The membership of the Fresh Produce & Floral Council and guests went beyond themselves as they set a new record for charitable donations at the annual December Holiday Charity luncheon held in Cerritos, CA., on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

A total of $130,545 was raised for Caterina’s Club, an Orange County, CA, charity that focuses on providing a nightly dinner to underprivileged kids. Currently, the club provides about 1,000 meals a night at various locations in Southern California. Chef Bruno Serato, owner of Anaheim White House Restaurant, who is the founder and chairman of the Caterina's Club charity, with a family the charity helped to get a house. In addition, Chef Bruno Serato of The White House Restaurant in Anaheim, CA, has been spreading the message of “feeding the kids” throughout the country. Similar efforts are being launched in several other cities.

The concept began in 2005 when Chef Serato’s mother, Caterina, implored him to provide a meal for some local kids who were going hungry. Serato served up a free pasta meal that night for dozens of underprivileged kids and he has been doing so every night since. His group has served about 1 million meals to children in the past decade. Often these kids are living in rundown motels because their parents are scraping by trying to come up with enough money to make it through another day. Saving money to move is a virtual impossibility.

Serato, who spoke at the luncheon along with a young mother with two children who he has helped, said he has recently expanded his effort by helping many families move out of these motels and into more permanent residences. Caterina’s Club often provides the first and last month’s rent as is required by many landlords. This is often a huge barrier to moving for these families, who live a hand to mouth existence.

Auctioneers Bill Lalliberte of WJL Distributors and celebrity Frankie Avalon kept the crowd entertained and constantly reminded them to help “feed the kids.” The duo have provided this “auctioneering” service several different times over the years. Lalliberte’s irreverence combines well with Avalon’s celebrity to incite the crowd to be extra generous.The more than 350 attendees responded by bidding up every item, often well over its value.

Among the donated items were show tickets to a Frankie Avalon concert provided by the singer, as well as dozens of tickets to local sporting events featuring the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings and Clippers. The Produce News got in on the festivities by donating a full-page, four-color ad. The item led to a spirited bidding contests with two companies battling back and forth. Eventually Fernando Vargas of Cal Fresco LLC won the item with a $3,000 donation. He immediately donated it back, and for the same price Bill Brooks of Westlake Distributing won the ad. So in essence, the charity bucket received a double donation for the ad placement.

Also among the most popular items were outings with some of the local retailers, including Kent Kuwata of Smart & Final, Roger Schroeder of Stater Bros., Alfred Cano of Northgate Markets, Miguel Garcia of Ralph’s Grocery Co., Raul Gallegos of Bristol Farms, Tracy Ramirez of Ralph Grocery Co. and Mark Carroll of Gelson’s Markets.

Before the auction began, Chef Serato told the audience that he came this year to thank them for last year’s unbelievable donation of more than $100,000. The anticipation was that the $100,000 number would be tough to top.