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Photos of this event - click here
When Sandy Stayrook sent out a change-in-plans announcement to members of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter to “Let’s do lunch,” nearly 100 persons responded favorably to what probably will become the President’s Luncheon, replacing the more formal dinner and fundraiser.
Eighty-three members and guests turned out for the luncheon December 19 at the Confluence Park Restaurant for the annual event and to boost the chapter’s community service fund used to support a variety of youth and family projects.
This year the event generated nearly $2,419 through a first-time silent auction and the annual raffle of items donated by companies and individuals, according to Steve Niswonger, Community Service chairman.
The chapter also received donations of $280 from 16 employees of Clara Brown Interiors, Inc., who decided to forego a gift exchange and contribute to the fund, $150 from former member Dave Bongivengo, $90 from Harry and Pat McClure of HLH Systems, and $1,500 from the Citizen-Journal Adopt-A-Family Fund for a grand total of $4,439.
Some of these funds will be applied against items purchased for the 288 Christmas bags that were prepared by chapter members and presented to students at Eastgate Elementary the day before the luncheon. Each of the school’s 20 teachers received a $50 gift card from Staples for classroom supplies.
This is the second year the chapter has supported the school at Christmas. The chapter also furnished each student, teacher, and administrator with a special black T-shirt with school mascot and motto last September when they opened the school year in a new facility at 1925 Stratford Way.
The brightly colored Christmas bags the students received contained an assortment of items, including a box of crayons, pencil, ruler, stickers, game, activity book, toothbrush, tooth paste, dental floss, shampoo, chap stick, boxed fruit drink, gum, playing cards, knit hat, gloves, scarf, socks, all topped off with a red, green, white, purple, blue, or brown teddy bear and candy cane.
In response, Carol Wheat, Eastgate principal, expressed the school’s gratitude by reading the following at the luncheon:
On behalf of the Eastgate staff, students, and parents, I would like to thank you, once and again, for your generous contribution to our school. Please accept our deepest appreciation for your donation of gift bags given to all our students on December 18. The students were so excited, proud, and thankful for the items they received in the gift bags. We know it took a lot of people and time to stuff enough bags for the nearly 300 students who attend our school. In addition, teachers were overwhelmed with the gratitude to receive the gift cards to support the work they do for our students. Please accept the many thank you cards and letters from our students.
We are so very fortunate to have such a committed and caring community partner in education. Together we can prepare our students to take positions of leadership in our country and the world. I want to take this opportunity to once again thank you for your support of the students at Eastgate Elementary. May this season bring peace and prosperity to you and your family! Happy Holidays.
She also left behind numerous letters of appreciation from her students at Eastgate.
Many chapter members were involved in making these two events successful, and Chapter President J.D. Flaherty Jr. commended each saying, “It was a true labor of love by members of the chapter with the school that we have supported—adopted, if you will—for the past two years.”
He also said he has received many favorable comments about the change from dinner to luncheon, and that the event probably would remain as a luncheon in the foreseeable future.
He commended Stayrook for her foresight is switching the annual dinner to a luncheon when reservations for the dinner did not materialize as in previous years, and for her efforts in obtaining most of the items included in the gift bags for the students.
Flaherty also presented Platinum, Gold, and Silver chapter sponsors with certificates, plaques, and plates for plaques that had been awarded in past years. Brief annual reports were made by committee co-chairs with Joyce Strait, Membership Committee, announcing 31 additions to the chapter during the year. She also said there will be a “new member luncheon” at CORT Furniture January 21.
Other members who played significant roles in making the luncheon a success were Steve Niswonger, who obtained the items for the silent auction; Tim Rychel, who prepared the slide show of 2008 chapter activities and events; Christine Robertson; Ken Mulligan; Shelly Sensenbrenner; Joyce Strait; Julia Shelburne-Hitti; Shannon Kirkendall; and Flaherty
In addition to the framed photographs of moments in sports and entertainment that were offered during the silent auction, tickets to a Blue Jackets game and ride on the Zamboni, and a 90-minute hot air balloon ride were also up for bidding.
Karen Jewett of Ohio Business Systems bid $270 for the balloon ride, and Eric Elizondo, IFMA member, architect, and founder of EcoStudio, bid $200 to see the Blue Jackets play and wave to the crowd from the Zamboni as it cleans the ice.