Ripon Chamber of Commerce President Tamra Spade couldn’t have been happier with the “sold out” crowd Saturday night at their first Lobster Fest fundraiser staged to support the chamber’s new youth foundation in support of education and efforts to put heart defibrillators into classrooms.

Spade said that medical emergencies do occur on school campuses and authorities need to be well prepared for the unexpected.  And the need for public speaking programs in the elementary schools is another thing the chamber can offer as well from the foundation coffers, she said.

The $75 a ticket cost did not seem to inhibit the diners who gathered at the Ripon Community Center for the Lobster Fest catered by Cajun Coastal Catering. There was a month long preparation for the event by chamber workers in and out of their Main Street office. Those on the work committee included Laura Roots Spence, Mona Restuccia, Rob Wagner and his son along with Mike Nash, Emily Hobbs, Rose Murphy, and David Murphy along with Tamra Spade.

The set up and take down of the event was provided by Ripon volunteers.

Matt Cultrera was in charge of the live auction.

Spade said the Lobster Fest is already being planned for next year complete with raffle prizes.