Hello dear family, friends, fans of Bob and Jen,
This is Jennifer’s sister Jill taking over the blog (pre-approved by Jen, of course) for a few very important messages. Jen’s already given some updates, but I wanted add the details. (You think she can write a novel? Well, I was voted Most Talkative, Mt. Lake HS Class of ‘88 . . . kick back, kids . . . )
1) The benefit is right around the corner: Sunday, Feb. 13, 1-7 p.m. at Throwbacks Grille and Bar in Woodbury (click on link for directions/map, etc.)! Please note that we can only accept cash and checks for the silent auction and bake sale. Credit cards can be used to purchase drinks, etc. at Throwbacks but not for benefit items. We have secured 3 amazing bands, a spaghetti buffet dinner (which includes salad and bread), a silent auction, bake sale, and door prizes throughout the day. Santa Dan, a 4-time cancer survivor, also will be at the event in full Santa attire from 2:30-3:15 for anyone interested in having photos taken with him. Because of his connection with cancer, he was very interested in assisting us with this event. Bring your cameras!
2) Amazing, generous people have come together do what they can to make this benefit a celebration of and for Bob and Jen. Jennifer already listed some of the incredible things and more donations keep pouring in: a limited 1991 bottle of Opus One wine (valued at $250-350); five $100 restaurant certificates to such fine establishments as Red Stag and Salut (to name a few); a $200 gift certificate to First Grand Avenue Liquors; an LCD TV/DVD combo; fire pit; beautiful hand-crafted items (blankets, embroidered dish towels, woodworking items, jewelry and more); numerous bottles of fabulous wine; a night’s stay at Mystic Lake with buffet dinner for two; a night’s stay at the historic St. Paul Hotel; 2 tickets to see the Bodeans at the Guthrie in March with backstage passes—thanks to our mom for securing that one! (A stipulation on the BoDeans is in order: the winner of these must take Jen as their date. Not kidding. And no, this is not Jen, re-hijacking her blog, demanding that. Seriously, it totally isn’t . . .)
We’ve received amazing donations from Surdyk’s Liquor, Quality Wines and Spirits (Bob's former employers), JJ Taylor, and Southern Wine and Spirits to assist us with the benefit on many levels, as well as fantastic, generous donations from countless other business and individuals not yet mentioned, as they're still coming in . . .
3) Many have asked, “What can we do to help?” Here are some additional ways you can assist to make this benefit sofa king awesome:
a.) Publicize the event to family, friends, colleagues—if you'd like me to send you a flier via e-mail, that you can print off, let me know: jillyhoo2@gmail.com
b.) Attend the event! Don't forget cash and checks for auction items and the bake sale!
c.) If anyone has any kind of event tickets (theater, sports, etc) that they’d be willing to part with, or if you just happen to have a new lawn mower, leaf blower or oh, I don't know, a car just lying around, collecting dust that you'd love to donate, please let me know! Call me (Jill) at 612-296-9558 or e-mail me at jillyhoo2@gmail.com to arrange for pick up.
d.) Donate door prizes: if you have any $5—10 gift cards lying around (Target, Coldstone Creamery, Starbucks, etc) or hats/t-shirts from your place of businesses or clients/distributors with whom you do business and want to donate them for door prizes, please let me know (call or e-mail), and/or bring to the event.
e.) We need bake sale items (cookies, bars, breads, etc.). Valentine’s Day is the next day, so keep that in mind (e.g. heart-shaped cookies)! Please package and label your items with name and ingredients (for those allergic to peanuts, etc), and we’ll price at the event. All proceeds go to Bob and Jen.
f.) We need many, many volunteers at the event itself! Please e-mail me at jillyhoo2@gmail.com if you'd be interested in setting up, taking down, watching the auction table—anything and everything we might need help with! Let me know when you will be at event and what time frame you’d be willing to help. We'd like to have one-hour shifts, if possible. Also, please note that volunteers still must pay benefit admission fee.
g.) We will have a designated children’s area, and there is a video game area at the restaurant, for older kids, too. If you have coloring books, games, movies (label them with your name), and/or could donate juice boxes, crackers, etc, for kids, please e-mail me. But be aware there will be no childcare providers—you are responsible for your kids!
h.) Any videographers out there? I have a camera and tape, but my husband (a professional photographer) is taking pictures at the event, and I’ll be running around all day, so we’d love it if someone/a few people would video the event.
i.) If you can’t attend or know someone who wants to help out but can’t attend, please send monetary contributions to:
Robert Andrzejek Benefit Fund
c/o Community Resource Bank
1501 West County Road C Roseville, MN 55117
(make checks out to Robert Andrzejek Benefit Fund)
We’d love to have all silent auction donations by Sunday, Feb. 6th, unless special arrangements are made ahead of time with one of the contact people. We want to avoid having numerous last minute donations coming in that day as from 12-2 p.m., as we’ll be swamped setting up and getting into the benefit groove. Please contact me or another benefit planner (found on the benefit website; click the link to take you there) if you know you need to bring something in that day and please try to bring in before 1 p.m.
Thank you over and over, to all for making this benefit come together sofa king beautifully and helping us make the best of a life event that is sofa king unfair. I know Bob and Jen will be in awe at how many people love and cherish them. I am each day I open my e-mails or find a new donation in my mail. There simply aren't enough "thank you's" to do this justice . . . but we'll keep trying . . .
Most sincerely,
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