Oakland Tribune: Gambling a good time for charity

AS she waltzed into the Blackhawk Museum, Dominque Yancey was met with a scenario straight out of a Vegas strip hotspot, one peppered with glitzy high rollers toasting the arrival of 2004 on bended elbow with the bubbly. "Oh, this is great! It's even better than last year," she said to her husband, Dan. So it was. The Dec. 31 Casino Classic Celebration had exceeded its own lofty legacy for glitter and pizzazz with slot machines, blackjack, roulette and a whole lot of action geared toward raising cash for education and transportation programs. According to museum Director Dan Dunn, this was the biggest fund-raiser of the year; the stakes were high, and the weather was the wild card. "It always makes us nervous," he said with a chuckle, "but this year it collaborated." Blessed by a clear night, the museum was a great venue for ringing in the New Year with a chutes-and- ladders-game of partying -- up, down and sideways. Those spotted coming and going were Jan and Larry Anderson, Pat and Ken Behring, Jeff and Jane Behring, Goretti Heinz, Dan Rockers, Paula and Jon Scott and Ross and Mary Valory. The casino was set up on the mezzanine level, and the top floor featured psychics who consulted with cautious gamblers before they tried their luck at the gaming tables with fistfuls of gambling money. One particular high roller, Lawrence Weil, bypassed the psychics and quickly wiped out all of his chips playing blackjack. "It's just not my night," he said to his wife, Kimberly, "but at least it's all for charity." The slots paid off for Joyce and Tom Tucker, and a roll of the dice bode well for Bill MacCullough. Midge and Dennis DePaepe also planned to beat the odds at blackjack, but Lady Luck was busy elsewhere, bestowing good fortune on Salvador and Mary Sevedra, who ended up as the big winners of the night, winning a trip for two to the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. Following the casino games, the partiers meandered downstairs to the main floor for a lavish buffet from Scott's Catering that featured such epicurean entrees as filet mignon with brandied peppercorn sauce, Mendocino chicken and spicy roasted garlic prawns. Then it was on to the dance floor, and at midnight, after the countdown and shouts of "Happy New Year," 300 black and white balloons dropped from the ceiling. The deejay began playing "Auld Lang Syne," but the song was soon drowned out by the pops of corks, the blasts of noisemakers and the cheers of an exuberant crowd. Ignoring the pandemonium of the sights and sounds, several couples began leisurely taking their time to embrace and kiss, revealing that they had hit the jackpot of a good time. So it was. Ka-ching!

Do you have a gala, fund-raiser or other social event planned? If so, call Mary Ann Cruz at (925) 736-1423 or send her an e-mail at mcruz@angnewspapers.com . Letters may be sent to her at 4770 Willow Road, Pleasanton 94588.