It might be hard to imagine a cool coastal breeze during the dog days of summer, but please mark your calendars for our annual fundraiser, “A Cool Night” on September 24, 2016, at River Crest Country Club. This year we are “sailing away” to Cape Cod for an evening filled seafood and seersucker! (Don’t worry landlubbers we’ve got you covered too.)
Last year, A Cool Night at the Uptown Lounge was a roaring success, with a vintage theme that raised $194,070. Guests danced the night away to 1940’s music, sipped classic cocktails, and were treated to chef prepared Cherries Jubilee and Bananas Foster. Each year the event continues to grow and get better- I’m so excited to be chairing this years event and you may wonder how I got involved.
My connection to The WARM Place actually started on Halloween in 1990, when an 8 year old boy, Eric, lost his grandfather to pancreatic cancer. Three months later his uncle committed suicide. Those two men were father figures to three little boys growing up with a single mom. Luckily, Eric and his family found grief support at The WARM Place.
In 1991, The WARM Place referred Eric to a one week grief camp called, El Tesoro de la Vida, which he attended for the next three years and continued to attend as a resident camper. He went through a counselor in training program, became a staff member, and spent over 6 summers in various leadership roles including a volunteer counselor for grief camp as well.
As fate would have it, I also began attending the same summer camp in 1991 and much like Eric grew up attending camp every summer. We first met in 1997, but didn’t begin dating until 2004. Fast forward 12 years, and here we are married, with two kids, two dogs, a big crazy extended family, and with a life I would not trade for anything. I’m so very thankful for The WARM Place and the work they do because I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact they have on the lives in our community and know my family is better because of support from The WARM Place. Eric to this day still remembers the pot luck dinners shared before group at The WARM Place!
The past few years, I’ve channeled my gratitude by fundraising for The WARM Place through the Cool Night committee and this year I’ve had the opportunity to chair the event and along with my fabulous committee we have planned some really great things-I can’t wait to share what’s in store! Guests will enjoy a night on the deck under the stars with cold drinks, fabulous food and great music all night long. The evening will also include silent and live auctions filled with one of kind items and experiences. We still have a few sponsorships available and individual tickets are now on sale for just $125 each!!! Both are available for purchase online but hurry fast because the past two years have sold out…don’t wait!
We hope you will make plans to join us and invite your friends, because it is truly the best party with a purpose of the year! Your support will help us reach our goal of $225,000 this year which allows The WARM Place to continue serving grieving children and their families, who are dealing with one of the hardest things anyone has to deal with in life- the death of a loved one.
-Mary-Margaret Lemons, Cool Night Event Chair
