Every once in a while an organization creates a fundraiser that just makes me say, “Cool.”
That was the case for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado and its Suitcase Party. It was all “Up, Up and Away” on Oct. 9, when more than 150 people gathered in the AvFlight hangar at Durango-La Plata County Airport. As guests arrived, the scene was set with two airplanes from different eras, a 1940 Howard and a 2015 Hawker Jet, not to mention a new Pilatus sitting outside the hangar all lit up with floodlights.
The Pilatus was the main attraction – as part of the ticket price, each attendee received a raffle ticket to be whisked away for a three-day mini-vacation to a secret location. But before the drawing, it was time for some fun.
Aerial dancers Chrissy Mosier and David Stuckler flew through the rafters of the hangar, while Toast, the mobile lounge by Carol Clark, served signature drinks made with Durango Distillery’s Soiled Dove Vodka. The glasses were served in logo martini glasses with the help of Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members Chloe Ostlund and Christina Crain.
Yellow Carrot created a spread that “dazzled the senses” BBBS Chief Operating Officer Sarah Tescher said, with tomato bisque in a pumpkin, an array of cheeses and olives and, as Sari Brown is wont to create, a yummy dessert.
The title sponsor was Mountain Aviation, which provided the red carpet. The evening began with a live auction of experiences – I read recently that for people who already have enough “stuff,” experiences can be hot ticket items. This proved the point, with a four-day rental of a Sportmobile along with Sedona, Arizona, and Cat Skiing travel packages. One lucky bidder won a stay in Ouray and another won a flight on a 1958 172 Cessna, complete with aviator goggles, hat and scarf.
By 8 p.m., excitement was running high to see who would win the trip. Attendees had been advised to pack a suitcase and bring it with them, with several hints during the weeks preceding the evening including bright blue skies and warm temperatures, so people would know what to pack.
John and Bette Ralph had enormous smiles on their faces as their names were picked by auctioneer Ron Dunavant and BBBS board member Ryan Brunyard. Because there were extra seats on the plane, friend Joe Bob and Dana McGuire and Daryl and Jim Wotkyns offered to buy them so “poor John and Bette” wouldn’t have to spend the weekend at the Squaw Point Hilton Hotel in Phoenix alone along with their $1,500 worth of gift cards, private plane and limousine shuttle.
Champagne toasts wished them bon voyage, the plane took off, dipping a wing in salute and those left behind decided to enjoy the party.
The folks at Big Brothers Big Sisters had some fun naming the sponsorship levels – no gold or silver for them.
The aforementioned Mountain Aviation was the Dassault Falcon sponsor, while AvFlight and Mercury were among the Cessna sponsors; Coleman Foundation, Toast Mobile Lounge, Four Corners Broadcasting and Spine Colorado were Learjet-level sponsors, while the Wells Group, Mountain Bike Specialists, Basin Printing & Imaging, Durango Party Rentals, Ska Brewing Co., Alpine Bank, Star Liquors and Durango Distillery were the Hawker Jet sponsors.
Oct. 9 was a busy night in Durango, and yours truly had to make some hard choices. I was sorry to miss this – because, once again, cool idea – but am grateful to Tescher for serving as my correspondent, so I at least got a sense of the fun that was had.
And it all goes to such a good cause. We, as a society, cannot afford to lose any child’s potential, and every child deserves the chance to meet his or her potential. Mentoring at-risk youth, as BBBS and its volunteers do, is a critical piece of that puzzle.
To learn more about the organization, visit www.bbig.org.
HHH
Exiting Libra and moving into my personal favorite sign Scorpio for birthdays are Matt Stilwell, Bliss Bruen, Mary Jo McLauglin Wickman, Susan Wright, Shanan Campbell Wells, Willa Beatty, Bud Beebe, Shawna Long, Shirley Buslee, Joe Herrera (90!), Chuck Norton, Dot Larson, Lucy Halverstadt, Macky Headrick, Tina Trump, Paul Foreman, Gary Jones, Barbara Williams, Sharyn Butler-Hall and Bailey Kunkel.
HHH
Enjoying some hot apple cider for their anniversaries are John and Shanan Campbell Wells and Richard and Bonnie Jung.
HHH
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