Hospital garden party ‘a huge success’
Published 10:24 pm Monday, August 5, 2013
Don Regan won Notre Dame football tickets — again.
Dee Dee Winchester scored Chicago Cubs tickets.
Eileen Springsteen walked away with tickets for the White Sox-Twins, though as a former Denver resident, her baseball inclinations lean toward the Rockies.
Stephanie Lyons lugged away a “girls night in a basket,” including five bottles of wine and pizza makings.
Southwestern Michigan College President Dr. David Mathews’ win, a pair of purses, went to his wife, Sarah.
Lauren Kniebes, Contessa Wine Cellars tasting room manager from Coloma, won a wine cooler, but she said she can actually use it because, as a recent college graduate, she doesn’t yet have anything so specialized — just a kitchen refrigerator.
Perhaps no one was more enthused when Silver Creek Township Supervisor Bill Saunders pulled his name than John Vylonis, for his Buddig Meats prize package came with a Weber grill, grilling tools, brats and wieners for 20 and two cases of beer, Corona Extra and Blue Moon.
Lee Memorial Foundation’s second annual wine and beer tasting event at Don and Vicary Blackmond’s sesquicentennial farm overlooking Indian Lake benefited from ideal summer weather and live entertainment by Everybody’s Music of Decatur.
“It’s just a huge success,” Karen Judd said. “I think we had close to 200 people. We sold about 250 tickets.”
Last summer a storm struck and stampeded partygoers to evacuate into a nearby barn.
“Everyone picked up a table and the food. Nothing was left out here,” Judd said. “When we came back out, every tent was blown to the ground. This great support of Borgess-Lee Memorial made up for what we’ve been through.”
The event showcases the region’s wineries and breweries, including Round Barn, Tabor Hill, Lemon Creek, Fenn Valley, Contessa Wineries, New Holland Brewing Co., Round Barn Brewery and Saugatuck Brewing Co.
Tickets cost $50 per person and included a free souvenir wine glass.
Proceeds help Borgess Lee-Memorial Hospital acquiredigital mammography technology that will benefit women throughout Cass County.
Created in 1986, Lee Memorial Foundation is the official fundraising arm of Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital.
When individuals and community organizations provide financial support, they continue the tradition of charitable giving that has always been an integral part of how Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital’s most urgent needs have been supported.