Our Laguna: Grapes for Grad event biggest yet

Grapes of Grad is Laguna's largest annual wine tasting. This year's was the biggest ever.

The event, which was held this past Sunday, was hosted by the Rotary Club of Laguna Beach at Tivoli Too.

"We had more wineries, we had more food and we had way more people," said Steve Dotoratos, co-chair of Grapes for Grad along with Jeff Redeker.

That translates to more financial support for scholarships for Laguna Beach High School graduating seniors and Laguna College of Art & Design students.

"Grapes for Grads helped with the cost of college during a period of economic hardship," wrote LCAD student Michelle Faro, a 2011 scholarship recipient. "The scholarship contributed to both tuition and living expenses, allowing me to fully focus on school."

LCAD graduate Dan Mulligan, and Christine Kinder and Jake Michaels, Laguna Beach High School graduates who received scholarships in 2011, also expressed their appreciation.

Michaels is a freshman at Cornell, where he is majoring in hotel administration, earning a 3.57 GPA in his first semester, while also playing varsity tennis and football.

Kinder, who is at Babson College, is on track to attend The London School of Economics and Political Science and hopes to graduate with honors. She plans to intern with a British company or to take courses in Milan later.

Rotary President Jim Cox said the caliber of students at both institutions is impressive and all applicants for scholarships are winners in the eyes of the Laguna Beach club.

The club's Grapes for Grads has raised more than $60,000 for scholarships since its inception.

"This is such a good cause; everyone in town should be here," said home remodeling designer Michael Macaluso, who escorted Los Angeles television host Mara Brown to the fundraiser.

Among those who were there: LCAD President Jonathan Burke and school district Supt. Sherine Smith, school board member Ketta Brown, Mayor Pro Tem Verna Rollinger, Councilwomen Elizabeth Pearson and Toni Iseman, City Treasurer Laura Parisi, Police Employee Assn. President Larry Bammer, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kris Thalman, Laguna Beach County Water District Executive Director Renae Hinchey and Human Resources Manager Michelle Boyd, Laguna Nursery owner Ruben Flores and No Square Theatre founder Bree Burgess Rosen.