Posts Tagged ‘Fundraising’

SUNDAY – 26th Annual CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD is this weekend

Sunday, October 7th, 2012

Quick note – I will be there today, Sunday, as the weather seems to be cooperating. We’re expecting hit or miss showers and if they were like yesterday, except for two, ten minute showers, they were all miss.

I will be collecting donations for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund. Hope to see you there. We did good yesterday and I am hoping to add to the total today

The collection goal for the 2013 event is $35,000.00.


 

As published in the supplement to the Record Journal on Friday October 5, 2012

By Elizabeth Landow , Executive Director, Wallingford Center Inc.

Once again, it is time for CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD!! The first weekend in October marks the biggest event of the year. It is the time of the year that we can truly appreciate this wonderful town we live in!

After five years in our Hall Street location, we are excited to be holding the event up at the South and North Main Streets location.

This is a wonderful opportunity to ‘taste’ the specialties of many of Wallingford’s finest restaurants and recognize the civic and non-profit organizations that help make this town what it is! Please stop by and admire the handicraft of the many participating crafters and be sure to check out the businesses that are participating this year – there are several new local entrepreneurs who have decided to showcase their businesses at the festival.

For the fourth year, we will be hosting a Homemade pie contest – the judges can’t wait to taste the wonderful entries this year and as always we have a delightful selection of music scheduled to entertain you.

WCI is thrilled once again to join forces with the Health Department and the Wallingford Family YMCA to present the 3rd Annual Activate Wallingford Health Walk and we are happy to announce that theca will be hosting a ‘Fitness Fun Zone’, in the Holy Trinity School parking lot. Please stop by to see what all the excitement is about!

A new addition this year is the ‘New’ Car Show!! Several of Wallingford’s car dealers will be displaying the exciting new models of cars in the parking lot behind Simpson Court.

Another exciting feature this year is the ‘Harvest Fair’ down at the gazebo – please walk down to the railroad station green where you can find several of the local farmers selling pumpkins, mums and all sorts of things to get you into the Autumn mood and along the way be sure to stop by the local stores and shop a bit and pay special attention to the youth groups that will have a tent on the sidewalks – these kids will be showcasing their organizations and selling their fundraisers.

And last but not least – please walk through the Cemetery and view the wonderful artwork done by area adults and children and organized by Easel Works and take a moment to admire the beautiful Cemetery that is so well – maintained and is a truly a treasured part of Wallingford’s history.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Wallingford Center, Inc., I would like to thank our major sponsors, Stop & Shop, Mid-State Medical and Ferguson &McGuire As well as our other sponsors: Nucor, John J. Kovacs Insurance and Plunske’s Garage for their continued support to Celebrate Wallingford. WCI is fortunate to have the support of Mayor Dickinson and the town officials. If not for the help of our volunteers and dedicated town employees this event would not be possible. On a personal note – I would like to thanks all the WCI Board members who selflessly dedicate their time and energy to do whatever is needed to make this a successful event year after year.

Please come down and spend the day with us and CELEBRATE WALLINGFORD!!

On Mother’s Day: Thinking of all those, not just Mothers, lost to Leukemia and / or Lymphoma

Sunday, May 13th, 2012

This fundraiser RUNNING WITH JOY-(CE) is being run by a friend of mine, Sunshine Taylor, who is working on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with her husband, Lynn Parkin.

If this is something that you support please consider making a donation to them; it is a very worthy cause and I can’t think of more genuine people to help, on Mother’s Day or any other day for that matter.

3rd Annual Wallingford Emergency Shelter FUNraising Banquet

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

Dear friends of the Shelter,

Since this time last year, the Shelter Board and various committees have been working non-stop toward making the dream of emergency housing for families a reality.

We are preparing to break ground this November on the Martin B. Rubin Family Center

Please consider joining us on November 18th for our third annual “fun” raising event at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, located at 1074 South Colony Road from 6PM to 10PM

This year’s program will be more relaxed and casual and will include a wide variety of activities including a DJ for great music and dancing, fun and exciting games, a tea cup raffle and silent auction. And of course there is the full dinner at Zandri’s which is guaranteed to be great.

Tickets are $45.00 each.

Checks should be made out to Wallingford Emergency Shelter Inc.

Additional information is available online via http://www.wallingfordshelter.org

You can also email for more details to matt@wallingfordshelter.org

BIKE & CAR SHOW to honor our fallen Navy Seals @ Sonic of CT in Wallingford

Monday, October 17th, 2011

Looking for something to do this Saturday 10/22? Come hang @ Sonic of CT in Wallingford!

 

BIKE & CAR SHOW to honor our fallen Navy Seals! Fun, prizes, food, DJ, by Don Clady!

 

Thanks to all the sponsors participating! Check out flyer below for more info or how to be a part of it! 10AM to 4PM

 

Celebrate Wallingford 2011 / Wallingford Fireworks Fund

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Celebrate Wallingford 2011 will be taking place TOMORROW Saturday October 1st — 11AM – 7PM and Sunday October 2nd — 12PM – 6PM at the Wallingford Railroad Station Green and along Hall Ave.




I know there will be some candidates there campaigning but I will not be one of them. I will be there both days collecting for the Wallingford Fireworks Fund and that will be it.
Democrat Headquarters at 62 Center Street will be open and I may stop there for a little while as I might have some help at the fund-raising booth for a brief period of time in the afternoon. 

There might be the time for both but for me it is more important to get the needed jump start on the 2012 celebration as opposed to adding more juice to my campaign. As I need to, I can meet with people individually and in small groups in their neighborhoods; there are very few opportunities for me to reach this many Wallingford residents all in one shot for the Fireworks Fund. 

Besides, if at this point I would think that the voters are well on their way to forming their opinions about me, how I might serve the town, and what my goals and aspirations for the town are. If I need to reinforce anything or further clarify for them I can always do this on a one to one basis. 

Hope to see you at Celebrate Wallingford – thank you for the support over the past two years and I hope we can count on it again going forward.

WALLINGFORD – Party for a Cure nets $36,773.36

Thursday, September 8th, 2011

The 2011 Party for a Cure was hosted this past Sunday evening at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn and the total amount raised was $36,773.36.

This brings our total raised from the past 15 years to over $345,500.00.

Thank you for coming and for your support. We hope to see you again in 2012.

REMINDER – ‘Party for a Cure’ scheduled Sept. 4

Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

image

What : “Party For A Cure” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Where : Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.
When : 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

Cost :
$50 donation to MDA.
Information, tickets, donations :
Call Zandri’s at (203) 269-6695.

WALLINGFORD — The Labor Day Telethon’s annual “Party for a Cure” will take place at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.

The admission charge will include a buffet dinner, open bar, entertainment and a silent auction. Proceeds will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

WTIC-TV will broadcast live from Zandri’s during the telethon. For information or a reservation, call (203) 269-6695.

image

Funding or no, the Fishbein race must go on

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

As published in the Record Journal, Wednesday August 31, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff
rblair@record-journal.com

(203) 317-2225


WALLINGFORD
— Funding for the Fishbein Road Race and Community Day was dropped by the town, but with help from the Wallingford Family YMCA and sponsors, the event will live on.

The 5K and 10K races will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, with a kids’ fun run at 10:50 a.m. and a school relay at 11 a.m. A Community Field Day will follow from noon to 3 p.m., with entertainment and food available.

“We wanted to continue the tradition of the event,” said YMCA Executive Director Sean Doherty.

Director of Healthy Lifestyles Mark Graham, who is coordinating the race, said the Y is expecting 250 to 300 adults and 250 children for the event. The race takes 75 to 100 volunteers to run, Doherty said.

“It’s a great race,” Graham said. “We have a lot of fun, and it’s a great community event.”

The Fishbein Road Race — named for longtime community leader Johanna Manfreda Fishbein, who died in 1997 — is the result of a merger between a YMCA-sponsored race and a town-sponsored one which used to be held on consecutive weekends. This year’s race is the third year of the combined events.

“We decided to merge our road race with theirs,” said Parks and Recreation Director John Gawlak.

Gawlak said that Parks and Recreation and Youth and Social Services contributed $12,000 to help fund the day’s activities in years past, but that funding was cut because of budget constraints. In the combined event, the YMCA helped coordinate the race and Parks and Recreation and Youth and Social Services sponsored the field day.

“It wasn’t funded this year, but hopefully as the economy grows we can restore that funding,” Gawlak said.

Trophy presentations for the 5K and 10K races will take place shortly after 10 a.m., Doherty said. Both races are certified and chip-timed.

The field day following the races will include a DJ, an obstacle course, face painting and food vendors.

The fun run is for kids in kindergarten through grade 2. Doherty said that relay teams from the town’s elementary schools will compete in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Relay. The winner of the relay will own the right to keep a trophy in his or her school until next year’s competition.

“It’s really very exciting for them,” Doherty said.

Graham said organizers are expecting an even greater turnout than last year.

“We’re really excited; we’ve ramped it up a little bit this year,” he said.

The community day is open to all, not just runners and their families, Graham said. The focus of the community day is healthy living, Doherty said, and booths will be available for information about a variety of nonprofit groups.

Doherty said sponsors of the event include Ferguson & McGuire, Toyota of Wallingford and Advance Specialty.

Information about registering for the road race is available on the YMCA website, www.wallingfordymca.org

Cost for the 5K and 10K is $20. The fun run and school relay are free. Proceeds will help fund YMCA youth programs. Participants will receive a free T-shirt and refreshments, and the top three finishers will get medals.

PARTY FOR A CURE – Telethon changes, but local MDA ‘party’ goes on

Monday, August 29th, 2011

As published in the Record Journal Friday August 26, 2011

By Russell Blair
Record-Journal staff

rblair@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2225

Fast facts
What :
“Party For A Cure” for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Where : Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road.
When : 5:30 p.m. Sept. 4.

Cost :
$50 donation to MDA.
Information, tickets, donations :
Call Zandri’s at (203) 269-6695.

WALLINGFORD — Fifteen years ago, representatives of the Muscular Dystrophy Association came into Jim Zandri’s office looking for a donation, and left with much more. “MDA kind of became my thing,” Zandri said. “They were just asking for a donation, but I volunteered to host an event.”

Zandri’s Stillwood Inn, 1074 S. Colony Road, is hosting its 15th annual “Party for a Cure” fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 5:30 p.m. For a $50 donation, guests can enjoy an open bar, a buffet-style diner, entertainment and a silent auction.

The party will last until midnight and feature live cut-ins on WTIC-TV. The restaurant will be showing the telethon on a big screen TV, and those in attendance will have a chance to watch themselves on camera.

“The cut-ins are always a lot of fun,” Zandri said.

Zandri’s event is one of two MDA telethon parties being held in the state. The other event is being hosted at Mohegan Sun.

Zandri said he became involved with the MDA because he was always a big fan of Jerry Lewis, the comedian who hosted the telethon from its inception through last year. The MDA announced several weeks ago that he would no longer be part of the telethon.

John Sullivan, a town councilor and friend of Zandri’s, has been a regular at the event and helped co-host it over the years.

“It’s an incredible charity,” Sullivan said. “And the money raised stays in Connecticut.”

Over the years, Zandri said, $309,000 has been raised. Last year’s event alone raised $41,000. Much of the money comes from a silent auction of items donated by area businesses.

“This year we have a scooter, a recliner, Yankees tickets, Red Sox tickets,” Zandri said. One of the most popular items every year is a handmade afghan knitted by Joan Parisi, the wife of Town Council Chairman Robert Parisi, he said.

“There’s something for everyone,” Zandri said.

This is the first year the telethon will be held without Lewis — and strictly in prime time instead of spread over 22 hours — but Zandri said he doesn’t foresee that hurting the event. The most rewarding part, he said, is helping those in need.

“It makes you realize that you could be on the end where you’re in need of help,” Zandri said.

“Until you learn, you don’t realize how many different diseases fall under the umbrella of MDA,” Sullivan said. “Research to find a cure can’t be done without these events. I look forward to it every year.”

Wallingford fireworks show goes on

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

As published in the Record Journal Sunday July 3, 2011

By Dan Brechlin
Record-Journal staff
dbrechlin@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2266

Photos online by Sarah Nathan

WALLINGFORD – Mirin Scassellati had an expensive birthday party Saturday night. Her family had to pay for the cupcakes and presents, but luckily various organizations, businesses and residents pitched in the $24,150 for a fireworks celebration.

The fireworks were not just for her, but the 9-year-old and her family enjoyed the early Independence Day show. She blew out a candle, unwrapped presents and bit into a red, white and blue frosted cupcake.

"I like having fireworks on my birthday," Mirin, a Cheshire resident, said.

As for the $24,150 tab for the fireworks and police and other emergency services overtime, for the second consecutive year the town was not able to pay. And for the second straight year, Jason Zandri stepped up to organize the fundraising efforts.

"They said the money was not there," Zandri said. "Nobody said they were going to step up and do anything or fundraise, so I felt I had to."

And raise money he did. Last year, the money came in faster, Zandri said, with a big help from Choate Rosemary Hall, which pitched in $5,000.

The same check did not come this year, which Zandri had no problem with. But when his May 27 deadline, handed down from Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr., was quickly approaching, Zandri got a big bonus. A check worth $2,500 came from New Life Church, helping to save the day and show.

Thousands gathered at Sheehan High School, Moran Middle School, Highland School, nearby businesses and parking lots, and even from their front lawns to watch the fireworks.

"It’s important people come out," Zandri said. "This is their show. They’re watching a show they helped create."

Sarah Park, a Wallingford resident, said she felt proud to have helped out with the fundraising efforts and put the show on.

"I gave a few dollars the other day," Park said, noting that Zandri had been standing outside a local Dunkin’ Donuts collecting anything he could get. "They should have this every year no matter what. The kids love it and deserve to see some fireworks."

Zandri has already gotten a jumpstart on next year’s collections, as he walked around asking for help in putting on the show next year.

Before the fireworks could begin, children were running around, playing games, waving glow sticks and using sparklers. Miniature hot air balloons ascended into the sky, with the crowd cheering and clapping in approval.

As the clock reached 9:30 p.m., the first few fireworks shot off into the sky, provoking "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd.

"I’m sure people will want something similar next year," Zandri said.