Sonoma Wine-La Vera Pizza's 25th Anniversary Celebration Party/Vespa Giveaway

La Vera Pizza is celebrating 25 years and offering their customers a chance to win an Italian Vespa Scooter. Raffle tickets will be sold throughout the month of September with all proceeds benefiting the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation ® to help raise money for local children battling life-threatening illnesses. “Make-A-Wish holds a special place in our hearts and we are proud to be working with them as we both are committed to excellence and our community,” says owner Sue Kade.

Tickets can now be purchased at La Vera Pizza for $25 each. Only 500 tickets will be sold and the lucky winner will be announced at La Vera’s 25th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, September 27th, 2008 between 1-4 PM at the restaurant. Winner need not be present at time of drawing. “We really wanted to make our celebration count and what better way to do that then give back to kids in our community that deserve to have their dreams and wishes come true,” says Kade.

There will be free food, wine, music, and Chef Ric will unveil three new pizza creations for the public to sample. The family sees this celebration as an opportunity to give back to the community they’ve watched grow and change over the years. “It’s incredible that we are celebrating 25 years. It’s a real testament to our community and valued customers that we have become a staple of Downtown Santa Rosa”, says Chef and owner, Ric Kade.

About La Vera Pizza: La Vera Pizza is Downtown Santa Rosa's original pizzeria. Andrea Lignola and his brother-in-law Ric Kade, an Award-Winning Chef opened the restaurant on September 17, 1983. Family owned and operated, "La Vera" is committed to their love of food, family and friends for over three generations. Offering nationally acclaimed pizza, Italian gelato, Sonoma County wine, outside patio dining, new promotional nights and special offers -- La Vera has something for everyone. This year is La Vera's 25th Anniversary as a Santa Rosa favorite and beginning in September 2008 they are rolling out a month long celebration as a thank you to the community filled with prizes, advanced screenings and an invitation to be part of the party.

About the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation®:
The Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. In 2008 the Foundation celebrates 24 years of fulfilling magical wishes. One of the largest chapters nationwide, it has granted over 4,500 wishes in its 17 Northern California counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Marin, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Siskiyou, Solano and Sonoma. The goal of the Foundation is to grant a wish to every eligible child in its 17-county territory. Anyone can refer a child for a wish. In 2005, the Chapter was recognized with a coveted “Best in America Seal of Excellence” award, the first Make-A-Wish Chapter to achieve this distinction for its outstanding management and governance practices. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal. For more information or to refer a child for a wish, please call (800) 464-9474 or visit www.makewish.org.

# # #

For more information contact: Elizabeth Andersen / 213-880-5160 or eandysen@aol.com

La Vera Pizza is located in Downtown Santa Rosa.

629 4th St., Santa Rosa, CA, 707-575-1113, www.laverapizza.com