The is holding its seventh annual Claws for a Cause lobster block party fundraiser 5:30-10 p.m., next Saturday, Sept. 10 at
An $85 ticket gives the public access to the jam that takes place in front of the popular Irish pub restaurant using the entire Bank of America parking lot. The dinner includes all-you-can-eat side dishes, tri-tip and about 3,000 fresh Maine lobsters flown into town especially for the estimated 1,200 guests that are expected to attend.
Through the fundraiser, the club provides financial support to event partners Los Gatos High School Music Boosters, the United Flight 93 Heroes Todd Beamer and Mark Bingham scholarships and the Rotary Charitable Foundation Grants and Scholarship Program. Last year, the event raised enough for two $4,000 scholarships, according to event founder and spokesman , aka "Dr. Claw."
In addition, proceeds will be donated to other local clubs and organizations that provide hands-on help for the event, including the (for their "Sight First" Program), the Los Gatos Boy Scouts and the Los Gatos Sea Scouts.
This year, the club has set a fundraising goal of more than $30,000 and was aggressively looking for business sponsors as early as July.
The club traditionally flies the lobsters out from Maine the Friday prior to the party, through Saturday morning when the cooking begins. The event is so renowned that Rotary groups from other locations visit the Los Gatos bash for input and to mimic it, Monda said.
The recently awarded Monda the 2011 Most Valuable Professional of the Year Award at its annual dinner on July 20. Monda was recognized for his tireless volunteer work benefitting the community through the many service organizations of which he is a member, such as the Los Gatos Morning Rotary and the
Although Monda is still tightly entwined with the event, Diana Pleasant is the current chairwoman. This is her second year running the show with a dedicated team of volunteers. “This is an all-hands event with every member of our cool cat morning Rotary club involved,” said Pleasant. All 75 members of the LG Morning Rotary Club—Cool Cats of Los Gatos will be on deck. Their motto is “Stray Cats United, Cool Cats Forever.”
“It has been our pleasure to host this wonderful party for the last six years, and we look forward to hosting it again this year. The Los Gatos Morning Rotary club has put together the number one community fundraiser,” said Johnny Hannegan, co-owner of C.B. Hannegan's.
