Anthony Elias Mansour

November 20, 1937 – June 5, 2022

Anthony “Tony” Elias Mansour passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, at age 84 on June 5, 2022, after fighting advanced heart failure with untiring spirit for many years.

Born in Jerusalem in 1937, he took great pride in his deep Palestinian roots and prayed for a free Palestine. Forced to leave during the Nakba in 1948, he emigrated first to Beirut where he learned leadership skills as a boy scout leader, before moving with his family to the United States in 1958. He married the love of his life, Sandra Gabrie in 1963, and worked and owned various businesses before launching his career as an electronics sales rep, hustling for sales up and down the state of California while growing his family with the birth of his three sons. His career break-through came in 1970 when he became the exclusive provider of Hitachi TV sets with contracts providing the screens to two burgeoning video game start-ups; one of which became the legendary tabletop Pong game for the company that became Atari.

Many Angelenos will know and remember Tony as owner of ABC Premiums in the 70’s, where he was a pioneer of the discount appliance and electronics retail industry with his well-known invitation-only sidewalk sales. In 1979, after dabbling in real estate, he bravely jumped on the opportunity to purchase 8,000 acres in Northern California, where over the next 40 years he planned and developed a master-planned community now known as El Dorado Hills. What began as his singular vision and promise of a “world class community” became a reality and is now his legacy that will live on for generations who live in El Dorado Hills or visit the vibrant El Dorado Hills Town Center.

Tony was a self-made man who took great pride in his success, but even more pride in his role as Patriarch of the Mansour family. He helped countless family members and friends with their educations, careers and businesses. He inspired and encouraged his entire extended family.

Tony was charismatic and charmed all who met him. He inspired great devotion from even the briefest of acquaintances. Nobody met Tony without loving him instantly. He was always the life of any party – and everyone was always welcome at his home, especially at his famous L.A. Marathon parties.

Tony is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Sandra; his devoted sons, Louis, Jack and Anthony Jr.; his grateful daughters-in-law, Carie Ann, Carolyn and Amanda; his adoring grandchildren and great grandchildren, Christina Martin (Michael), Louis Jr. (Melanie), Michelle, Alice, Jack Jr., Elias, Elizabeth, Gregory, Logan and Noah Martin; his sister, Jeanette; and so many cousins, nieces and nephews who all admired and respected him. He is preceded in death by his parents, Elias and Marguerite, and his sister, Lily Hazbun. His family remains truly grateful for his caregivers Marta and Aida, for their years of loving care, and for the many doctors and staff at Keck Hospital of USC who worked so hard to give him the extra years to spend with his family.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Brendan Church in Los Angeles on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 2 pm. A celebration of life will be planned in El Dorado Hills at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Four Homes of Mercy (www.fourhomesofmercy.com).

Above all, Tony valued Faith, Family and Fun. Nothing made Tony happier than gathering his family and friends at his home with an abundance of good food and laughter. In memory of Tony and his great zest for life, please gather with your family around a bountiful home-cooked meal and enjoy a great glass of red wine, or perhaps a shot of tequila.

Shaping the youth of the community is an important job. It is happening through many different extra-curricular programs throughout El Dorado Hills and Folsom, but none are quite as unique as the VEX IQ Youth Robotics Team! Through science and math, these kids are learning the skills in order to deal with daily life. Designing robotics helps build resiliency in these kids. If they fail during the process, they pick themselves back up and keep going. They keep designing and keep building. Just like in life! This is an important skill to hone and help cultivate in our youth. Hard work has paid off for them!

A remarkable thing happened on October 14^th, 2018, in Davis, CA during the VEX IQ Robotics Tournament!! One of two teams sponsored qualified for the VEX IQ – State Championship that took place late February 2019! Both teams qualified for World’s for the 2019 season! The sponsored teams are independent middle school age members from El Dorado Hills and Folsom. The team is mentored by Prateek Sane from Folsom who competes at the high school level in robotics.  Prateek is an integral part of the team and volunteers much of his free time to help bring along this amazing group of middle schoolers.

With the generosity of the Mansour/Nagle Partnership, they are able to have a space in Town Center to meet and learn! If you want more information about Youth Robotics, you will be able to see a demonstration this Friday before our final Outdoor Movie Night at 6pm! Come show your support and learn more about how they are shaping the youth of our community! If you would like more information visit, https://www.vexrobotics.com/ or email Scott at commprops@gmail.com.

The award winning July 3rd Fireworks and Freedom concert event will be back for its 10th year at El Dorado Hills Town Center. There was speculation that this event would not be continuing, but we are happy that we were able to preserve this spectacular community experience. Guests of all ages can pre-celebrate Independence Day with musical entertainment in the Steven Young Amphitheater and Theater Plaza. Amuse the little ones in the fun filled Kids Zone with bounce houses, face painting, balloon artists, and a DJ directing games and giving away prizes. Fun festival treats such as cotton candy will also be available for purchase. In addition to the 25 great eateries in Town Center, we will also have food trucks, vendors, beer, and wine to enjoy on the Boulevard! The beer and wine on the Boulevard will be provided by Pete’s Restaurant & Brewhouse and Ruffhaus Dog & Burger Pub. We are so happy to be able to partner with locally operated non-profits like Hands4Hope and 3 Strands Global. The proceeds from the Kids Zone will benefit the youth managed non-profit, Hands4Hope. Beer and wine sales from the Boulevard will go towards 3Strands Global and their mission in combating human trafficking.

The evening will conclude with a brand new firework show! Due to Town Center growth, the show has been modified to a more intimate display. This three-location firework show designed by Pyro Spectacular and choreographed to music will take place near and on the bridge. Because of the modifications, there will be new restrictions on the set up areas. For more details and maps reflecting these changes, please visit our website. Public set up begins at 5pm. There are special instructions for the Steven Young Amphitheater and Sandra’s Rose Garden, so check the website. No tables, roping off areas, or personal BBQ’s will be allowed anywhere. In order to keep everyone safe, road closures and a special event exit plan are in place. Please see the website for the latest details.

This is such a fun and exciting event for Town Center, but we could not serve this community without the help of our local non-profits. In addition to Hands4Hope and 3Strands Global, the El Dorado Hills Rotary and the Boy Scouts of America will also be volunteering. A special thank you to all Town Center Businesses and sponsors Oakmont of El Dorado Hills, Xfinity, Comcast Business, Marshall Medical, Mercedes Benz Of EDH, The California Welcome Center a program of the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Wells Fargo, El Dorado Disposal, Max Preps, Mechanics Bank, Gold Country Run & Sport, Mercy Hospital of Folsom, Nugget Market, and the Mansour Nagle Partnership.

Holiday Carriage Rides

If you visit Town Center during the Holiday season you will experience the true Magic of the Holidays. The boulevard is adorn with lights and wreaths all the way to the theater where you will see our dazzling Christmas Tree decorated with the most beautiful ornaments. Two of our county’s local non-profit organizations, Hands4Hope and Young Life, are here to offer rides to those that want to experience the Magic by horse drawn carriage!

Hands4Hope is an organization that helps local youth develop their leadership skills by allowing them to run the organization and all their events with supervision from their adult advisors. Young Life is another organization dedicated to our youth, but reaches them in their environment to offer quality relationships and a safe place for them to go to when needed. If you would like to learn more about Hands4Hope or Young Life visit https://www.hands4hopeyouth.org/ or https://www.younglife.org/Pages/default.aspx

100% of the proceeds from the carriage rides go to the non-profits so you can feel good about your contribution while snuggling up close to your loved ones in the charming coach, donated by Town Center and powered by Top Hand Ranch.

Boulevard 41 – Wood Fired Pizza & Taproom

The much anticipated Boulevard 41 pizzeria is now open! This is no ordinary restaurant. This is a place where you can build your own pizza, see it bake before your eyes and pour your own beer or wine with a choice between 41 different taps! Boulevard 41 invites you to craft your own experience, but they also have pizzas you can order, thoughtfully created by their culinary team.

The modern design, spacious patio with two 55” flat screen TVs, fire pit, and a view of the lake are sure to make this your new favorite place to watch the game or just hang. It only takes 3 minutes to bake your pizza which is perfect for that short lunch break or business meeting. Boulevard 41 also offers signature salads or craft your own, sharable appetizers, and desserts! Grab and go or stay a while, this new eatery is sure to have you coming back for more!

Visit their website to learn more and to explore their menu: https://www.boulevard41.com/

Burgerim

Burgerim in Hebrew means “many burgers”, the restaurant creator Donna Tuchner takes you through the experience of customizing your burger from start to finish. She attended culinary school in New York then returned to her hometown in Israel to open the first Burgerim. She soon saw the potential of the franchise and began taking steps to bring the concept to the States. Today they have 160 locations worldwide with 5 new locations coming to the Sacramento region including Town Center.

Burgerim brings a brand new concept in burgers there is something for everyone. Customized to your taste you will have your choice of bun, lettuce wrap or gluten free, 11 different patties including choices like lamb, falafel, veggie, salmon, turkey and traditional beef patties, finished off with your favorite toppings and sauces. Each patty is 2.8 oz making the burgers small enough for a filling snack or giving you the option to order more than one to get variety in your meal. The choices are endless!

Burgerim is now open in Town Center in Market Place near Nugget.

Visit their website to learn more and to explore their menu: https://www.burgerim.com/our-locations/el-dorado-hills/

If you have children, and you attend our annual Fireworks & Freedom Concerts you probably know about the “Kids Zone” area of the event. The Kids Zone is a place where kids of all ages can play games, bounce on bounce houses, get their face painted, buy light up toys and enjoy carnival style snacks. We love that families of all sizes are able to enjoy this area year after year, however most that attend don’t know that the organizers of this area are actually all young adults from our local non-profit organization – Hands4Hope!

Hands4Hope is a group that provides service learning education and community engagement programs for students in the El Dorado County. Hands4Hope looks to develop all students’ leadership styles by allowing them to take the lead on projects and events while the adults coach and offer advice through the process. Each year, a hand full of students volunteer for the Kids Zone to either take a leadership or team member role. This is one of their larger events so a leadership role is a coveted position and a great learning opportunity. In order to be in a leadership role students must apply for a leadership internship then interview with an adult panel before starting, much like a job interview.

Each year in April five student committees organize and attended several planning meetings to decide who is in charge of which section, choose and contact vendors, research product prices compared to last year’s event, assemble sponsorships, manage their budget and much more. This year they even held a panel of children of different ages to test the glow toys to determine which toys would sell best.

On the day of the event all leadership arrives early to set up and to review all responsibilities. The rest of the volunteers arrive later on for training and dinner with the group before the event starts. This year’s Student Lead Allison, said that the most students want to volunteer for the Fireworks & Freedom Concert because it allows them to build real work experience and have fun at the same time.

After the event all leadership and their adult mentor meet again to debrief on what went well and what can be adjusted for the following year. All wristband, toy and food sales goes to their Youth Development budget to help fund their yearlong program. 2018 was their best year yet making over $9,000! We are very proud of the students that volunteer for this event and if you attend the Fireworks & Freedom Concert thank you for coming and supporting non-profits like Hands4Hope!

Every year on July 3^rd thousands of people from all over the region come to celebrate Independence Day at Town Center. This year live music by Apple Z and Lost in Suburbia will fill the streets as the entire Boulevard turns into one big party. You can have a picnic with the family, order from one of the many food trucks, or dine at one of our 25 eateries. Beer and wine is available to purchase for those 21 and older, and a dedicated Kid’s Zone with bounce houses, balloon artists, games, and face painters is fun for kids of all ages!

Those that come to this “must see” show can feel good about attending. Not only will you see an award winning fireworks show, but you will also be benefitting the community by supporting our local non-profit organizations. Volunteers from 3Strands Global, a non-profit working to eliminate human trafficking, help sell beer and wine and a portion of the sales goes to their organization. Additionally volunteers from Hands4Hope, a non-profit working to develop youth leadership and service, run the entire Kids Zone. All sales for Kids Zone wristbands and any goodies sold by Hands4Hope will directly benefit their organization.

Our El Dorado Hills Fire Department, the Sheriff, and CHP will all be in attendance from start to finish to ensure that everyone has a good time in the safest way possible. We will also have cooling stations and a First Aid Center available.

The fireworks show designed by Pyro Spectaculars will start around 9:30pm, but come early to set up and enjoy the festivities! The general public will be allowed to start claiming their spots at 5pm. Don’t miss one of the best fireworks shows California has to offer!

Click here visit the event page for more information.

The Live on the Boulevard Thursday night concert series is one of the most anticipated community concert series in the region, and it’s back and better than ever! New start time at 7pm.

Every Thursday night starting June 14^th through September 13^th Town Center will feature a well-known tribute band from classic rock to the Folsom Lake Symphony. Get ready to rock this summer, the lineup is hot!

Come spend your summer nights here where you can shop, eat and enjoy live music at the best outdoor live music venue! Town Center businesses come to serve and support including Ruffhaus Hot Dog Co. and Casa Ramos, who will be serving food in the Amphitheater making it convenient for concert goers to grab a snack or visit one of our other 25 eateries.

In addition to the free show, every Thursday night there will be a gift bag giveaway filled with gifts from our sponsors and Town Center businesses. Be sure to enter for your chance to win!

Click Here for the full band line up and for set up instructions.

If you celebrate Easter you know that it kicks off the spring season with fun family time and beloved traditions. Here at El Dorado Hills Town Center we have a community tradition, the Easter Eggstravaganza. This 2 hour event includes a massive Easter Egg Hunt with over 7,000 Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, a magic show, face painting, a balloon artist, a DJ, games, and prizes. The community loves this event, and every year rain or shine new memories are made.

This year we added a fun promotion to our Eggstravaganza, the Giveback Basket. This promotion was created by a local high schooler, Gianna Compagno. She came to us with this idea to raise money for a local non-profit, and we loved her vision. Gianna believes that our high schoolers need to set themselves apart from the rest of the world to score a position within the top US schools. She was hard at work leading up to the event and worked closely with the community and local businesses. She ended up with over 14 baskets donated by Town Center businesses, raising over $1,800!

All proceeds from the Giveback Basket Promotion went to New Morning Youth & Family Services, a local non-profit devoted to enhancing the lives of El Dorado County youth and their families. Their main goal is to ensure the community is safe and all families that live here can thrive in the best environment possible. They offer counseling services and an emergency youth shelter.

We are very proud to have hosted this promotion at the Easter Eggstravaganza and even more proud that the idea came from a dynamic, talented, youth in our region.