'In Love and Chocolate' fundraiser returns Feb. 8

SHELTON >> Spooner House will be one of the beneficiaries for the fourth annual In Love and Chocolate, a Valentine's holiday event, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 8 from
1 to 4 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott, 780 Bridgeport Ave. in Shelton. The Mary A. Schmecker Turtle Shell Fund is the other beneficiary of the event featuring a chocolate lover’s paradise. Tickets are $25 each or $40 for two.

Sponsoring the event this year are the Valley Community Foundation, Charter Arms, The Glass Source Stained Glass Studio, Marks of Design and Star 99.9 WEZN radio.

Spooner House provides temporary housing and food to help the less fortunate to get back on their feet and the Turtle Shell Fund is a charity that furthers music and arts education through scholarship and programming for children and young adults.

In Love and Chocolate tickets are available at Liquid Lunch, 6 Research Drive, Marks of Design on Howe Avenue and Spooner House, 30 Todd Road , all in Shelton . Tickets may also be purchased on Event Brite using this link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-love-chocolate-tickets-15310153080?ref=elink  For questions please e-mail Nicole Heriot-Mikula of The Turtle Shell Fund at nicole@soupstockfestival.org or call/e-mail Kate Pipa of Spooner House at 203-225-0453 x102 or kpipa@actspooner.org. Additional information may also be found on the Facebook event page.

With each ticket, patrons will be able to sample chocolate creations from the best of Connecticut ’s confectioners, sip champagne (for those 21 or older), listen to live music, enter to win door prizes and much more. The exhibitors serving up sweet samples this year include restaurants in Ansonia , Derby , Seymour , Shelton , Milford and more. Proceeds will be split between Spooner House and the Turtle Shell Fund. Vendors include: Taste & See Gourmet Cupcakes, Tidmarsh Home Bake Shop, Common Bond Market, The Pink Cupcake Shack. Stone Gardens Farm, Liquid Lunch, Nikki's Candy Boutique, Royal Bakery, Bricks & Barley Tavern, Rotk'n Chocolates, Wildflour Cupcakes & Sweets, Focaccia's Cafe & Catery, Seasonal Sweets & Catery, Courtyard by Marriot, Starbucks, Tea With Tracy and 500 Degrees.

“We look forward to the always delightful In Love and Chocolate fund raiser every year which showcases wonderful creations from local cafes, restaurants and bake shops,” commented Susan Agamy, Executive Director of Spooner House.

Non-profit Area Congregations Together, Inc. (ACT) was formed in 1979 to help fill gaps in the Lower Naugatuck Valley ’s social service network, and is a partner agency of the Valley United Way .