products |
| Bradley D and William B Restaurant | Picacho Hills Country Club |
| Carmona Day Spa | Richelle Ponder |
| Brian Davis Art | Rustic Olive |
| Hiram Davis | St. Clair Winery & Bistro |
| Decorating Den-Sherry Franzoy | Sha Bangs |
| Dion's Pizza | SI Italian Bistro |
| Jim Dolan | Tiffany's |
| Zane Fikaney | Vic Villalobos Military Surplus |
| Kathleen Foreman | Jan Wimsatt |
On July 9, we presented the $12,000 proceeds to the Roadrunner Food Bank, who let us know that 60,000 meals will be provided in southern New Mexico through the generosity of our sponsors and those attending the event.
(pictured from left, Bill Harty-LC, Ana Mangino-LC, Jan Wimsatt-RG, Rachel Anaya-RRFB, Elke Wunderlich-MV, Jean Briley-MV; attending but not pictured: Richelle Ponder-LC, Paul Huntsberger-MV, Jim McKinney-MV, Chris May-RG, Teresa Johansen-RRFB, Alissa Barnes-RRFB)
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Many thanks to our restaurant partners...
A good time was had by all...
