Harvest Celebration a Great Success

SierraScape October - November 2008
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by Jan Niehaus
Fundraising Committee Member
photos courtesy of Richard Sprengeler

A good time was had by all who attended the Sierra Club Harvest Celebration 2008, the first-ever fundraising dinner hosted by the Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) on Saturday, September 6. Caroline Pufalt, EMG Executive Committee officer, said it best: "The fundraiser was great, the music was terrific, food yummy and the company was great, too."

Our gracious host, Dr. John Sweet, giving a tour of the facility. The basement contained the deepest well in the country until the 1970s.
Our gracious host, Dr. John Sweet, giving a tour of the facility. The basement contained the deepest well in the country until the 1970s.

There was something for everyone: green building tours, happy hour, urban outings, a spectacular dinner, silent auction, and live Dixieland band. Ed Schmidt, former EMG chair, enjoyed it all, especially the people: "The best thing about the evening was seeing so many friends."

We toured the "greenest" building in the City of St. Louis: the William A. Kerr Foundation headquarters north of the Arch, where our party was held. Tim Montgomery, principal architect of the building rehab, led the early tour, and Foundation Trustee Dr. John Sweet led another group on a post-dinner tour. For Cathy Wood, the graphic designer of our handsome Harvest Celebration invitations, "The highlight of the evening was the building tour. There are so many things that go into making a building 'green.'"

The weather was beautiful, and we were able to open the many doors of the Platinum-LEED-certified building. Tim Pekarek, EMG Inner City Outings chair, led several groups on a short hike to the Riverfront Trail to see "Reflecting on a River," a 190-foot-long ceramic mural on the floodwall. The new moon shed little light on the original artwork, but we came prepared with flashlights!

All together, we purchased a total of 47 donated auction items, some of them donated by our own EMG members. Thanks to everyone who donated items, the people who bought them, and to Norma Deen Juracsik, chair of the Fundraising Committee, who orchestrated the silent auction. [See "Grateful to Our Generous Auction Donors" sidebar.]

We enjoyed a scrumptious "St. Louis Mediterranean" dinner, prepared by Jim Young and his dedicated team of Lemonade Brigade volunteer cooks, who ensured that every dish featured fresh, locally grown ingredients. Plates were full, and some folks went back for seconds. As an innovative complement to the dinner, Sierra Club member Marilee Keys made beautiful—and edible!—flower arrangements for every table.

The Old St. Louis Levee Band filled the night with fantastic music.
The Old St. Louis Levee Band filled the night with fantastic music.

We listened, smiling and tapping, to the lively Old St. Louis Levee Band, the Dixieland band that played for years on the Lt. Robert E. Lee riverboat. Inspired by the jazzy tunes, some couples even danced!

Montgomery's observation brought huge smiles to event planners' faces. He said, "I've been to at least 20 events in this building, and this is the best one ever." To the volunteers who donated their time and talents before, during, and after the party, we offer our heartfelt thanks.

We all agree: We had a great time. Did we make any money, though? After all, the event was a fundraiser. As this newsletter goes to press, bills—and checks!—are still coming in. We know this much: We sold 109 dinner tickets at $60 each and received cash donations totaling $1,495. [See sidebar "Thanks to Our Harvest Celebration Contributors."] Total receipts from the auction and drink sales have not yet been tallied.

Photos of the "glorious evening," as Del Johnson, EMG chair, described the Harvest Celebration, are posted on the EMG website. We look forward to another EMG fundraising dinner in 2009 and more fun events between now and then, as we continue to diversify our approaches to fundraising. Stay tuned!

Thanks to Our Harvest Celebration Contributors

Earth's Hero   $500

  • Anonymous in honor of our parents Harold & Margaret and Victor & Florence

EcoChampion   $250

Nature Lover   $100

Environmentalist

  • Anonymous
  • John M. Baragiola III
  • Ann Eggebrecht
  • Louise Green
  • Ginger Harris
  • Nancy Marcus
  • Jim Nyberg
  • James and Phyllis Young

Special Thanks

Grateful to Our Generous Auction Donors

Many thanks to the generous supporters of EMG who donated their merchandise, services, talents, and personal treasures to the silent auction. Please forgive us if we've inadvertently omitted anyone.

* Sierra Club member