Paella Fest 2015—A Night to Remember

On September 20th we hosted a Paella Fest, featuring 20 local chefs—each offering a unique take on the traditional dish. Along with the picturesque backdrop at Sweet Cheeks Winery, live music, and various speakers, it was surely a night to remeber.

There were over 250 people in attendance, and in one night alone we were able to raise a significant amount to build Emerald Village Eugene!

The event included a paddle auction in which those in attendance could bid on contributing to one of the tiny houses in the project. Donations ranged from $25,000 for an entire tiny house (including site development costs) to several $100 contributions. The funds raised also helped us meet a $10,000 matching grant from the Collins Foundation.

Speakers included Congressman Peter Defazio, Terry McDonald, Tom Bowerman, Gerry Gaydos, and Dan Bryant.

We also displayed some of the tiny house designs proposed for Emerald Village; featuring work from Arbor South Artchitecture, Michael Fifield, Will Dixon, Dustrud Architecture, and Bryan Hadley.

A special thanks to our coporate sponsor, Thrivent Community — Lane-Douglas Associates, that made this event possible, and to our board members and Opportuntiy Village residents that helped make it happen!

Missed the event? You can still contribute to the cause here.