Gateways Glitter and Song: Gratitude Tour

Three years ago when we started thinking about doing something like a “Gala” to close out our campaign, I knew I would need advice – we’d never done this before. Big parties, yes but not a big party meant to be both a fundraiser and also a true celebration.

I spoke with former Fellowship President, Nina McCormick (now Cantor), a development professional; with Bruce Knotts, former Executive Director of the UU United Nations Office, who had held a 50th Anniversary Gala for the UU UNO and whose husband Isaac is an event Planner; Ray Sim, our capital campaign consultant with the James D. Klote organization. And finally and most recently, with both Jehan Chu (who has been to many traditional Galas) and Diana Hart (who has run a bazillion of those and other similar events).

In doing this I learned a lot about what NOT to do. Taking the last advice first, Diana Hart said we couldn’t do the traditional sit-down plated dinner that most people expect from a “Gala” in our facility and even if we could, the cost of waited service would be prohibitive.

Perhaps due to the “plated dinner” model, we got advice that it could cost over $30-$50,000 to present and we’d be lucky to clear $20,000. AND we would need tons of volunteer hours, to boot, from a congregation who already had given so much time and treasure to the Capital Campaign over the past 12 years.

But we decided to go ahead – because we deserved a party! And we put something called a “Gala” on our Fellowship calendar this August, still not knowing how we’d pull it off, because – well, we’d done just about everything else and still had some pesky dollars to raise! (At that time, just over $300,000 – and we had just a year to go!) But we made some key changes from the model we’d gotten those warnings about.

We also stepped away from the beancounter profit maximization approach and made the party “pay what you can” for Members – though with a suggested $125 donation (more than any event ever) plus the stretch of offering a VIP ticket for $225. Diana brilliantly utilized our new spaces and combined outside catering by startup businesses with her own culinary genius to offer pre-filled plates, serve yourself stations and a couple of charming waitstaff to blow us all away – for a real money – but a fraction of what a plated dinner would have cost.

We pivoted from our initial concept of an Art Show plus Gala combo to a small number of brilliant Fellowship artworks auctioned online and three pieces auctioned live.

We found the fabulous First Take! Barbershop Quartet to combine superb artistry with an intimate feel, and offer an extra “Preview” to make the VIP tables feel special while everyone else was delightedly enjoying Cartisan Charcuterie in the Terrace Room and Welcome Gallery. (NOTE: First Take has never before experienced a standing ovation after their first act! But that shows what a perfect fit they were for the Fellowship!)

RESULT: We had FIVE full VIP tables (8 guests each) and sold about 109 tickets total. Donations are still coming in but from needing $300,000 in August, and about $190,000 at the end of December, as of today we need only ~$120,000 to pay for the entire $8.5 million project in cash.

Who did this? Really, all of us. To call out a few most recently:

Shari Loe, Helene Ferm, Paul Ferm and Tim Davis on our Mortgage Prevention Team led the charge. Much support from Candice Donaldson, Laurent Comes and Steve Parker along the way. AND Rev. Sasha!

Nick Wallwork invented and refined the online website for the online art auction, including enabling real time tracking of bids and payment for payment of winning bids. Nick also stepped in to cover AV when Alex had to leave to cover a family emergency in the middle of the event!

Marjorie Wormser picked up from Shari’s initial recruitment of the artists and – well just read the art program to see what she curated so graciously from the herded art-cats! Don Presiozi and Nina Nemeth provided invaluable advice!

Tim Davis single-handedly installed the art auction gallery, created QR code links and signage for the event, also packed up artwork for winning bidders to take home with materials donated by Brooke and Candice Donaldson.

Helene Ferm created both the program for the event AND the program booklet from a Canva form created by Tim.

Paul Ferm was our auctioneer and helped Emcee Shari write the script for the evening.

Steve Parker created most of the slides Shari and Paul used, though both Shari and Paul also added a few.

Rev. Sasha kept us grounded and sent us out with a spiritually uplifting benediction. AND she bought back the Jetpig!!!

Kathi Caccavale created and printed the postcards to invite the neighbors.

Arlyne Dalman, Ida Picker, Sandra Persichetti and Lynne Eisenbrand greeted and checked in guests.

Nina Nemeth, Elizabeth Bain, Carolyn Evans, Noelle Jensen, Ida Picker, Mary Hodgson, Matt Barry and Yvonne Geist-Gorman donated art (both Nina and Yvonne created original works for this event).

This was our first time working with this sales platform so thanks all for patience as we worked out how to best run the auction!)

The Green Aprons who worked all weekend setting up and decorating the venue, preparing food, serving and clearing and cleaning. Diana reports 55.5 volunteer hours put in by Ken Nemeth (the “winner” with 15 hours and still smiling), Jeanne Craft (who put in 4 hours working over the hot stove, stayed to the bitter end and then came back on Sunday to help run social hour, setting out food and packing up leftovers to give away), Barry Bontempo (5 hours), Barbara Lucas-Chin (5 hours), Diane Marks (5 hour), Susan Oxman (5 hours), Minda Chu (2 hours), Barbara Long (2 hours) Beth Hayward (3.5 hours) and Meiling Chin (5 hours).

We also enjoyed the paid services of Vicky, Kellie, and Willow, 6 hours of our bartender’s services, and 40 hours of Chef Diana’s volunteer time used for planning and advice and cleanup, to add to the 10 hours for which we twisted her arm to get her to accept payment!

Then there were the event sponsors, whose donations enabled us to cover the expenses of the event ($13,000 – not $50,000!!!) These include...

Jehan Chu, who sponsored First Take! In fond remembrance of his college days singing with an a cappella group;

Linda DeLap, who sponsored Chef Diana, with gratitude for her gracious hospitality, food and expertise that has helped fulfill the promise of the Al and Minda Chu Family Hall;

Joe Uhrhane and Beth Wilson, who sponsored the delicious samosas from Petite Île;

Light Opera of New Jersey, who sponsored the delectable TeaTime Chocolates for our dessert at Intermission, and who are delighted to be bringing their classic Christmas Operetta, Amahl and the Night Visitors, to the Chu Hall stage this December 5th and 6th; and

Others who chose to remain anonymous, but contributed over $5,000 to the event so your tickets could be applied directly to fund our Capital Campaign! These were extra donations and donations from people that weren’t able to attend.

AND let’s not forget Katy for behind the scenes help ordering supplies and accounting!

FINANCE UPDATE:

As Katy was able to use proceeds from Saturday to make yet another $75,000 payment to our construction loan, that loan now has a balance of $423,000.

We are depending on your remaining pledges to come in on time to be able to complete the payoff! The sooner you can complete those the less interest we have to pay!

FINALLY: We do need that additional $120,000 to be pledged for payment before the end of 2027 so please give what you can! The Capital Campaign ends March 31 so get your new pledges and gifts in the door by then if you can!!

BRAVO TO ALL!