President Jacobs

Nearly a week after the gala dinner at Sony Pictures Entertainment that officially launched Culver City’s Year of the Centennial, the entrancing fragrance of Centennial strongly permeates the air across the community.

That was the idea behind last Saturday night’s lavish affair at Sony that attracted a capacity crowd of 600 for the outdoor event.

The message:

Tell your friends, your neighbors, almost everyone with whom you have contact – this is Culver City’s Centennial Year.

At one time there was talk of nearly daily events, which turned out to be impossible.

The town nevertheless is talking Centennial, and fundraising has been a rocketing success.

Gala guests – starting with Paul Jacobs, president of the Centennial Executive Committee – inhaled the Centennial flavor.

With a steady drumbeat of reminders from Mr. Jacobs and Mayor Jim Clarke, the initial igniter of Centennial interest, Culver City history is a daily topic.

Sony Executive Vice President Keith Weaver welcomed the throng. He introduced Mr. Jacobs, a former mayor and again a central player, this time in a year-long party.

Mr. Jacobs introduced a Rich Clayman video that featured city historian Julie Lugo Cerra highlighting significant moments in the past 99 years.

Perhaps the most surprising moment came when well-known Sony executive Janice Pober announced the studio was gifting the Cuver City Educational Foundation with $50,000.

Down to the last 348 days before Culver City’s 100th birthday next September, attendees hopefully will spread the message.