Enchanted Forest Holiday Gala Raises Over $30,000 for Diabetes Education
December 15, 2016
It was a winter wonderland in the Enchanted Forest at Ted Ferry Civic Center this past Saturday evening Party goers enjoyed gourmet dinner, dessert, and dancing the night away to the fabulous Rain City Band. PeaceHealth Ketchikan Medical Center stated in a news release they were pleased to have the opportunity to host the annual Enchanted Forest Holiday Gala after the Chamber of Commerce took a year’s hiatus. The evening’s proceeds will be used to support early diabetes education and management services for members of the local community. The event brought in just over $30,000 thanks to the donations from Taquan Air, who sponsored the venue; MyPlace, who covered the band; and First bank who purchased the trees & wreaths.
A table of attendees who work for the hospital at the gala. The gala featured a small forest of designer-decorated treed sponsored by a number of local businesses including First Bank, Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, Dawson Construction, The Landing Best Western, RhineCo Interiors & The Day Spa, Guardian Flight, Christmas in Alaska, Alaska Marine Lines, and the Downtown Galleries: Soho Coho, Scanlon Gallery, Starboard Framing and Gifts, and Chinook and Company. Each tree was covered in gifts and decorations ranging in values up to $5,500 with themes such as Art Lovers, By the Sea, Ketchikan Adventures, Christmas Extravagance, Holiday Baking, Family Safety, and Emojis. The trees and a number of wreaths were up for silent and live auction along with a few dream vacations. First Bank found a way to create a tree that would not only support the evening’s intended program, diabetes education, but to keep on giving. They donated and decorated a tree containing gifts intended for those in need such as socks and stuffed animals. Vice President and Community Development Officer Sheila Kleinschmidt then proceeded to secure the winning $1,350 bid and announce the First Bank Board’s intention to donate the tree and all its gifts to Community Connections. Also up for auction were delicious desserts, which were served with a twist: all of the desserts were diabetic friendly. During the Dessert Dash, attendees bid for the right to have their table choose a dessert first. The table with the highest bid had 15 seconds to choose their dessert before the next table was announced. The race was on, but in the end, every table received a delicious dessert and more than $4,600 dollars were added to the evening’s proceeds. “The success of an evening like this is more than simply exceeding our fundraising goal, which we did,” said Foundation Director Matt Eisenhower, “it’s also about making sure that everyone who attends has a good time being part of something that will help people in our community. The addition of the Dessert Dash and the fabulous music provided by the Rain City Band really made for a truly fun evening.”
Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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