Our June Supper 2011 is
Super Again, of course!
Be sure to read the story, below these Photo Galleries...
Photo Gallery One:
Please note that there are 8 pages of photos below -- be sure to look beyond page 5 for more!
Photo Gallery Two by Mikaela Hawk… thanks to our high school volunteer Mikaela Hawk for taking these photos at the event!
Please note that there are 10 pages of Mikaela’s photos below -- be sure to look beyond page 5 for more!
“Don’t mess with Success!”
Early in 2011, the Fund Development Committee, Friends Committee and Public Relations Committee met to brainstorm new ideas for our June Supper 2011. It was decided that since our June 2010 event was such a success, we’d be foolish to make too many major changes.
But we made a few: a coloring area for children and adults alike to create (or re-create) a memory of camp – with their work displayed on a clothesline for all to see. There would also be a new approach to the auction area, and bigger and better signage.
This year, again, we would sell raffle tickets: for $100, purchasers received dinner at the event and the opportunity to win a grand prize eight-day trip for two to Italy (or $5,000 cash, winner’s choice), with a second prize of an iPad® 2.
Congratulations to Grand Prize winner Irene Brill and
2nd Prize winner Barbara Hinton... thanks for your generous supprt!
As for the Supper itself, it was super! Our chicken dinner menu was deliciously the same as last year’s – because how could we not serve Miss Lil’s famous chicken and sweet potatoes? Dinner was served buffet-style in the dining hall, with volunteers from the Hatboro-Horsham School District and Blackthorn Rugby Club serving meals with a smile, never complaining about the heat.
Diners sat under a large tent erected on the lawn. The tent was decorated festively, with checkered tablecloths and flowers donated by Colibraro Nursery. Young athletes of the Blackthorn Rugby Club bused tables and provided beverages for dining.
Like last year, dessert was served at Tween Creeks, which encouraged visitors to see our newest area. Hatboro-Horsham teachers and some of our board and corporation members served coffee, tea, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream and strawberries.
The expanded silent auction, held under the dining tent, was a huge success. Mary Lou LaBows, as always, secured a sensational array of auction items. Donations were received from area businesses, members of the camp staff and board, corporation members, and individuals with special connections to the camps, including former campers or friends of individuals connected with the camps.
The team of Mary Lou Bows, Mary Dare, Karen Thompson and Cindy Weinrich spent a day assembling auction item baskets, wrapping them in cellophane and adding bows as finishing touches.
Instead of making all the donated items part of the silent auction, some were made available for a less-expensive raffle: bundles of 25 tickets were sold at $10 a bundle, and these tickets could then be dropped into bags associated with each raffle item. At night’s end, one ticket was drawn from each bag to determine that prize’s winner.
There were also many more children’s items auctioned off. Proceeds from the auction will be used for purchases that the camp and campers need, as determined by Executive Director Frank Gerome and his staff.
More successes: Once again, we had a terrific bake sale run by Linda Herring Hill and Elaine Herring. And a separate bike raffle awarded the winner with a $500 gift certificate towards a bike and helmet, with the prize donated by Richard Terry of Suburban Cyclists.
As in the past, there were hayrides through the camp and walking tours led by camp staff. We had three volunteers designated to take photographs: check the website for photos taken by Mike Spangler, John LaBows, and our high school volunteer, Mikaela Hawk. Their artistry definitely captured the many facets of the event!
Volunteers from the Horsham ChATs Town Watch helped with parking duties, safely directing volunteers and visitors to the designated parking areas and keeping the driveway clear for access to the event. They did an amazing job despite the gnats and humidity.
A real standout! One aspect of the auction really stood out: Rick Kircher, local Rotarian and professional DJ, did the auctioneering – and he was great! A huge vote of thanks to Rick for donating his time, talents and equipment. With his professional DJ voice and sound equipment, the proceedings and announcements of winners were easier to hear.
But then, just as Rick was calling the winners of our raffle items, the proceedings ended with a BANG…!
Mother Nature tried to interfere: the winds whipped, the rains fell, and thunder and lightning sent everyone scrambling to the dining hall. We’re grateful to those intrepid souls who helped us move critical items indoors.
And a BIG THANK YOU to everyone involved!The 2011 June Supper would not have been such a success without the help of all the individuals who donated their time and energy to make it an evening to remember. The late weather change didn’t spoil attendees’ fun. The food and companionship were perfect. Adults and children alike had a marvelous time. And we certainly achieved our goals:
- We raised significantly more money than ever before at a June Supper
- We had more attendees than ever before
- More people saw more of the camp than ever before
- We maintained historical aspects of the event that are important to many who participated and attended
- It was a wonderful community event that helped bond people to the camp and to each other
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” turned out to be the right call for the 2011 June Supper. Goals were met or exceeded; fans of the camp and well-wishers from the surrounding community were brought together; like-minded people bonded to the camp and to each other.
We are already looking ahead to next year. Dare we say that June Supper 2012 will be even bigger and better? We wonder what wonderful “tweaks” the next event will provide...
See you at the June Supper 2012!