Foothill College will host a one-night only fund-raising dinner featuring entertainment by nationally renowned political satirist Mark Russell at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Hyatt Rickeys in Palo Alto. Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited and proceeds from the event will benefit the new Foothill College Center for Innovation in Los Altos Hills.
In addition to Russell's humorous political commentary with piano accompaniment, the fund-raiser will recognize the 30th anniversary of the Foothill College Celebrity Forum Speakers Series and the career of its founder and executive director, Richard Henning.
Henning began the Celebrity Forum series in 1968.
The popular, sold-out series moved from its home in the Foothill gym to the Flint Center at De Anza College in Cupertino in 1976.
For three decades, Celebrity Forum has been host to heads of state, Nobel laureates, Oscar-winning actors and many of the world's most famous faces.
Each year, 2,600 season tickets for the series are sold, with a waiting list almost equal to the same amount of seating.
This year a second installment of the program, Celebrity Forum II, premiered at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts with a presentation by author Doris Kearns Goodwin.
"Celebrity Forum is a unique and award-winning program," said Ginny Lear, event co-chairwoman. "Unique in that no other community college in the nation is engaged in such an activity on this scale."
The International Platform Association named the series "Most Outstanding Speakers Series" in the country.
Henning was the recipient of the Drew Pearson Award for Most Outstanding Programmer in 1984.
A long-time friend of Henning, and frequent Celebrity Forum guest speaker, Russell will share his musings on the current political scene in Washington, D.C.
The Mark Russell Comedy Specials have consistently placed among the five top-rated shows aired on public television.
The event is sponsored by members of the Foothill College Commission of the Foothill De Anza Foundation.
Individual tickets are $125. Group and corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. Black-tie is optional.
To make reservations, call 967-8885.