Generous sponsors, gift contributors, attendees and auction participants created another successful Gala for the Rotary Club of Hudson and for Hudson community projects. Major gifts donated included lake and rail excursions, professional services, golf outings, swim parties, use of luxury cars, sporting events, wine tasting and exclusive dining. The evening was marked by a lively silent auction cocktail hour, a delicious dinner of steak, shrimp and gourmet desert, piano music and a live auction with enthusiastic competitive bidding.
Attended by 260 local citizens, Hudson leaders, Boy Scouts, artists and local dignitaries, the event generated over $72,000 in funds for this year’s beneficiaries: The Gift of Life program of Northeast Ohio; Hudson Community First’s Workshop “Uncharted Waters…What Every Senior Needs to Know Before Going to College; and the Boy Scout Cabin on the Green renovations.
Major sponsors of the 2019 Gala included: Platinum sponsor Kaulig Giving; Silver sponsors Akron Children’s Hospital, the Forhan Family Foundation, The Tobin Family, PEG’S Foundation, Northwest, First National Bank and University Hospitals Portage Medical Center.
Table sponsors were: DKC-Warfield & Company, CPAs; Fidelity Investments; Boy Scout Troop 321; and The Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Rotary is very grateful to have the support of these loyal sponsors.
This year’s Gala was developed by long time chairman Ron Strobl, co-chairs Marilyn Orr and Kris Barker and a committee of Joe Avella, Dan Filburn, Jim Lang, Evan McCauley, Doug McDowell, Richard Nebiolo, Tom Page, Kathryn Sines and Jay Yard. Planning started last September with numerous ongoing discussions, presentations and meetings. The committee was pleased with the results.
The evening’s Master of Ceremonies was oft recognized, exemplary citizen, Ed Sogan, who led the presentation of beneficiaries followed by auctioneer Jeff Jeffers, who worked the crowd with determined professionalism. Ron Strobl, retiring from the Gala committee chairmanship after nine years, kept the program on track and made sure all bidders got their winnings. Ron would like to thank his wife Sue for her help over the many years of gathering gifts, organizing tables and coordinating community efforts.
Rotary members once again proved that they are People of Action applying leadership to solving social issues, tackling community challenges and finding lasting solutions to the world’s systemic problems.