by Marsha L. » Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:12 pm
This is approximate, but pretty close:
Dessert sales - $179
Live auction - $1,860
Raffle ticket sales - $1,323
Beverage donations ($1 from each sale) - between 200-250 or so
So, right at $3,500 raised for Adam. It was nice to finally meet him and some of his family was there, too - it's nice to know he's not totally alone in the world on top of everything else that's happened!
I think we may have had a cash donation bucket on the bar (but I'm not sure about this), so anything in there would be additional, plus I know some folks stopped by earlier in the day/week with cash donations, some of which Matthew already gave to Adam to help tide him over.
Only one person won something during the live auction and then didn't either pick it up from me or pay. Frankly I was running around like a crazy person after the auction trying to get everyone their receipts, their purchases, and the stuff they won in the raffle, and she may not have been able to stay. So, "Holly", if you're out there, please get in touch with me, I still have your gift certificates, and I'm sure Adam could use the money. If we don't hear from her in a few days, I'll offer them here in this thread for someone to buy.
I owe an apology to a few folks whose donations for the auction came in sort of last-minute and I'd not made signage for them - I had every intention of making signs on the spot, but I got very busy at the dessert table and someone else (angels! whoever you were) took my pre-made signs and my rough-draft list for the auctioneer and sort of magic-ed it all into happening - but I neglected to tell them about the few things I hadn't noted down. Maybe in a few days I can add those things to the unclaimed gift certificates above and we can have a mini-auction here on the forum. I felt especially bad that I forgot to auction off the beautiful chrysanthemums that John and Anne Hagan brought - must have been well over a hundred dollars' worth. Of course, they were gracious about it and totally understood, but I felt like a complete heel.
Only two raffle lots were unclaimed at the end of the night - all the other winners were present when their tickets were drawn. The names are nobody I recognize, but I have phone numbers for both, so I'll be contacting them.
Big thanks to Rebecca Clark for helping with PR, selling raffle tickets on the fly and for being "Vanna White" for the auctioneer. The auctioneer was Ted Leobenberg, and not only did he give us some fantastic advice about how to maximize profits for Adam, he was kind and funny and energetic and a great auctioneer, to boot. Ted was sent to us by Melissa R, who also did a lot of PR and she and her husband Tom also bought a lot of raffle tickets and won a couple auctions....then, near the end of the night, I called her "Michelle", probably for the second time at least - no excuse. I was tired, but I know who you are, Melissa! It's just that there are quite a few Melissas and Michelles on the forum and four or five of them were involved in some way with a donation.
Big thanks are due to the dessert donors, Baxter Station (Amy), Melillo's (Michelle - see, there's another one) Andrea E. of Q&A Sweet Treats, and Leah Frickin' Stewart, who made the most beautiful cookies I've ever seen, brought her husband, daughter and son-in-law along, and all of them bid on live auction items and spent tons of money on raffle tickets, got the word out to the Old Louisville neighborhood association, and on top of everything else, in the midst of the pandemonium, I heard her say "Marsha! You've lost some weight!" Man, that was like cool water on my fevered brow at that point - thanks a million, Leah!
I gave John the camera and instructed him to take pictures, but I haven't even downloaded them yet....if there's any good ones, I'll post 'em. It was nice to meet Bret and Shawn, nice to see everyone from the forum I've met before, and a whole lot of fun. I was amazed at how easy it was to get restaurant owners, especially, to donate auction items.
Last but not least, thanks, Matthew for hosting a fun and worthy event, and thanks, Robin, for bringing us all together in the first place.
Marsha Lynch
LEO columnist, free range cook/food writer/food stylist
