COPAKE — Fun, food, music and a wide range of auction items will be the main features at the Roeliff Jansen Community Library’s annual fund raising gala to be held on Saturday, June 8 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Catamount Lodge at 78 Catamount Road in Hillsdale.
Library Director Tammy Gaskell is hoping for “a big response” as it is the library’s major fundraiser for the year with the proceeds going to supplement the general budget, only 30 percent of which is provided through town taxes.
A tradition for more than a decade, with the last three events at Catamount, Gaskell is hopeful the weather will again co-operate, allowing guests to take advantage of the ample space inside and “gorgeous view” outside. While the event is still known by its traditional “gala” designation, Gaskell says dress for the event will be “casual.”
Catamount will be supplying the buffet which she says will include BBQ, Mediteranean, Asian and vegetarian choices, local craft beer and wine, and Prosecco, with ice cream, coffee and tea.
Throughout the evening, The Luke Franco Trio will fill the air with jazz.
A highlight of the evening will be expanded silent and live auctions conducted by Copake auctioneer Steven Chickery.
A sampling of the items from the live auction include a fly-fishing adventure for two, a tree delivered and installed, a party for 20 at Vanderbilt Lakeside in Philmont, a lunch prepared by New York Times bestselling cookbook author and food personality and influencer Dan Pelosi, and 18 holes of golf at the Copake Lake Country Club.
A more complete listing of both the live and silent offerings will be available at roejanlibrary.org/fundraising-events.
Individual tickets for the evening are $125 each for regular tickets and $275 for host tickets with those host patrons being listed in the gala program.
Rather than having paper tickets, all attendees names will be listed at the door. Tickets may be purchased at the library, through a PayPal link on the above website, or send a check to: Roe Jan Community Library, PO Box 669, Hillsdale, NY 12529.
Gaskill says that donations are also always welcome. The website notes those contributions as well as the tickets are tax deductable.
For more information, call 518-325-4101.
Meg Sher, executive director of the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village.L. Tomaino 
