Last Sunday was the most amazing gathering of friends, acquaintances, raconteurs, musicians, and family I have ever experienced. More than two HUNDRED people descended on the Rongovian Embassy to the United States (The Rongo!) for an amazing afternoon fundraiser. All of this insanity was organized by the coolest potter I have ever had the pleasure to know, Mary Ellen Salmon. Not only did she find accomplices (Wendy, Carol, Dorothy, Vanessa) to join her in this effort... she made it look like she had done it a hundred times. We had fabulous music from Kate and Nate, The Yardvarks and some wicked jazz by Rick Urda and his band.
I have been to shows at the Rongo and found the place hot, crowded, cramped, but always hopping. This Sunday was no exception. It was just jumping! We had folks standing outside, waiting to get in before everything got underway... and we had folks sticking around to cleanup long after the Yardvarks had put away all their equipment.
So many artists donated artwork that I don't even know where to begin. Everything from pottery looking like birch bark to enormous gorgeous prints; from hand-dyed yarns to superlative watercolors. In addition to artwork, we also had B&Bs offering weekend stays, and wineries auctioning off wines via raffle. Everyone who came went home with something phenomenal!
I am still blown away. I can't find a way to express just how overwhelmed I was. I tried my hardest to say hi to everyone who came in the door, and I know I failed many times. We had so many friends and family come from out of town (and in some cases pretty darned far away!)... and we spent nowhere near enough time with anyone.
At the end of the day, when all was said and done and the last powercord was coiled up and the last table cloth folded back up, Mary Ellen and her awesome crew raised over $6000 to help offset our upcoming surgical expenses at the Cleveland Clinic. Talk about an amazing bunch!
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