Brookside Elementary ‘Mardi Gras’ will assist school

By Lori Porter porter@theacorn.com

The Brookside PTA will host a night of dinner, dancing and Vegas-like casino gambling at its "Mardi Gras: Celebration for Education," Sat., March 12 at 6 p.m.

The event will be at the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center located at 27040 Malibu Hills Road in Calabasas.

The Brookside Mardi Gras will include a silent and live auction. Auction items donated include a Magic Johnson signed-and-framed jersey, a Sugar Ray Leonard signed punching mitt, a Shaquille O’Neil signed- and-framed jersey, spa treatments, VIP passes to the "Tonight Show" and more.

"We’re very proud of our teachers and staff at Brookside," said Suzie Bock, PTA member and event chair. "We hope this event will help pay for many needed upgrades at the school."

Bock said the PTA hopes to raise enough money to pay for a variety of upgrades needed at Brookside, such as new playground equipment.

"We’d love to be able to point to something and say ‘this is what we worked toward," Bock said.

The event promises something for everyone including great gourmet food. Let’s Get Cookin’ of Westlake Village will cater the event.

The PTA is also conducting a raffle. The winner and three guests will visit the set of "Malcolm in the Middle" for a closed set taping of the show.

Justin Berfield, a Brookside Elementary alumnus who plays the role of Reese on "Malcolm," has offered this prize to the PTA. The winner and guests will also enjoy lunch with Berfield in the studio commissary and will receive a signed script from the show’s cast members.

Raffle tickets are $5 for one ticket or $20 for five.

Sponsors and auction items are still needed for the event. For more information and to make a donation or purchase raffle tickets , contact PTA president Marcie Pollock at (818) 879-8455.