Where we are right now with the project: November 27, 2001

Invitation Design is available to Review in Acrobat Format. Click Here!

The latest version of the invitation is available for review with all of the changes suggested at the meeting.

Paul Hemmer added a paragraph that I easily fit into the main body of the invitation. I think it's splendid. Thanks Paul! -G.O.

Click here to e-mail me with any more changes you feel are warranted or if you see a typo. The invitiation file is in Acrobat format, and prints beautifully. The file consists of four items: Invitation cover, Invitation Interior, RSVP Card, and Return Envelope Address.

Reserve Wine List given to us by Tim Althaus:

Click here to review the Reserve List from Tim Althaus. These are special wines that he has selected and saved for the auction. Please offer selections from this list as I think it will take the pressure off of anyone not familiar with wines or maybe doesn't have the time to shop. Keep in mind that Tim gives 10% off to Rotary!!!!

Two Ticket Prices... your thoughts, please...

This just in from Tony Z:

I have read the "conversation" that has been taking place over the suggestion that there be two tickets for the event. I think it makes sense to offer two ticket prices, IF the dance only ticket holders don't disrupt or detract from the experience of the other ticket holders. It could become difficult if the dance only ticket holders come early and demand entry, are forced to stay outside (Brrrr!!!!), or must remain in the entryway in-mass. As long as the tickets are printed to clearly show text saying "No Entry Before XX:XX PM" and we have a plan for "dealing" with people who come too early, I would say the 2 ticket plan is ok. I'm certain that the 2 ticket plan will put strong demands on the people taking tickets at the entry.

Michael A. (Tony) Zelinskas, P.E.
WHKS & Co.
470 Central Ave.
Dubuque, IA 52001-7024
(563) 582-5481
(563) 582-7412 FAX
tzelinskas@whks.com

Perhaps we should have TWO ticket prices for our February 16 event.The $45 ($50) price for the combination of Wine Auction/Tasting & Dancestarting at 6pm - and an alternate price of $20 for the dance only (seating in a different area starting at 8:30p). I know this might be a bit confusing for those at the door, but we may attract many more people who may just want to hear Hunter play for a dance and are not interested in our food and wine segment of the evening. We could easily design the invitation and tickets accordingly. Look at it as a way of expanding the offerings to those interested in attending.

Give it some serious consideration and plan to make a decision at the January 8 meeting, unless Nick wants an earlier meeting.

I think 1/15/02 is early enough to send out tickets --- so the 8th would be well within our printer dates.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Happy New Year

Paul

From Dawn and Nick

I just spoke with Nick and we need to keep the event an "Evening" not a wine auction with a concert. We both feel that there will be mass confusion doing it any other way. If we have 100 people coming for the music only, they will be arriving at a critical time...the end of the auction and the beginning of the silent auction. That is our money maker and the highlight of the evening.

Another issue is that if we sell music only tickets then someone will want "wine only" tickets, etc.

People who want only to hear Hunter will pay $50 knowing that it's a charity event. Same as those who don't want to hear Hunter and come only for the wine portion. The people there for Hunter don't have to participate in buying wine or any auction items...the ticket is their donation.

Let's get back to our focus on the event. Happy New Year to all!!!!

Dawn

Dawn, Nick, Paul, and all,

Just for the record, I wanted you to know that I agree with Paul. I also understand that the decision has been made (which I will support) and I certainly hope that we get the hoped for turnout. Upper end fund raisers can
be a tough sell.

I'm sorry that my husband and I will not be attending due to the cost, but that's ok since we're a different crowd than the event is designed to attract.

If you need help setting up beforehand, please let me know.

Sue Wheaton

Free Tuxedos? Yes, from Cheryl-Ann Bridals!

Hey you hard working wine committee members, again Cheryl-Ann Bridals is providing free tuxes. They look great!! Tuxedos will be available for Wine Auction committee members at no charge for the event held February 16, 2002. Estimated value $90 per tux. Please email me if you would like a tux, or if not. I do need to know asap. I need to provide this list to Cheryl-Ann Bridals as soon as possible.

Measurements for tuxedos must be made at Cheryl-Ann Bridals by January 16, 2002 at Cheryl-Ann Bridals. Pick-up tux February 13-15, prefer Feb 13 for alterations.

Tuxedos must be returned Monday, February 18, 2002 before 2:00 pm. Don’t forget to tell them thanks!

Tuxedos are Courtesy of: Cheryl-Ann Bridals
10th & Main,
Dubuque, IA 52001
563-582-6930
www.cherylannbridals.com

dkknepper@aol.com

Notes from Dawn Bierman on the Tuesday Meeting at the Silver Eagle Convention Center:

For those of you who weren't at the meeting today at the Silver Eagle....Much was accomplished! Thank you a million times over to Nick Goodmann for taking the ball and running with it! You are terrific!!

I gave Tony all the lists for the mailing of invitations. He is going to combine them so we have completely up to date info in our database. The lists that I had were last year's mailing, Dbq Country Club, Symphony, Thunder Hills and a group of names from Hunter of people who have signed up as being interested in attending. Also, Dean Knepper will be obtaining a mailing list from the Independent Physicians Group which is comprised of approximately 200+ local physicians. If any of you have PERSONAL names to add to the list, please e-mail them to me by next Tuesday or bring them to the meeting. We need these to be able to update the database that Tony is building and to make sure we have an accurate count for the printer. If any of you recall...last year we ran out of invitations and were scrambling at the last minute!

Does anyone in the club have knowledge of anyone who would be interested in valet parking? We thought we'd throw it out to the Club first...If not there is a service here that would do it for tips only. Please let Nick or I know ASAP as this will be a busy weekend!

Tim Althaus will be e-mailing a wine list in the next day or two for wines that we can "selling" as items for the live and silent auctions. I will forward that upon receipt. A donation form can be found on the Rotary webpage...just download and print thanks to Gary O.!

Tim Althaus asked me today about rooms for the distributors and potentially a "special room rate" for those attending the event...To make an Evening of it all! Who has a good relationship with Dan from the Midway? I think it would be a great idea to add an nice insert to the invitation to offer a package so to speak! Who knows...never the less, Tim would like to offer a special rate to the distributors so they can feel comfortable staying for the auction as many have indicated an interest.

Thanks to all who have been so active and supportive!!! I am going to do my best to do as much as I can...

See you on Tuesday!

Dawn

From our new Chair, Nick Goodman: Minutes from our meeting 12/04/01

Thank all of you for your dedicated and enthusiastic committee meeting to kick off the wine event.  Your help will be invalueable in this year's auction and ball.  Let's indeed have a ball!

This is a recap of the 12/04/01 committee meeting, and the individual assignment tasks that were discussed.

First, we will meet again at the Silver Eagle on Tuesday, 12/11/01 at noon. This meeting will be primarily to decide the layout of the facility for live and silent auction, as well as the tasting setup. Loras and Tim Althaus will be most helpful in setting up the facility.

As auctioneer, Loras said he has everything necessary to run the auction, including numbers, box, etc., and he will recruit his spotters. Carrie will clerk the event. Thanks, Loras and Carrie.

Amy and Tony have agreed to put together the mailing list for invitations from the several lists we have in hand.

We will look into a mailing service for distribution. RSVP at Finley will be called, as well as Hoffmann Development Center, which employs disabled adults to provide this type of service. I am on Hoffmann's Board, so I feel a need to use these people if possible.

Gary O. will be designing the invitations, as well as the tickets for the event. Thanks Gary. No pressure, but we need the invitations  asap. Thank you notes will be a nice touch as well.

Food service will be handled by Chuck Donolly, Mike Armstrong, and Tim Althaus with help from Dawn and the rest of the committee as needed. If we use the facility's food service, or have the event catered in, will be the decision of that group.

Paul has taken care of the entertainment.

The Decoration Team will be Jan Hemmer, Inga Shilling, Ellen Tosky, Lorie Goodmann and anyone else who feels creative.

Donations will be coordinated by Paul and Tim Althaus, with direct assistance of Nick and Lorie for cataloging the wines and donations.  Tim's list of reserve bottles will serve as a great basis of contributions from folks who are less than comfortable in making a selection on their own. We will post Tim's list for people to select from, and Tim can remove bottles as they are spoken for. I think that this will be a great time saver for many who wish to make a quality contribution, but maybe lack confidence, or time, in making a selection.

Donation forms will be copird from last year's event, by Paul, and we'll have a few hundred ready to distribute to Rotarians soon. We must have a cutoff date for donations about a week or so before the event in order to assure that all recieve proper credit in the list of items, both live and silent.

I will talk to Mike McCullough of DB&T to see if they will be willing to provide their cashier services again this year. I think they did a great job last year, and it went smoothly.

Dean Knepper will take care of the silent auction bid sheets, and will also talk to CherylAnn's tuxedo shop to see if they will participate again this year.

Registration tables will be manned by the Toskeys, with a little help from friends. Please feel free to help them as necessary. Mike will coordinate with Lorie and Loras to make sure auction numbers are assigned, and everyone gets a complete list of items, live and silent, as a part of the registration package.

Two things that we will need to plan for is a set up crew and a clean up crew. I do not anticipate that this will be too extensive because of the facility staff, but I'm sure there will be some measure of need there.

We talked about a valet parking service. Any and all ideas in this area will be greatly appreciated.

We also talked about a raffle prize of some kind. This area still needs a point person. We can keep it simple with a 50 / 50 cash drawing, or, if you have an idea, please share!

We decided to charge a ticket price of $50 per person, with a discount to $45 to Rotarians who purchase tickets beforehand.

Thanks again to all. I look foreward to next Tuesday's meeting at the Silver Eagle.....Dawn will verify this date.

Theme ideas and target beneficiaries so far...