TAG and RITA BEAR enjoy family time with their teen during the annual dinner.

Flagler County, FL – Kicking up her heels, literally, it was a down home hootenanny at the Florida Agricultural Museum on Thursday evening as Kathy and Dominic Austrino hosted their annual TAG V. BEAR Foundation dinner.

Tammy McIlravy, Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin, Denise Calderwood, Kara Hoblick

Marking the date with iron and wood, the traditional gifts for a seventh anniversary celebration, Austrino pulled out the stops to give guests a country-styled experience, complete with mini horse, on loan from the museum’s director Kara Hoblick, who was thrilled for a chance to showcase the property.

“We love having events like this because any reason to get people on the property to learn more about this amazing facility, is beneficial to all of us. This museum is going to flourish and shine for the entire state of Florida to teach about Florida agriculture, past, present and future,” she said.

Walking Churro around, guests headed outside of the Caldwell Dairy Barn to pet the tiny horse and pose for photos in between bidding on silent auction items and picking up raffle tickets.

Fernando Melendez, Pete Lehnertz, Heather Thompson, Regan Hansen, Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen

“I always support the event to help the local women,” said Lorraine Hayes-Richardson. “It’s awesome what they do through the foundation.”

Enjoying the chance to help support local families outside of the office, Premier Chiropractic and Wellness co-owners MJ St. Laurent-Dean and Dr. Erika Equizi decided on silent auction items.

“We’re here tonight to support our community, to support TAG and the families they’re helping, and this is just a wonderful night to do this,” said St. Laurent-Dean.

“This is connecting with the families. It’s giving them the opportunity to have what they can’t have sometimes, and letting them be like everyone else and fit in with everyone else,” said Dr. Equizi.

Alan Lowe, Cathy Heighter, Lance Alred

Ready to mix and mingle, Roger Bradford, owner of Fire In the Hole and Melissa Engelhardt helped with the evening’s desserts.

“It’s a good cause, I’m friends with Kathy and she’s been supportive of me at the restaurant,” shared Bradford. “It’s time for me to get involved, being a local small business.”

The annual event is something Kathy Austrino and her team look forward to each year, and in honor of the event, she selects a special pair of statement shoes just for the evening. Gold heels held up the cow patterned boots in keeping with the evening’s theme.

James Richardson and Lorraine Hayes-Richardson

“I buy special shoes for the event every year because really that’s what people want to see,” she joked.

While the majority of the funds raised for the foundation are through real estate sale commissions, Austrino says the dinner is a chance to thank the community for their contributions throughout the year.

“This is our TAG V. BEAR Foundation’s seventh fundraiser, the first one was TAG and RITA BEAR’s wedding, so this is their sixth anniversary we’re here celebrating tonight,” explained Austrino, who requests diapers and wipes as ‘gifts’ from guests to the event, which are then donated to Project WARM at the Stewart Marchman Behavioral Health Care center in Bunnell.

Roger Bradford and Melissa Engelhardt

Austrino says she never puts a specific fundraising goal on the event.

“Some of it is just celebrating all the people that support us throughout the year, and we do raise money, but the main funding of the foundation is through the real estate company, the purchase and sales and the 10 percent we send over to it,” she said.

In recognition for their service, the City of Palm Coast presented the foundation with a proclamation deeming June 9th as TAG V. BEAR Foundation Recognition Day.

Heather Keller, Kirk Keller, MJ St. Laurent-Dean and Dr. Erika Equizi
Kathy and Dominic Austrino enjoy an evening celebrating the TAG V. BEAR Foundation.