Celebrating 90 Years at Ninety Acres
On May 7, 2019, The Seeing Eye held The Dinner Party, its annual fundraiser and tasting event with New Jersey’s top chefs. The 4th annual event was held at Natirar – Ninety Acres and celebrated The Seeing Eye’s 90th Anniversary. It raised more than $250,000 for the national non-profit.
The night honored retiring Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch, with all donations supporting the newly established Jim and Ginger Kutsch Fund for Apprentice Development. The fund was created to develop apprentices into full Seeing Eye instructors. Seeing Eye instructors are responsible for training Seeing Eye dogs and instructing individuals in their use and care. They are developed almost exclusively in-house through apprenticeships.
The Seeing Eye awarded the The Dorothy Harrison Eustis Award, the organization’s highest honor, to Gustavo (“Gus”) D. Aguirre, V.M.D., Ph.D., a world-renowned Professor of Medical Genetics and Ophthalmology. He serves as the Chief of Ophthalmology for the Department of Clinical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Since 1985, he has acted as an ophthalmologic mentor to The Seeing Eye’s veterinarians, performed thousands of ophthalmic exams, interpreted hundreds of test results on Seeing Eye dogs, and served a 12-year term on the Board of Trustees. His decades of groundbreaking work have resulted in life-changing medical treatments in the field of ophthalmology for both canines and humans.
New Jersey Assemblyman Anthony Bucco attended the gala and presented three proclamations: a proclamation to The Seeing Eye in recognition of its 90th anniversary; a proclamation to retiring Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch for his years of service; and a proclamation to Dr. Gus Aguirre for his contributions to the field of ophthalmology in canines and humans, and his dedication to The Seeing Eye mission.
The night was made possible through the support of chefs from some of New Jersey’s finest restaurants and generous supporters, which included Best of Breed sponsors Thomas and Deborah Duffy, Freshpet, Golden Dome Foundation, and The Honorable Governor Thomas and Deborah Kean. Guy Adami, host of CNBC’s Fast Money and a Seeing Eye puppy raiser, was emcee for the event.
At the gathering, 250 guests enjoyed a dining event that began with a cocktail reception, followed by a five-course culinary experience with wine pairings for each course. The top chefs included Chef de Cuisine Martyna Krowicka of Felina Restaurant, Executive Chef Joseph Cuccia of 17 Summer, Executive Chef David Viana of Heirloom Kitchen, Chef Andrea Lekberg of The Artist Baker and Natirar – Ninety Acres Chef de Cuisine Sean Carner and Pastry Chef Lindsay Spinnato. Fine wines were provided by Banville Wine Merchants, Canopy Wine Selections, Vera Fine Wine and Winebow. The evening concluded with a live auction hosted by auctioneer Bob Milligan.
The dining room at The Dinner Party, with guests seated. The ceiling is vaulted with exposed wooden beams and the room is softly lit by rustic chandeliers holding electric candles. A living wall in the back of the room is covered with leafy plants of various shades of green. A speaker stands at the podium on the far left with a candlelit wall behind him. People are chatting at their tables, awaiting the first course.
A celebration cake was made by Andrea Lekberg of The Artist Baker and is a rectangular shape and covered in a carpet of grass frosting. A German shepherd lays in the middle of the cake with a leather Seeing Eye harness. A ribbon across the cake reads, “The Dinner Party – Mansion at Natirar, May 2019”
A white plate, surrounded by silverware and wine glasses placed for the upcoming courses. A fresh pea Ceasar salad is in the center of the plate with a purple flower garnish.
Dr. Gus Aguirre, recipient of the Dorothy Harrison Eustis Award is shown standing against a candlelit wall with his award, a sculpture of Buddy, and surrounded by fellow University of Pennsylvania Allumni. L to R: Seeing Eye Attending Veterinarian Dr. Kristen Polo, Seeing Eye Trustee Dr. Anthony DeCarlo, Dr. Gus Aguirre, Seeing Eye Director of Canine Medicine and Surgery Dr. Dolores Holle, Seeing Eye Trustee Dr. Vickie Myers-Wallen, Dr. Thomas Trotter.
Gathered around their table at the Dinner Party for a group photo are (L to R): Linda Chakrin, former Seeing Eye Trustee Louis Chakrin, Ginger Kutsch, Seeing Eye Trustee OhSang Kwon, Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch, Amy Bucco, Assemblyman Anthony Bucco, former Seeing Eye President & CEO Ken Rosenthal
Auctioneer Bob Milligan is striding between packed tables, eyeing bidders, and holding the microphone up to his mouth as he calls out bids.
In a moment of quiet before the guests arrived, some of the chefs played with the Seeing Eye puppies in attendance. Two men are rubbing the belly of a black and tan German shepherd who looks perfectly content with the attention. In the background, another chef pets a small, fluffy golden retriever puppy.
Keri Fleming, Debbie Duffy, Seeing Eye Board Chair Thomas Duffy, Ginger Kutsch, and Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch pose for a photo before a fireplace in a sitting room at the mansion at Natirar – Ninety Acres. Ginger’s black Lab is seated beside her and Jim’s German shepherd stands beside him.
Amy Bucco, Ginger Kutsch, Seeing Eye President & CEO Jim Kutsch and Assemblyman Anthony Bucco pose for a photo with the three proclamations from the state of New Jersey. Ginger’s black Lab and Jim’s German shepherd stand beside them.
An image from one of the upper floors of the mansion at Natirar – Ninety Acres. A crowd of people enjoys the cocktail hour on the patio with a sprawling green landscape in the background.
Three Seeing Eye puppies pose for a photo on the patio at Natirar – Ninety Acres with beautiful green scenery in the background. They are a black and tan German shepherd puppy, a small golden retriever puppy, and a small black Lab puppy with a colorful bowtie.
