For the week of June 25 - July 1, 2003

‘Imagine’ pulls valley together for good cause

Benefit for The Advocates 
raises $135,000

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

The 1960s may have come and gone, but the sense of reaching out, of taking care of each other and, most especially, of peace lives on.

Express photos by Willy Cook
A variety of gals line the Limelight Room with pro-active signs at the Advocates annual fund-raiser on Sunday

The Advocates for the Survivors of Domestic Violence annual fund-raising party on Sunday, June 22, was dubbed "Imagine." And in the spirit of the 1960s, there were "tons of 60s hippie girls with flowers in their hair and tie dyed clothes," said the president of The Advocates board of directors, Torene Bonner.

"The community really came out and supported us." Preliminary results show that the event raised more than $135,000 for the organization.

Larry "Austin Powers" Flynn emceed the event in character and in costume. The popular Riverside Jazz Orchestra quartet played during dinner. And $40,000 was raised for the "Fund a Dream" program that directly supports counseling and court advocacy services.

The event was the first to be held at the newly remodeled Limelight Room in the Sun Valley Inn.

"It was gorgeous. They have done a wonderful job. There were a lot of favorable comments on the room," Bonner said.

More than 200 people attended.

Patty Lewis, of Bellevue, who owns Copy & Print in Hailey, was winner of the grand prize, the Mini Cooper car.

"It takes only one (ticket) to win," she said.

Lewis said she buys a ticket every year from Susan Winget. "Never expecting to win, I buy it to support the Advocates."

She said the phone rang Sunday night but she couldn’t find it. A message was left on her answering machine.

"My husband (Jeff Bertz) went to listen to it. He came back and said ‘I think you won that Mini.’ We got the giggles, and I did the happy dance. I feel really humbled about it."

Donated by Barry Peterson Jewelers, a Breitling Watch was won by Brooke Bonner, the Client Services coordinator at the Advocates.

Tables were decorated with plants and lighted willow branches with butterflies done by decorations chair Linda Staum.

"Charlotte Unger, chair of the event, did a remarkable job. The whole committee really pulled together and made it happen," Bonner said.

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