MARDI GRAS BALL 2009 A SUCCESS!
Mar
27
Written by:
3/27/2009 4:00 PM
The Seventeenth Annual Mardi Gras Ball, held on February 21, 2009 at the Hyatt Hotel in Westlake, was a banner event for Community Conscience, “Under One Roof” Human Services Center. Thanks to the hard work and generosity of members of our community, profits from the event exceeded our expectations.
The highlight of the evening was the introduction of Susan Holt and Harry Selvin who were crowned Mardi Gras Ball Queen and King in recognition of their sustained community service and awards.
The evening set many records for the Mardi Gras Ball. Attendance was higher than recent years’ records and Auctioneer “George Washington” (also known as Irish John Gore) was able to set another record during the live auction. Multiple winners of the headline donation, a week of luxurious accommodations at Casa Acantilada at Manzanillo, Mexico, donated by Mark Barger, were awarded. Other live auction offerings included an eight-carat diamond bracelet donated by Don and Ricki Mikkelsen; a dinner with Sparky Anderson at the home of Lois and Dave Klein; a ride-along helicopter ride donated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; a dinner at a Thousand Oaks Fire Station donated by Captain Ken Roberts; and lunch and combat training with Sheriff Bob Brooks.
During the silent auction, over one hundred seventy gift baskets were won by attendees. Prizes included cooking classes; vacation trips; prize winning photographs; dinners prepared in the winner’s home; and garden fountains. Thanks to the hard work of the silent auction chair, Jacque Turner, and her committee, record amounts were raised for our organization.
The generosity of major sponsors also contributed to the evening’s success. For the 12th consecutive year, FB Productions was a Platinum sponsor. Gold sponsors included the Ashcraft Family in loving memory of Mel Ashcraft, Premier America Credit Union, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Wells Fargo. The California Endowment was a silver sponsor. The bronze sponsors were ITT, John McArthur of the Art Department, The Oaks Shopping Center, and Verizon.
The Riverboat Dixie Band played during the champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception. The Fifth Avenue Orchestra performed throughout the evening. Other highlights of the evening included the presentation of Colors by the Ventura County Marine Corp League and the singing of the national anthem by Trek for Troops members Paul Rose, Scott Williams, and Matt Walker.
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Helping throughout the planning and during the event were the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks, Soroptimist International of the Conejo, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust and Westlake Key Club.
A fun evening was enjoyed by all and thanks to the talents, hard work, and support of hundreds, including the non-profit organizations who are housed in the “Under One Roof” Human Services Center. Those non-profit organizations will once again benefit from the proceeds of the evening.
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| Irish John Gore, Auctioneeer |
Mardi Gras Ball 2009
Ricki Mikkelsen, Event Chair
Mark your calendars for February 21, 2010!
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Dr. Gary Alan Dickey, who played the bagpipes to open the event, poses with Cindy Brand, Community Conscience Office Manager
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