Deep Roots dinner raises $40,000 for Hilltop Montessori

Hilltop Montessori School in Mt. Laurel hosted a Deep Roots Gardening Dinner in November at the Stone’s Throw Bar and Grill restaurant. 

Chef Chris Harrigan catered the event , which was attended by 130. It included a live auction by Jack Granger of Granger, Thagard & Associates. Sponsors of the event included Pilates on the Highland, EBSCO Industries, Newsome Law LLC, Chez Fon Fon, Hot and Hot Fish Club and Dr. Heidi Umphrey.

Guests dined on an exclusive menu supplemented by the school’s gardens that included a baby green mixed salad, slow braised boneless beef short ribs, shrimp and grits, and roast chicken breast with sweet potato gratin. Dessert was a dark chocolate cream pie and pumpkin-cranberry bread pudding. 

More than $40,000 was raised in less than 45 minutes through an entertaining and spirited live auction by Granger.  Sarah and Eddy Yang won the Chris Hastings’ Personal Chef for the Evening Dinner for Eight. Bruce and Carla Irwin won an Extreme Makeover package and the popular Stone’s Throw Private Dinner Party for eight. Other popular live auction items included a week in Taos, N.M., a “Wine and Dine” package and a downtown party for foodies hosted by Dr. and Mrs. Michael Wilensky.