By: Emanoel Daryoush

It was a beautiful and elegant afternoon in September in the hills of Los Gatos. Through the generosity of Dr. James and Mrs. Ilbra Petros, who not only kindly opened their residence, but also made all the arrangements and underwrote the expenses, the attendees of the sponsor dinner enjoyed a memorable evening. The mature trees woven with overhanging chandeliers, the beautifully decorated tables with bouquets of long-stemmed red roses against the backdrop of the hillside amidst the lush grounds, set the elegant ambiance for the evening.

A variety of Assyrian favorites were served for dinner as the preamble for a festive evening that was capped by a performance honoring the tunes and melodies of Sooren Alexander and featuring Ashur Betsargis along with other notable and talented musicians. The large Assyrian flag draped over the wall behind the band reminded everyone of the primary purpose for this gathering.

For over a decade, the Assyrian Aid Society of America’s Mesopotamian Night cultural programs have presented the works of our legendary musicians, lyricists, poets, and vocalists to support the AAS-A humanitarian mission and to support and sustain our Assyrian culture. The gala is made possible first and foremost through the support of our valued sponsors. Their support is extremely valuable in that their contributions cover much of the costs associated with the planning and preparation for the Mesopotamian Night Gala. Obviously, the countless hours contributed by our volunteers, along with the tremendous support that we receive from all of our attendees is invaluable to the success of the program and the contributions made by MN to support the various projects of the Assyrian Aid Society. However, the sponsors serve as the lifeline and the foundation upon which this program is built and are critical to the ongoing viability of the annual gala.

The sponsor dinner is a token of appreciation for the support provided by the sponsors and provides them with an early insight into each year’s upcoming program. The initial sponsor dinner was held at the
residence of Ashur and Sabrina Mansour, followed by gatherings at the residences of Michael and Nora Lacey, Raymond and Susie Babaoghli, and most recently at the Cinnabar Hills Golf Club. We would
like to thank all of our hosts for their generosity and continued support through the years. This sponsor dinner for this year’s gala was truly a night to remember.

We are extremely grateful to our loyal sponsors and encourage anyone who values the Mesopotamian Night program to consider becoming a sponsor.