“I was truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support to benefit the PAA on November 10 at The English Inn,” says Peninsula Arts Association (PAA) Board member and participating musician Pete Thelen. “It’s been our mission and focus to grant financial support dollars to individual artists and local institutions over the past 73 years. But on Wednesday evening, the spotlight was clearly on the Grandmother of the Arts in Door County and I hope the success of this fundraiser will spark another 73 years. Thanks, to all who participated.”
Dorothy Scott
The event included an evening of talented entertainment donated by local musicians including Lynn Gudmundsen, Julian Hagen, David Hatch, Rich Higdon, Ben Larsen, Patrick Palmer, Marise and Lia Redmann, George Sawyn, Dorothy Scott, Pete Thelen and Jay Whitney.
The English Inn put forth a lavish buffet that included their famous chocolate dessert fountain. More than $3,000 in prizes were placed up for bid in a variety of silent auctions and raffle items donated by local business supporters.
“It was a night of delicious food, great music and so much more,” says Alicia Mulliken, PAA Board President. “In order to even begin to thank the special musicians and all of the arts and business people who contributed and friends who attended, I must start with expressions of gratitude to Jon Massad who took this idea and made it happen. He had the incredible and deft help of Brynn Swanson who dotted every “I” and crossed every “T.”
The event was generously supported by the following businesses:
American Folklore Theatre, Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik, Alaniz Gallery, Azure Menswear, Bath, Body & Soul, Carol Wuollett Pinkalla, Cheesecake Etc., Curt’s Oilerie, DesignWise Studios, DeWitt Jewelry, Door Shakespeare, Edge Salon, Elliot’s Mercantile, Ellison Bay Pottery, Fine Line Classics by David Hatch, Fine Line Design Gallery, Four Seasons Tree Service, Gage, GM Bentley Hand Engraver, Gibraltar Grille, Gills Rock Stoneware, Glow Salon, Greens N Grains, Hands On Art Studio, Hat Head, Hide Side Corner Store, Karen Henriksen, Karin Miller Knutson, Karsten Topelmann, Lavendar Spa, Main Street Market, New Leaf Acupuncture, Orchard Country Winery, PC Junction, Peninsula Music Festival, Popelka Trenchard Glass, Purple Feet Wines, Quilter’s Quest, Scaturo’s, Sonny’s Fish Creek, Spielman’s Kid Works, Steel Bridge Songfest, Tannenbaum Holiday Shop, The Massage Studio, Vartanian & Sons, Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors and The Wild Tomato.
Including thanks to the more than a hundred guests who attended, we’d all like to thank Ginny Olson, owner of the Sand Bay Lane B&B who decided to create her own silent auction item – a house concert featuring some of the entertainers performing that evening. Then she bid $1,000 to win it! This has been one of the most successful fundraisers ever held for the PAA, raising more than $3000 for grant funding initiatives to Door County artists. Thanks to Stephen Kastner of DesignWise Studios of Door County for handling the PR and social media marketing of the event hosted by Door County Chefs and Door County Style online magazines and the Door County Lodging guide.