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All right ladies. This is it. Time for the "full court press" and we need your help.
Our 10th anniversary gala is now only two months away, and deadlines loom. We want to provide plenty of publicity to all who participate as underwriters, table purchasers, auction item donors, program advertisers and all of you who find those that do. To make that work, though, it needs to happen very soon.
So...please contact the appropriate person listed below to help us make this the biggest, best, most fun, most successful fundraising event ever held in San Diego (not that we want to compete or anything!). Under the capable leadership of Elizabeth Bergan we can only expect the best, and many of us are already hard to make this a magical evening. Please join us as we pull it all together for July 12th.
| Gala chair: | Elizabeth Bergan |
| Auction Chair: | Susan Clifton |
| Program ads: | Judy Burer |
| Reservations: | Carrie O'Brien |
| Underwriting: | Vangie Regan |
We already have a number of $5,000.00 table sponsors and at least three Patrons' members have committed at higher levels. Once again, this being our 10th anniversary, we are hoping for a banner year. The museums face many challenges in this changing economy and really count on our assistance. Do try to get your reservations in as soon as possible. It makes planning much, much easier.
Cindy Goodman and Cynthia Larson-Daugherty, Communications co-chairs
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What a beautiful time of the year and how glorious it is on "The Prado." Driving into Balboa Park for our April board meeting sent my spirit soaring as I viewed the myriad of flowers in bloom, creating a riot of color in brilliant purples, bright pinks, deep reds, pure whites and occasional butter yellows!!! How happy I was to be going to a meeting where we are devoted to enhancing the work of the wonderful institutions whose magnificent architectural structures reside in this unique place of beauty. What a privilege to be able to do what we do!!!! Elisabeth and her committee have been diligently putting all the details together for "Up, Up and Away." I'm sure you have received your elegant, first class, Save the Date" card. Just a small preview of the artistic talent and expertise behind this year's Gala. As has been our tradition ~ everything will be "first class." Hopefully you are working on organizing your table ~ you won't want to miss this extravaganza! Judy Burer has been able to, once again, organize our "snappy" shopping trip to South Coast Plaza. A truly FUN, FUN, fun, fun, fun day of pampering ourselves ~ we do deserve it!! It's just plain fun to be together, let alone all the added bonuses. Jeri Rovsek has done a superb job at the helm of the ever-tedious task of revising the By Laws and Standing Rules. Chris Fontana has been her loyal scribe and her very dedicated committee consists of Betty Brayshay, Dottie Stanley, Lynne Wheeler, Linda Moore and myself. The committee's goal is to update and clarify the rules which define our organizational procedures ~ we have grown and matured in ten years and our dynamics have changed. We are endeavoring, page by page, item by item, to be sure that our By Laws and Standing Rules represent who we are and what we do today (2008). In no way will we be changing the direction or mission of our organization. Just making sure our "well-oiled machine" will run even better! Cindy Goodman has begun the "long range" planning committee sessions. More from Cindy later. You have probably read the many recent press releases and editorials regarding the study on Balboa Park. It is extremely important that we be informed and aware of the situation as we continue to help our beneficiaries. I asked Susan Hoekenga, one of our new members who has been the President of Friends of Balboa Park and a "park insider," to give a report to the board at our March meeting. I also went to the reception at Doris and Pete Ellsworth's home to meet the three principals of the study committee. I was impressed by Peter Harnik and Pete Ellsworth with their positive attitude of moving forward. But, impressing me more was that the results of this study reveal how the mission of the Patrons of the Prado takes on an even greater importance. As we continue to communicate and meet with our beneficiaries enlisting their support and help for our gala, we have been overwhelmed by their appreciation for Patrons of the Prado and what we have done for them. They are genuinely grateful for our gifts, approximately $1.3 million to date, and for the part that we have played in bringing a more cohesive feeling of cooperation and support among the institutions. We have done and are doing a very good thing. Congratulations everyone, you have and are making a difference!! Kathleen Buoymaster |
The San Diego Museum of Man presents Portico Premier on August 16, 2008. This event, honoring Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Viterbi will feature eclectic music, global cuisine and a treasure hunt and promises to be fun for all!
The Old Globe brings back ever popular Hershey Felder as Beethoven, Chopin and Gershwin on alternating dates from May 3rd to June 29th. These should be wonderful performances from a brilliant star.
Enjoy the summer at Balboa Park!
Patti Cooprider
Balboa Park Liaison
Dues notices were mailed at the beginning of April. Our membership chairs, Linda Moore and Ellen Zinn, request that dues, along with any changes to your roster information, be returned by the end of May to be sure you remain current.
Our annual trip to South Coast Plaza will take place June 4th. We only have room for 24 members to join us for a lovely day of shopping and bonding with your fellow Patrons. This popular excursion includes transportation, a delicious hosted luncheon, gifts from merchants and free time for shopping. The cost is $50.00. Further information as to schedules and pickup/dropoff locations, contact Judy Burer at: 1-619-447-9691.
Picture yourself on a 10 day Silverseas Cruise for two from Barcelona, or staying at "The best hotel in Europe" (Paris), or relaxing at the Four Seasons, Maui, or spending five days at The Lombardy hotel in New York. These are only a few of the trips currently being packaged for our "Up, Up and Away" auction.
If you prefer to do something more local, how about a fabulous dinner with, and prepared by, the gourmet chefs of the San Diego Fire Services...served at the fire station and including the opportunity to go out on a service call or even slide down a fire pole?!
Or, if that's a little too adventurous, how about a luncheon and fashion show for 10 at Nieman Marcus, complete with limosine transportation and $100.00 gift cards?
Those are among the auction items we've already received for this year's event. We're still looking for those unique items not found at other auctions, as well as:
- Restaurant gift certificates
- Dinners in private homes
- Group tickets to sports events
- Donated air miles
- Pampering days at spas
- Walk-on parts (or meet and greets and/or V.I.P. tickets for) on television .shows or films.
You get the idea. Lunch with the Governor would be nice, as would tickets to a popular out of town event (which we would try to package with transportation and hotel). We appreciate any help you can be in building a first class auction.
Our long range planning committee is currently hard at work on a plan to sustain our growth and development as an organization moving forward and as Balboa Park supporters. The process will include thoughtful consideration of the suggestions of all our members as well as those from the organizations whom we support.
All of you should have received an e-mail at the beginning of April soliciting your ideas: they are still welcome (contact: Cindy Goodman, Long Range Planning Chair: clg3@san.rr.com). We hope to have a working plan ready for the new board that takes office October 1st.
Courtney Coyle, who stepped away from the board this year to concentrate on adding to her family, has accomplished her goal. Courtney and Steve's little boy is due June 11th. How thrilled we all are for you, Courtney.
That decisions about which beneficiaries receive funds each year are not made on a strictly rotational basis? Rather funds have been allocated with the intent of assuring that all our recipients receive approximately equal amounts of funding, a challenging proposition when the gala revenues change year to year. To date, each of our museums and arts organizations has received $100,000.00 or more, and we look forward to adding significant amounts to that total in the years to come.
We have begun our countdown to Gala 2008, July 12, 2008. We need help from each and everyone who is a proud member of Patrons of the Prado to make the event, the only one we do each year, a rousing success. Please don't hesitate to contact anyone on the gala committee when you find you a few spare hours to contribute. Thanks to all of you who have already volunteered to assist.