Debbie Unruh, left, Reverend Pat O'Reilly, and Israel Estrada, pose for a picture during the wine and cheese tasting to benefit the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Congregations (ECPAC) Friends in Need, including: The Food Pantry, The Women's Room, The Bad Weather Shelter, and Homeless Prevention Program, at the Cheese Store in Pasadena, Sunday, July 24, 2011. (Correspondent Photo by James Carbone)

Sampling premium wines and grazing on gourmet goodies to aid the hungry and homeless always strikes me as an incongruous scenario, but it seems to work just fine as a low-stress formula for fundraisers.

Supporters of the Ecumenical Council Pasadena Area Congregation (ECPAC) Friends in Deed are among the organizations that are joining the trendy nip-and-nosh circuit.

On July 24, Natalia and Louis Patsis opened their epicurean emporium, The Cheese Store of Pasadena, to ECPAC for its "Because We Care" benefit. The afternoon of wine and cheese tasting drew a sizeable crowd, including clergy from several local churches - the Revs. Pat O'Reilly, Colville Smythe, Donna Byrns, Michael Bamberger, Wilma Jakobsen, Allison Mark,

Ed Vidimos, left, Reverend Wilma Jakobsen, and Jackie Knowles, pose for a picture during the wine and cheese tasting to benefit the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Congregations (ECPAC) Friends in Need, including: The Food Pantry, The Women's Room, The Bad Weather Shelter, and Homeless Prevention Program, at the Cheese Store in Pasadena, Sunday, July 24, 2011. (Correspondent Photo by James Carbone)
Inman Moore, Marlene Pomeroy, Andy Schwiebert, Paul Sustayta and Ellen Wekall.

Others there were Hizzoner Bill Bogaard, Jackie Knowles, a former Star-News city editor who founded the Women's Room, an ECPAC program that serves the most underserved of the population - women who are alone and homeless or at risk of becoming homeless; Jamie Knauss of Pasadena Covenant Church, home to ECPAC's Badweather Shelter; and Debbie Unruh of Elizabeth Center for homeless pregnant women.

Also on the scene: Richard Cheung - he and Byrns co-chaired the event - Ashton Avila, who created a video for the occasion, "The Story of ECPAC"; Jack Biondolillo, Margaret Leong Checca, Betsy and John Blue, Dorothy Christ, Gretchen Davidson, Jim Loduha,

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Nancy and Alex Delgado, Katherine Ellis, Israel Estrada, Michelle Gavigan, Monica and Tom Hubbard, Eunie Sung and Byron Lee, Camille Levee, Pamela Marx, Gary Mortimer, Kay Murphy, Mary Elizabeth Perry, Evelyn Reitzell, Joseph Roos, Constance Smith, Donna Sparks, Doris Syme, Inez Tarbell, Kate Walters, Marianne and Matt Wright, Dick Smoak and Ed Vidimos.

Welcoming the crowd, ECPAC Executive Director O'Reilly called helping the homeless an "on-going challenge."

"According to last

Natalia and Louis Pastis, owners of the Cheese Store, and Monica Hubbard, pose for a picture during the wine and cheese tasting to benefit the Ecumenical Council of Pasadena Area Congregations (ECPAC) Friends in Need, including: The Food Pantry, The Women's Room, The Bad Weather Shelter, and Homeless Prevention Program, at the Cheese Store in Pasadena, Sunday, July 24, 2011. (Correspondent Photo by James Carbone)
January's official count, there are 1,216 homeless people in Pasadena on a given day," she said. "Every week, our Friends in Deed Food Pantry dispenses food for about 200 low-income families, and lately we have been dangerously close to running out.

"The good news is that following last month's Star-News story about our dwindling inventory, we received $5,395 in donations and many people dropped by with food. One woman even rolled up in a pickup truck filled with boxes of canned goods, but we are delighted to receive any non-perishable foods no matter how small the amount," she said.

"We had about 35 new donors last month, and we usually have only one or two each month, sometimes none," O'Reilly said.

"July is one of our slowest months for donations, but this year it was the second busiest month behind December, thanks in part to two drives conducted by Altadena's Coffee Gallery and the Pasadena Mormon Stake," she said. "This recent outpouring of support has really encouraged us to keep on trying to help those who come to us with almost insurmountable problems."

So, dear hearts, when you are reorganizing your kitchen shelves, remember the folks at the pantry. Donations, including fresh fruit and vegetables - no "expired" items please - are welcomed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at ECPAC headquarters, 444 E. Washington Blvd, Pasadena 91104. 626-797-2402.

PLAUDITS

... for Conductor Jeffrey Kahane and members of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, who have received a 2010-11 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Award for Adventurous Programming. The accolade was conferred at the League of American Orchestra's 66th National Conference in Minneapolis. It is LACO's fifth such honor in six years.

pattdiroll@charter.net

fax: 626-696-3150