Cottonwood mayor's race, fund raisers to begin

KARLI GURROLA-JANC

IVAR AMEN

MARY O'KEEFE

Three candidates have entered the race to become the honorary mayor of Cottonwood, which begins Oct. 1. Once the annual contest begins, the three residents will compete to raise the most money throughout the month for their adopted agency. Every dollar raised counts as a vote.

Running this year are Ivar Amen for the Cottonwood Enrichment Council, Mary O'Keeffe for the Cottonwood Community Park board and Karli Gurrola-Janc for the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce.

Each agency will hold a special benefit dinner this month.

• The Cottonwood Enrichment Council will hold a dinner, themed "Taste of the Mediterranean," with appetizers, antipasti, bread and dipping oils, greek pasta and Caesar salad, chicken cacciatore over polenta, lasagna rolls, and baklava with Spumoni ice cream for dessert on Oct. 29, 5:30 p.m. at the Cottonwood Community Center, 20595 Gas Point Road.

Tickets cost $25. The event will also include an auction, door prizes and drawings. To donate or purchase tickets, contact 347-3654.

Amen urged residents to donate to the group "for the betterment of Cottonwood," he said. "Make it a spot that everyone wants to come see or visit."

The council maintains landscaping on sculptured medians on Main Street, according to Linda Pritchett.

• The Cottonwood Community Park board will hold a dinner, themed "Under the Tuscan Sun," on Oct. 17, at the community center with a no-host bar with wine at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. A five-course Italian meal will include antipasti, soup, salad, main course and dessert, with the main course consisting of Italian sausage and red sauce over polenta.

Dinner costs $25 each, and the event will also hold a dessert auction, door prizes and sell a limited number of $75 tickets for a chance to win a bed and breakfast getaway in Sutter Creek, a vacation weekend in Lake Tahoe, another in McCloud, a case of wine, or a $50 gas card.

To donate or purchase tickets, call 347-1230.

The park board looks to expand the playground equipment and improve landscaping at the park, O'Keeffe said.

"We have a really big need. A lot of families that can't use other area parks they don't have the transportation," she said.

• The Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce will hold a Fall Festival on Oct. 30 at the community center from 5-9 p.m. with a chili cook-off and haunted house, games, pony rides, cake walk and disc jockey. The chili cook-off features a $100 1st prize, and applications are available through the chamber of commerce.

Proceeds raised will go toward installing antique-looking street lights for Cottonwood on Main and Front streets, according to Karli Gurrola-Janc, owner of Elegant Bean.

The lighting will improve safety and be an aesthetic improvement, Gurrola-Janc said. To donate, contact 347-9669.

For all three agencies, donations must be contributed by Nov. 3. The new mayor will be announced at the Soup Kitchen fund raiser, $5, on Nov. 6, 6 p.m., at the community center. Guests are requested to bring their own bowl and spoon.