On Thursday, April 10th,
Upper West will host a fundraiser to benefit STAR Education from 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
The restaurant will donate 20% of sales during the event to Star Education. The
event will also feature a raffle with some incredible prizes. Premier
Designs jeweler Bernadette Benavente and Artist Vicki McClay will be donating a
portion of their sales to the cause.
The event was first initiated
by Bernadette Benavente, a Premier
Designs jeweler who decided she wanted to help sponsor a fundraiser. Benavente
thought it would be a great opportunity to help a non-profit through her new found
relationship with Premier Designs. She explains, “I believe in the company's
purpose to enrich every life; to
provide people a way to find identity, achievement and success; and to meet the
personal and financial needs of all who become a part of the Premier Designs
family.”
She then approached Jessica Balsam who had a networking group called Thirsty Thursdays and together
they found Hannah Rothblatt who works for STAR Education. The
networking group, created by Balsam
was started in 2007. “Although initially it was primarily 30-somethings in the
entertainment industry, explains Balsam, “It has grown to attendees from their
20's - 60's in all industries. Balsam has been coming to Upper West since
it opened. “They were a great partner in
creating the perfect place to host what had become Thirsty Thursdays (aka
"TT Nights").”
Benavente
also, a frequent Upper West diner says, “I love how
Upper West supports local artists and charities. My favorite items are the mini
mac-n-cheese and the key lime tart paired with the coconut basil sorbet! They
have a unique Happy Hour menu as well. Where else can you find Lamb Nachitos?” bbenavente.mypremierdesigns.com
Hannah Rothblatt loves working at STAR Education and is excited about the fundraiser. She tells us a bit about the organization, "I am the Executive Assistant and Corporate Gifts/ Development Coordinator at STAR Education. We are a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that provides in-school and after-school enrichment education programming for students throughout Los Angeles and California. We are in over 60 schools in Los Angeles alone, and serve tens-of-thousands of students annually. We have been named a "model program" by the White House, and recognized by LA Parent Magazine as being the BEST for much of our programming (as seen on our website, www.starinc.org). Over 60% of our students receive full or partial scholarships, as we are in many grant-funded schools in California. We have partnered with Los Angeles County Office of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Beyond the Bell for much of our programming and events."
Artist Vicki McClay is
very excited to participate in the STAR Education fundraiser.
She is a Santa Monica local and her art is currently on view at Upper West.
McClay was schooled at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Walker Art
Center. She continued her studies at the University of Minnesota and The
College of Art and Design.
McClay’s mother played an active
role in fueling her desire to be an artist. “When I was about 12 or 13 years
old she gave me a small oil painting set which came in a wooden box,” recalls
the artist. “To this day, I always keep in my studio. She was a single mom with
two children, so it was quite difficult for her to find the resources for
classes and supplies, but she saw how important it was to me and made it a
priority.” http://vickimcclay.com/
Stop by and help STAR Education while
enjoying some delicious food Thursday, April 10th from 6:30 pm to
10:30 pm at Upper West Restaurant, located at 3321 Pico Blvd. in Santa
Monica. http://www.theupperwest.com/
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