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Annual Tea And Trumpets Steeped In Success
Flute
Junior Grace Resendes provided some musical entertainment at Saturdays Tea and Trumpets gathering, a fundraiser for music and art scholarships.Times Photos By Marg Jackson

With an estimated 10 different varieties of tea and everything from Aram sandwiches to fruit to brownie bites, attendees at Saturday’s Tea and Trumpets event enjoyed plenty to eat and drink. They also were treated to some musical entertainment, got to pose for photos with Cinderella, had the chance to win prizes and supported the arts.

“It gets better every year,” said Debbie Murken, one of the organizers.

Murken, Lorelei Woodford and Sonya Huff coordinate the tea, which is used as a fundraiser for arts and music students at the high school and is put on with cooperation from the Escalon Chamber of Commerce.

This was the fifth year for the event. Woodford, who said she is more of a behind the scenes organizer, took center stage when she won the Best Decorated Hat contest among the adults and received a prize. Sharing the youth honors were best friends Katie Van Gorkum and Giolanna Loretelli, who were excited about sharing the prize as well, a painting kit.

Murken coordinated the serving of tea and made sure food was available at all tables, while Huff served as the emcee and handled the drawings for prizes and kept the crowd informed about what the event is for and who it benefits.

Pat LeSage said her granddaughter, six-year-old Kirsten Yater, was excited to meet and talk to Cinderella, who made the rounds of the room posing for photos. She came in, courtesy of Princess Party Fun out of Ripon.

The festivities were hosted in the cafeteria at Escalon High School and volunteers from EHS, El Portal and even some alums helped out.

“I think the attraction is that they get to make a memory with family and friends,” Huff said of attendees enjoying the special event.

She also noted that supporting music and the arts through scholarships is important, with plenty of emphasis already on sports scholarships.

“We had 83 pre-sold tickets, a few of them didn’t show but we also had some that just showed up at the door,” Huff said, noting that organizers were very pleased with the attendance and the overall event. “I am very happy with that.”