$16,000 Is Raised for Farmers Market

The Studio City Farmers Market Committee has raised more than $16,000 toward the September premiere of the market, officials announced at a meeting this week.

“We’ve had enough pledged to start and do it right,” said Tony Lucente, a member of the committee formed as a joint venture between the Studio City Chamber of Commerce and the area residents association.

“We’ve obtained a number of pledges and collected a good portion of the money, but we’re still going for more,” said Lucente, also the president of the Studio City Residents Assn. “Of course, we want this to be the best farmers market in the city, so the sky’s the limit.”

The committee is hoping to receive at least $25,000 in pledged services and money to pay for permits, insurance, publicity, postage and other costs associated with organizing the market.

Along with several other contributions, the residents association has loaned $10,000 toward start-up costs and CBS Studios has donated a number of services, including designing the market’s logo--a strip of film running between an orange, tomato and avocado, with a palm tree off to the side--said Polly Ward, the market’s manager.

The farmers market starts Sept. 20 and will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Sundays on Ventura Place between Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards.