Party-goers think spring with fun and fund-raisers

4/6/2014

Spring sprang and so did fundraisers loaded with fun for everyone. The weather may have not have been so great, but people were ready to get out and about after being cooped up indoors all winter, which proved beneficial for many organizations.

Wanna-be dudes and dudettes were corralled for the first Bling & Barbeque March 27 at Bar 145 to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Country Western tunes from the Rodney Parker and Liberty Beach band filled the air as over 125 supporters, many in jeans, leather, and cowboy hats, enjoyed complimentary barbeque from Shorty’s True American Roadhouse, Bar 145, T&J’s Catering and Deet’s BBQ.

Mechanical bull rides, courtesy of Ultra Sound, was fun entertainment for those who dared.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click here for more photos from these events

The event netted approximately $4,500 for JDRF and their mission to prevent, treat and cure type 1 diabetes.

Seen at the country-themed event were Fritz and Marilyn Rudolph, Matt Wagenhauser, Laura Restivo, Joe and Kris Smith, Lonny and Stacy Meridieth, Jerry and Lori Lamb, Susanne Martin, Michele Rheinbolt and Gary and Kathy White.

Thanks go to media sponsors: The Blade, 13 abc, and K-100’s Shores and Steele.

Casual wear and boots were also the popular attire for the Black Swamp Conservancy fundraiser "Blue Grass & Green Acres" March 21 at Carranor Hunt and Polo Club.

Mason jars filled with fresh cut daisies centered the tables indoors and on the tented patio and Eric Lambert & Friends band played American roots music set the fun scene. The sell out crowd of more than 350 nature lovers mingled over cocktails and ho down good food including pot stickers, BBB ribs, shrimp and crawfish gumbo, Jambalaya, and key lime tarts.

A silent auction offered art, jewelry, and more. Steve Powell, auctioneer, enticed bidding wars in the live auction of nature themed experiences including hunting and fishing. A reverse hat raffle for Key West trip.

Among those at the hoe down were Eric Krause, board president.

Also seen were Paul and Carol Krause, Kay Anderson, Bob and Molly Mack, Dave and Lisa Nunn, Clint and Pat Mauk, John Hills and his mother Mary Hills, Judy Reitzel and Dwight Osterud, Walt and Lois Churchill, Don Leary and Becky Fuhrman, Janet Day, Dutch and Charlotte Ashton, Ron and Judy Cooperman, Larry and Diane LaPointe, and Ben Schlatter and his mother Karen Schlatter.

Yeehaw! more than $26,000 netted. Bravo to the committee: Susan Heywood, Jenny Kraus, Katie Rousseau (board member), and Laurie VonSeggern.

Leather was the fashionable attire for the Spring Fling hosted by Toledo Harley- Davidson on West Central Avenue March 22 to benefit the Toledo Repertoire Theatre.

More than 350 adults perused the displays of shiny motorcycles as Kentucky Chrome band set the scene with music.

Refreshments included complimentary finger foods and beer and beverages for purchase.

The theater is a Northwest Ohio Community Shares organization and Tim Sherman of the local Harley-Davidson shop was pleased to support the cause.

An estimated $1,000 was from the beer sales for the cause.

The Toledo Symphony League’s "Rite of Spring" March 25 at the Radisson at University of Toledo Medical College reaped more than $8,000 and a cart load of fun.

Even though it was show showers outside, it was a beautiful day of fun inside, thanks to event chairmen Mary Beaber and Barbara Bettinger, assisted by Sue Meadows, Sue Potts, Rosalie Hinde, Cathy Fifer, Pam Pilz, and Joni Fought.

Guests received colorful shopping totes as welcome gifts then they were whisked past an entrance of flower-bedecked golf carts into an alley of 20 vendors including everything from nursery's, gift shops, apparel, art, jewelry, chocolate. Black Diamond, North Branch Nursery, Aegean Collection, Giro Glassworks, The Chocolate Shoppe, H.K. Metalsmiths, and Copper Moon Studio, to name a few.

The Flour Garden bake sale that featured cookies, pastries, and breads made by League members served on one of kind plates was so popular that they sold out before the day ended said bake sale chairmen Trina McGivern and Kim Kearns.

A raffle table of 24 items and Lunches in the Garden six item auction table completed the shopping activities.

Lunch followed in the grand ballroom with succulent gardens centering the tables and a stage with a blooming spring border thanks to Ken Myrice of Emery’s Flowers and Co. During the delicious ladies style lunch of soup, salad, and decadent dessert, door prizes were distributed by Rusty Phlegar and Joanie Barrett.

Whetting ones appetite for Spring was keynote speaker Jill Bench of Bench’s Greenhouse in Genoa. She showed colorful pictures of what is new in flowers and shrubs and urged everyone to be patient as nature awakes from this winter’s deep freeze.

Among the 140 guests were: President Beth Bowman, Barbara Lang, Cindy Niggemeyer, Barbara Brown, Lynn Jacobs, Marna Ramnath, Fran Anderson, Flo Metzger, Jean Hersland, Myrna Bryan, Dorotha and Jerry Baum, Betty Britten, and Kathy Carroll,President and CEO, Toledo Symphony Orchestra.