This past Saturday, I attended the Purple and Gold Gala hosted by Amador Valley’s sports booster club. The affair was held at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton and proved to be a big hit for both the attendees and Amador Valley’s sports program. Amador Valley, one of the three high schools in Pleasanton, hosts this event annually and serves as the major fundraiser for the year. With budget cuts on the horizon, the booster representative reminded the attendees that this was an opportunity to keep athletics funded; providing a quality athletic program at a low cost to the student athletes remains a priority at Amador Valley High School. The event was a comprehensive venture put together primarily by volunteers and community businesses who had donated most of the items for bid. Tickets for the event were $100 each which included dinner, drinks, music and a memorable evening. Since my wife is an English teacher at Amador Valley High School and the diving coach, we were invited as guests from the committee. The night started off with a silent auction featuring items such as a round of golf at Callippe golf course in Pleasanton, tickets to Tommy T’s comedy club, Beach Blanket Babylon and much much more. After about an hour of nibbling on hors d’oeuvres and enjoying some wine from the Mitchell Katz collection, we were asked to be seated for dinner and get prepared for the live auction. This is where the big bucks were collected.

Nothing stands out more in my mind than item #105, the Cruise Around The World. The lucky bidder (not sure if luck is the right word since it was an auction) who took the prize here would be pampered for a 7 night stay aboard The World, a ship that carries luxury homes to the four corners of the earth. The accommodations included a 3000 sq foot apartment at the bow of the ship. If you have ever been on a cruise, you know that average room sizes are no bigger than a match box, so a 3000 sq foot apartment is a highly unique accommodation. The bidding for this item jumped around the room quickly, but was soon down to a duo who kept upping each other until the final bid of $28,000, which just could not be outbid.

All in all, the night was a huge success for the student athletes, coaches, fans, parents and the Pleasanton community. It is involvement and dedication exemplified by a night such as this which explains why the Pleasanton schools and community are so desirable.

Chris Kamali is a TriValley Real Estate Agent, helping clients buy and sell homes in Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon and Livermore.