Share the Warmth and the Laughter
First off Oregon HEAT would like to thank everyone who made this year’s event a success. Click here to read the letter of thanks by Roger Rees, the Executive Director of Oregon HEAT.
Nearly 170 guests came out on October 1, 2011 to the Crowne Plaza in NE Portland to support Oregon HEAT’s 2011 Annual Dinner and Benefit Auction; “Share the Warmth all Around the State…and Beyond” This year’s theme was to attest to the fact that Oregon HEAT is a statewide nonprofit organization that helps individuals throughout Oregon with emergency energy assistance during the winter months.
The evening started off with a silent auction with over 80 exciting items to bid on by our supporters, everything from flowers, to housewares, to electronics, to even a large car carrier, all donated by businesses that also support Oregon HEAT. The guests were greeted by passed hors d’ oeuvres and a no-host bar and the opportunity to purchase a necklace of “Red Pearls” for a chance to win large cash prizes. One by one the four sections of silent auction items were closed with a countdown led by local “celebrity” guest auctioneer, Carla Piluso, former Chief of Police of the City of Gresham, “10, 9, 8, 7...” she said, as the bidders in a hurried fashion wrote down their final bids.
“That’s all for the silent auction, folks, please enter the ball room for dinner, “Carla Piluso said as she closed down the last silent auction section.
All the guests then entered into the Belmont Ballroom to find their seats and dine on one of three fabulously tasting dinner choices accompanied by wine poured into their glasses by the great wait staff of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Twenty-two tables of lively supporters had the opportunity to meet the people sitting next to them and learn about exciting and little known facts about counties in Oregon as the power point presentation displayed county trivia with questions and answers. “This county is home to both the “whale –watching capital of the world” and the “shortest river in the world?”
Lincoln County, “Wow, I didn’t know Lincoln County had the shortest river in the world,” exclaimed a guest at table number 20.
And then the program began. Everyone was greeted by Oregon HEAT’s new Board President, David Symes, a managing partner from Olgetree, Deakins, Nash, Smaok & Stewart, and P.C. (Wow, that’s a mouthful.) David welcomed the guests to the Sixth Annual Dinner and encouraged them all to have a great time and bid often during the live auction and special appeal to follow.
Presenting Sponsor, West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc, General Manager, Marc Farmer followed David and spoke about how important it is to have a great staff, and that Oregon HEAT was fortunate to have the best. He then introduced the entertainment for the evening: Mr. Dave Anderson, nationally known comedian and local talk show host. Dave Anderson, under the glow of the spotlight, took the stage and entertained guests with his hilariously funny 25 minute monologue that had the crowd cheering for more.
Then Carla and Dave started the auction with nine exciting items, an Instant Wine Cellar donated by staff and the Board of Directors, a dinner prepared by Carla Piluso for eight guests at the home of one of Oregon HEAT’s Board Members, a fun time down in Texas, and more. The bidding was intense and Carla was busy trying to keep track of the last bid, “Did I leave off on $475 of $450, Carla asked the audience.” The audience laughed. Dave reassured her that she was at $450 and she continued on.
And then came the Special Appeal, or as Oregon HEAT likes to call it: the “Paddle Raise.” Carla asked the audience is there anyone who would like to stat at the $1,000 level? And one, two, three paddles were raised into the air. She then went to $750, and then to $500, and then $100 and at that point it was a sea of paddles raised into the air. “You folks are so generous,” proclaimed, Carla. The bidding went down to the $25 level to ensure that all supporters could afford to raise their bid number. By the end of the Special Appeal, supporters had raised over $10,000.
Dave and Carla then went back to auctioning off the rest of the live auction items and turned the floor over to Roger Rees, the Executive Director of Oregon HEAT. Roger wanted the audience to know how grateful Oregon HEAT was for all the sponsors, donors and the volunteers who made the evening’s event happen, and then he thanked the audience for all their kindness and support in bidding on items and raising their paddles during the Special Appeal. He then gave the hand-held microphone over to David Symes who had just a few more things to say. He had Dave Anderson come up one more time to draw the winners for the Red Pearl Necklace raffle. Three tickets were drawn and three winners came up to claim their prizes. A remarkable thing happened; the top winner of the raffle handed back her winnings as a donation to Oregon HEAT. That sure made the audience feel great! David then closed the evening’s festivities by wished everyone a good night. “We hope to see all of you next year,” remarked David Symes, and with that the evening was over.
Ron Bannister
Development Specialist
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