I will always remember the evening of April 11, 2008, as the night I pulled off a major coup in terms of event planning. Thanks in no small part to the brillant creative genius of Ronda Stumler, and the hard work and dedication of Sue Miracle and Keri Cinotto and my family, my crazy notion for a fundraiser shattered my wildest dreams and will go down in history not as a mere reality but rather a remarkable acheivement. Originally, my goal was to raise awareness about the Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky and Ms. Wheelchair America programs and facilitate my attendance at the national pageant. I envisioned a silent auction and dinner reception open to anyone who felt compelled to learn more about the program and my participation in it. What started, as most great ideas do, as a somewhat casual, dreamy conversation at a friend's kitchen table, evolved into a grand and spectacular affair with thousands of dollars raised from auctioned items and in-kind donations.
The space, part of the Bill Collins Autogroup dealership, was transformed into a trendy, classy and colorful event space. The food, a mix of catered fare from Masterson's and donated items from other establishments, was delectable. The 60 auction packages ranged from movie tickets to a rare whisky barrel head signed by Maker's Mark CEO Bill Samuels, Jr. The nearly 75 participants truly embraced my mission for the evening--to proclaim that it's through relationship building, fun and networking that our society will best deconstruct the attitudinal and physical barriers that divide us.
Special thanks to all who came! You have inspired me to think outside the box about what I can accomplish not only as Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky, but as a woman with passion and ideas about how to make the world a better place. The Bluegrass Bash won't really improve our world in a substantial way, but it will enable me to showcase my accomplishments this summer at Ms. Wheelchair America. Who knows what positive and powerful things might develop from that opportunity?
The space, part of the Bill Collins Autogroup dealership, was transformed into a trendy, classy and colorful event space. The food, a mix of catered fare from Masterson's and donated items from other establishments, was delectable. The 60 auction packages ranged from movie tickets to a rare whisky barrel head signed by Maker's Mark CEO Bill Samuels, Jr. The nearly 75 participants truly embraced my mission for the evening--to proclaim that it's through relationship building, fun and networking that our society will best deconstruct the attitudinal and physical barriers that divide us.
Special thanks to all who came! You have inspired me to think outside the box about what I can accomplish not only as Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky, but as a woman with passion and ideas about how to make the world a better place. The Bluegrass Bash won't really improve our world in a substantial way, but it will enable me to showcase my accomplishments this summer at Ms. Wheelchair America. Who knows what positive and powerful things might develop from that opportunity?
