Jazzy party Sunday raising funds for Downey Symphony

Downey Symphonic Society board member Pat Gil. (Photo by Lorine Parks)

DOWNEY — The Downey Symphonic Society is planning an afternoon party, and everyone’s invited.

And the theme is Jazzy. “I love jazz,” said Pat Gil, organizer of the party. “It's a great American art form that we should be proud of. A soloist jazz sax player will be entertaining us during cocktail hour, and then he’ll join a soft jazz trio during our dinner.”

“The colors will be black, white and gold,” said Pat, “and I want it to be elegant and timeless. It will be our usual of 10 per table, with a bottle of white wine and red wine at each table. Cocktail hour is from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, there will be champagne, fruit, cheese and crackers.’

Sunday, Sept. 25, is the date and the Woman’s Club on Paramount and Lubec is the place, from 3:30 to 7:30 pm. For your $75 donation, expect a delicious buffet dinner, chicken with your choice of three kinds of sauces.

Silent auction items include tickets to Laugh Factory, jewelry, art work, a spa basket, a “Salute to the Queen” basket, and one for Dia De Los Muertos.

“The live auction features a basket full of spirits, Downey Theater tickets with dinner,” said Pat, “and the prize most eagerly bid for each year, rehearsal dinner with Sharon Lavery, our music director. There will be a $300 Disneyland gift card that is good for Disneyland tickets, and as a raffle item, a treasure chest full of gift cards worth hundreds of dollars.”

Donations raised will go towards funding orchestra salaries and the Downey Symphonic Society’s outreach program, Music in the Schools. That brings third and fifth graders to the Downey Theatre each for their own morning of rich symphonic music, in programs written by the late Dr. Tom Osborn and narrated and emceed by Sharon Lavery. The kids love her.

For reservations, contact Pat Gil, at patgil1031@gmail.com or text her at (562) 879-3029.