No one had a clue. Sure they knew there would be a substantial outpouring of support from the North Tahoe-Truckee community for one of its beloved literary icons, Robert “Fro” Frohlich, who is undergoing treatment for cancer without any health insurance. But when 1,400 friends and acquaintances showed up last Sunday night at the “In The Mood/Friends For Fro” fundraiser at Alpine Meadows lodge, all expectations were shattered.

How do you plan for 1,400? Well, sometimes you just have to wing it, and as food started to dwindle early on during the evening, Graham Rock of Graham’s took off for his restaurant in Squaw and cooked up more food to bring over for the troops. Douglas Dale went back to Wolfdale’s as well. Someone called the Resort at Squaw Creek to send over more salad — presto, there was a sea of bowls with salad! Mamasake churned out sushi faster than a competition on TV’s Iron Chef. Jake’s dished up grilled fish. Christy Hill, River Grill, River Ranch and Moody’s pitched in as well.

It was a multi-faceted evening with lots of live music, film and photography and a silent auction. Organizers were still counting up the money as I write this.

The Who’s Who of the Ski Industry showed up, along with the rest of us, including California Ski Industry Association’s Bob Roberts, former Olympians Tamara McKinney, Kristen Krone, Jeff Hamilton and Eric Poulsen, also Nancy Cushing and Jimmy King of Squaw Valley USA, Art and Colleen Chapman of JMA Ventures and Alpine Meadows, co-organizers of the event Keoki Flagg, Bill Jensen and Rachel Woods, Jim Kercher, Darin and Michelle Rahlves, Shane and Sherri McConkey, Scott Gaffney, Kevin Quinn, Deb Dudley, Joy Doyle, Debbie Kelly Hogan, Debbie Dutton, Junior and Katja (Dahl) Wilson with baby Olive in tow, Becky Moore, Gillian and Russell Poulsen, Nanette, Eric and Glen Poulsen, Alice and Paul Arthur, Gunner Wolfe, Betty Walsh, Sandra Carter and Todd Mather, Sally Mars Carey, Meg and Hank DeVre, Cara (DeCristoforo) and Raymond DeVre, Debbie Skaweinski and Larry Kuschner, Julie Mauer and Dave Schotzko, Jim Simon, Doug Read, Katie, Tally and Ciro Mancuso, Laurie and Mike Buffington, Jan and John Corda, Christine Horvath, Catherine and Bill Hudson, Janie and Charlie Kellermeyer, Laurel and Tom Lippert, JT Holmes, Paul Sullivan, Colleen (Conners) and Joe Pace, Chaco Mohler, Carl Ribaudo of Ski Lake Tahoe, Nancy McCoy, Sue and Troy Caldwell, and Jeremy Jacobson.

No fundrasing a novel concept

Denise and Woody Shackleton and BJ and Craig Miller hosted a do for Nancy Gisko, who is seeking re-election to the Tahoe Truckee School Board trustee position. Remarkably there was no fundraising whatsoever (a novel concept). Guests nibbled on a delicious spread prepared by Billy McCullough of Dragonfly in Truckee.

Some of those attending included Judy and Dick Lingle, John Pang, Sue and Sam Harrosh, Kelly Twomey, Lisa Krueger, Julie and David Conover, Judy Friedman, Cindy Gustafson, Ellen and Hugh McBride, Bill Kraus, Christy Olk and Terri Viehmann.

— Vicki Kahn may be emailed at vickikahn@sbcglobal.net