Fundraiser brews $4,100

More than 150 Glenn County residents turned out for a fundraiser Saturday at Willows Memorial Hall.

The Community Wish Foundation’s first major fundraiser since it began three years ago raked in about $4,100 after expenses, according to President Rae Ann Titus.

“We were very, very happy with everything,” she said Monday.

Besides money raised, Titus measured the event’s success by the crowd.

“We had 12 tables with eight chairs each and those tables were full” the entire time, she said. When the fundraiser was over at 7 p.m., she added, “people weren’t leaving. We had to kick people out.”

Contributing to the Brews and Blues Festival were 16 vendors from Willows and Orland and a Willows band. The Pits learned several blues songs just for the event and performed for free. Vendors also donated their goods – food, beer and wine – as well as gift baskets that were raffled off.

Titus said, “I can’t thank the vendors enough for being so supportive of our event. They went above and beyond what we expected them to do.”

Other money raisers included the sale of more than 500 rubber ducks for Ducky Drop, a gun raffle that sold 32 tickets at $20 each and a 50-50 spin-the-wheel that brought in about $300, Titus said.

Prizes ranged from the gift baskets and 50-50 spin to a Savage Model 11 .300 Remington Short Action Ultra Mag rifle donated by Jim Jones of Tri-Counties Bank, a  42-inch Visio television donated by Wal-Mart and for a trip for two aboard the Shasta Sunset Dinner Train.

Some of the vendors’ prizes included gift certificates for dinner; samples of beer, wine, cheese, olive oil, nuts and sandwiches and cookies; a handmade Raggedy Ann doll;  a $75 gift certificate for dinner and tickets for two to a Pam Tillis concert at Colusa Casino and Resort; and a hosted tour and tasting for up to eight people at the Renaissance Winery in Oregon House.

Cool fun

For many, the event served a fourfold purpose. For just $25, they got to support a worthy local cause; sample some great food and taste some  wine or cold beer; mingle; and get out of Saturday’s 106-degree heat.

Willows City Manager Steve Holsinger and his wife Barbara Yingling enjoyed the food and wine, but “it’s great here for Willows,” Holsinger said. “It’s great food, it’s a great event. This is the

first year and I hope they do well and have more of these.”

Gene Utt said he went to the event “to have a cold beer on a hot day.” He also said, “I’ve been waiting for someone to do something like this in our community, so we’re happy to come out and support it.”

His tablemate Donald Cameron said he and his wife Theresa came out “for the music, beer and friends.” Theresa quickly added, “And, it’s for a good cause.”

For many vendors, the fundraiser was a way to let people know what they have to offer as well as a way to give something to the community.

Vendor Lisa Carriere said, “this is a great thing for the community” in terms of raising money for a good cause and getting people out for a fun afternoon.

For Jim Thompson of Black Bear Diner, it was a way “to do something for the community.” And, it was a way for him to get meet more people. He’s only been at the Willows’ location for three months.

For Kristine Monck, serving food from Alta Marie’s Bakery and Soup Shop in Orland, “this is a great way to get attention and show off our best items. And it’s a great cause,” she said.

Granting wishes

The money raised at the Brews and Blues Festival will help the Community Wish Foundation contribute to the needs of individuals, families and nonprofit organizations. The only caveat is that when a wish is granted, it must be paid forward.

Paying it forward does not mean paying back the money or donating dollar-for-dollar to someone else. It can be as simple as reading to children at the library, driving someone to a doctor’s appointment, building a wheelchair ramp at someone’s house or providing some other service, Titus said.

An example of paying it forward, Titus said, was a church group that received $250 from the foundation so it could get matching funds. One way it is paying it back is to volunteer at the Brews and Blues Festival.

She said the organization is “unique in helping individuals and individual families,” since most nonprofit organizations donate money and services to charitable organizations, not individuals.

Silver event sponsors were North State Title Co. and Rolling Hills Casino.

Bronze sponsors were attorney Leonard G. Krup; Lynda Kelly, State Farm Insurance; Baker Trucking; Titus Construction Inc.; Titus Properties; Bond Tax and Financial; The Last Stand; Elton R. Garner, attorney; Hawkins, Hutson and Nye Insurance; Gary Thomas; and Dan Schuller, Preferred Agents.

For information or to make a donation, call 934-WISH (9474).