A sunny afternoon surrounded by vineyards, music and a gentle breeze was the perfect setting for the first Sierra Sunday, hosted Oct. 25 by the Santa Margarita Group of the Sierra Club .

Members and friends came together to support the club's effort to raise money for local environmental causes while enjoying the beautiful Temecula Wine Country. Sierra Sunday will be a bimonthly event the board is planning to continue at a variety of locations soon after the holidays; and they have agreed to continue with their theme, "sipping, savoring, socializing," said Lynn Davis, program/fundraising chair.

About 50 attendees including Julie Perez, Rosalie Gonzalez, Susan Laliberte, Laurie Webster, Dan and Patti Zimmerman, Kerrie Johnson, Beth Crawford, Greg and Pam Nelson, Joe Hudson, Terry Whitington, Nanette Jimenez and Susan Dye mingled and relaxed with their wine under umbrella-shaded tables around La Cereza winery's picturesque courtyard. Other attendees added wine tasting throughout the Temecula Wine Country to their Sunday.

Guests were then invited to fill their plates with a delicious selection of gourmet tapas prepared by Davis, Meryle Hammatt, political chair, and Pam Nelson, conservation chair.

The group's chairman, Jim Mitchell, took the microphone and thanked everyone for attending their first in a series of Sierra Sundays. Then Dr. Dan Robbins drew the opportunity-drawing ticket for the deluxe party basket donated by Rick Estes, Estes Real Estate.

Everyone applauded as Greg Nelson collected his prize, then Vincent Escalera, David Maldonado and George Veizaga of The David Maldonado Group/The Spanish Guitar Explosion took the stage against a backdrop of the setting sun and distant rolling hills. As the band sang, attendees filled the outdoor dance floor and clapped their hands to the beat.

Mitchell explained that the Santa Margarita Group is part of the Sierra Club, which was founded by John Muir in 1892 and is the oldest environmental organization in the U.S. The Sierra Sunday proceeds will help support a variety of environmental causes the group is pursuing, such as an outdoor classroom program aimed to provide area students and teachers with bused outings for outdoor environmental/nature exploring and learning.

The group also is planning to complete a hiking, biking and horseback riding trail system along the Santa Margarita River with plans for the trail to reach the Pacific Ocean.