If chocolate is your jam, Rincon Rotary Club has a fundraiser with your name on it: the 13th Annual Taste of Chocolate.
The event will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at DoubleTree Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way.
The event will feature chocolate creations from more than 20 local restaurants, eateries and businesses, all to benefit teachers and students at local schools.
βWe give grants to local teachers in Tucson are school districts so they can buy supplies for students that they would typically pay for out of pocket. All of the money we make at Taste of Chocolate β which usually ranges between $30,000 and $50,000 each year β is spent on grants for teachers,β said Mike High, President Elect of Rincon Rotary Club, which stages the event.
Since inception, the unique fundraiser, which High said is fulfilling to both palates and philanthropic aspirations, has funneled more than $360,000 to local teachers.
βI have been in the club about two years and did a fulfillment, which means that I worked with a teacher and bought chapter books she requested and took them to her first grade class. My heart just about exploded when I saw how excited these kids were to read the books: They were overjoyed. These teachers care so much for these kids and it is obvious how hard they are trying. It is just so gratifying,β High said.
The array of chocolate concoctions at Taste of Chocolate is stunning, according to High. Attendees can expect everything from cookies, brownies, cakes and other desserts to truffles, pralines, ganache and hot cocoa. The event also features a panel of local celebrity judges and a silent auction. Additionally, new this year is a chocolate liquor tasting station for those 21 and older.
βPeople are uniformly thrilled when they walk through the door. They all have a really good time,β High said.
Tickets are $15 per person; children four and under are free.
Go to https://www.tucsontasteofchocolate.org/ for tickets and information.
