Bill and Jean Lane to be honored at 'Blues & Barbeque' Bill and Jean Lane to be honored at 'Blues & Barbeque' (August 31, 2005)

Longtime Portola Valley residents Bill and Jean Lane will take center stage when they are honored at the town's annual "Blues & Barbeque" festival, slated for Sunday, September 11, at Portola Valley Town Center.

The Lanes will be feted for their commitment to the town and to open space and conservation projects. The barbecue is a fundraiser for the Portola Valley Open Space Acquisition Fund.

Mr. Lane was elected Portola Valley's first mayor more than 40 years ago, but resigned due to the demands of his work as publisher of Sunset magazine. He was then elected vice mayor by the new council.

"The Lanes have been such wonderful benefactors in so many areas of this town and beyond," says town historian Nancy Lund. They made a lead gift so the town could establish the Open Space Acquisition Fund.

The festival starts earlier this year, at 2:30 p.m., with a petting zoo, pony rides and a climbing wall. The "waterin' hole" also opens for beverages and appetizers. Chris Cotton and the New Hokum 3's start the music at 3 p.m.

A barbecue, featuring ribs and chicken, will be served from 4:45 p.m.

Audrey Rust, president of Peninsula Open Space Trust, will once again serve as auctioneer at the live auction, which begins at 5:30 p.m.

Live auction items include a wine tour of Portola Valley in a chauffeur-driven limousine, dinner for 12 at Thomas Fogarty Winery, and an outdoor movie party for 25 hosted by Tom and Jeanette Ramies.

Silent auction items include a tour for up to 10 people at Jacques and Sandy Littlefield's military tank collection, a tour of Jasper Ridge with docent Jean Lane, and a flight over the valley with George and Nancy Savage in their private plane.

With the help of proceeds from past Blues & Barbeque festivals, donations to the Open Space Acquisition Fund, and the 2 percent tax on residents' utility bills, the Town Council has been able to purchase a second three-acre lot from Spring Down Equestrian Center. There are now six acres of meadow along Portola Road that will remain undeveloped open space.

Toni Bray and Sharon Driscoll are co-chairs of this year's benefit. The members of their committee are Liz Sweeney, Beth Erskine, Deirdre McQuillan, Carolyn Rogers, Michael Bray, Jason Schmidt, Janet Lorenzen, Francine Roy, Diana Raines, Marianne Plunder and Kathy Fitzgerald.

Advance tickets for dinner at a table, with beer and wine, are $60 per person; a table for 10 is $600. For dinner on the lawn, tickets are $30 per adult and $10 for each child under 10. An additional $5 charge will be added for food tickets the day of the event.

Admission only, with no food served, is $10 per adult and free for kids under 5.

For more information, call 851-1700, ext. 58. For reservations, call 851-5212. All admission and dinner tickets will be held at the door.

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