Colorful gift baskets await placement on the Silent Auction tables.
The chocolates are set to allure all who come near.
The buffet is plentiful and enticingly displayed.
The strains of the Harold Betters quartet's jazz in the ballroom and of Bryan Vickers' classical guitar in the Presentation room can be heard.
But first, guests are attracted to an exhibit of drawings: "Art by Heather."
While resident in a local shelter Heather had access to an unimagined quantity of professionally selected art materials supplied by HCEF. She took advantage of this bonanza of sketch pads, colored and black lead pencils, and quiet work space in the shelter's Learning Center to focus on her portraits. HCEF "discoverd" her when one of her drawings was submitted and quickly selected as the illustration for our 2006 Annual Fund thank you card. Heather showed such talent that she won a scholarship to enroll in art classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art. HCEF is proud to host her first art show.
Benefit attendees greet friends, make new acquaintances, peruse the Silent and Chinese Auction tables and place their bids.
Who, along with 19 relatives and friends, will win the right to see a 2008-09 season Penguins game from the Citizens Bank center ice box? And look at this! A day-long sail among the Lake Erie islands with lunch at Put-in-Bay and two-night's lodging at the Catawba Island Club Hotel.
Event Host Ralph J. Papa, Chairman of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, and Jennifer Vickers, HCEF's Managing Director, address guests gathered to honor the evening's awardees.
Kathy Elliott accepts the 2008 Champions for Children Award on behalf of her late mother, Gwen Elliott, founder of Gwen's Girls; Father Regis Ryan, CEO of Focus on Renewal, receives the 2008 Linda A Dickerson Award;
and Susan and Brad Keller accept a special Youth Service award on behalf of their son Jonathan, one of Winnie's All-Star Kids helping kids and now a freshman at Elon University, who over several years raised funds on behalf of and collected books for HCEF and the children it serves.
The "long and the short of it" is this:
Thanks to participants in the 9th Annual Champions for Children Benefit HCEF raised its best ever auction proceeds, all of which support our mini-grants program that makes possible shelter staffs' innovative educational projects for the children residing in their facilities.
Photos by Meghan Sullivan and Peggy Neal
The Homeless Children's Education Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization with United Way Donor Option #963315. Donations are tax-deductible in accordance with IRS rules and regulations. The official registration and financial information of the Homeless Children's Education Fund may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
3/19/06
|
