A few hundred people said “Aloha” to plates of crab and pasta in Santa Rosa Jan. 20 at a Hawaiian-themed fundraiser for Rotary Club of Russian River.
The club’s 37th annual crab feed, which adopts a different theme each year, raised over $80,000 through tickets, raffles, silent auction and a live auction and fund-a-need led by state Sen. Mike McGuire, according to crab feed chair Daniela Hernandez.
“Sen. McGuire is always a highlight because he’s such a character,” Hernandez said.
Tickets to the event were $90-$100. Raffle tickets went for $1 each.
Volunteers from the club and west county schools served up 1,200 pounds of fresh, locally caught Dungeness crab. In addition to the food, attendees enjoyed live music by Bay Area Hawaiian music group Haopinaka. Kids from the audience also got hula lessons from Hawaiian dancer Leilani Chow-Bouteiller.
Raffle prizes and silent auction items included local wine and wine tasting experiences and gift certificates to local businesses.
McGuire, donning pineapple party glasses, got bidding wars started during the live auction for items including trips to Hawaii and the Mexican resort city Mazatlán.