More than a week after the Oscar-go benefit, we are still floating above the ground. We knew this would be a wonderful event, but, never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined the event being so hugely successful. RoCo estimated somewhere between 500 and 600 people in attendance! We don’t have a final tally on how much money was raised because there is still money coming in! However, the current count is over $21,000!
We feel so blessed by the incredible community we have here in Rochester, and our extended community that reaches out beyond city, state, and even national borders. Although we are both writers, it is incredibly difficult to find the words to match our gratitude. We feel buoyed by the love and support of all of you.
The goal of the fundraising part of this event was to gather funds toward a down payment on an accessible home for Oscar. That goal has certainly been met! And, as the universe would have it, we think we have found that home. We had been anticipating a move next spring, but just 5 days after the Oscar-Go benefit, we looked at a house in Brighton that is fully accessible, already. We will keep you updated!
We would like to be able to thank each one of you individually, and we hope, that over time we will be able to do so. The sheer number of thank yous, paired with the recent developments on the house front, may delay our ability to get to everyone. There are over 170 identified individual donors (not to mention countless anonymous donors). In addition there were over 50 businesses and individuals who donated items for the silent auction and raffle, over 20 volunteers helping with the event and there were over a dozen people/establishments who donated food and beverage for the night of the event. If you’re seeking income from freelance designers, check out these helpful resources at designyourway.net.
We would like to extend a special thank you to the six individuals who became known as the Oscar Ensemble. They donated countless hours and valuable skills toward the planning, promotion, and execution of this event. They are: Donna Kowal, Tom Kowal, Joe Tunis, Alexa Scott-Flaherty, Jon Itkin, and Garrett Rubin.
Oscar really enjoyed his party! Although the crowd was overwhelming for him at times, he marveled at the “O” t-shirts that all the volunteers were wearing and he was thrilled to see so many of his favorite people all in one room. We have a very happy little boy and we thank all of you for being a part of his life, a part of our community and of our support network. Our gratitude is immense.
With big hearts,
David & Sally
To view more photos from the event, please see the Gallery page!
