Wednesday, January 31, 2007
This morning was the precursor to the BIG spaghetti fest that we've been building up to this last month with the yearbook staff. I had to pick up some face paint at the Karnevalwierts, so I grabbed a couple ladies that are new to the area and we made a morning of it exploring the T'Loon shopping mall in Heerlen. Before a mid-shopping coffee break, I went out to my car. An older couple flirted with Elise. I understood them a little and answered back in my limited Dutch. Then I saw them looking at my car as I walked to it. A minute later I turned around to see the lady standing right behind me. We talked for a while - they were so nice. She's Greek, but has been married to her Dutch husband living in The Netherlands for over 50 years. She speaks Greek, Dutch, and German. Her husband spoke a little English, so we talked a bit. They were curious where we were from. Something about this mall. Every time I go there, I meet a very nice older person who is drawn to Elise and communicates with us in some way. It's nice. And every time I end up leaving smiling and feeling happy that I've had one of those moments again when the kindness of the people here shines through.
The afternoon was filled with errands, running here and there, then we assembled at the school to set up for a potential 400 hungry spaghetti eaters. The kitchen staff was busy. I'd never seen such a huge pot of spaghetti noddles in all my life - it was really kind of fun to watch.My student staff of 12 6th graders made us all proud as they set up, cleaned up after people, helped people carry drinks, smiled, and just pitched in whenever they were needed.
We'd been collecting monetary votes to elect two people for a spaghetti eating face off and those cans sat out until the last minute. Donated baked goods were sold. Face painting and fun place mats with crayons made it fun for the younger kids.
Starting at 5 and finishing up at 7, we finished off our evening with a skit by the yearbook staff (Tiara's on my staff, of course and she did great), a handless spaghetti eating pre-event by 4 yearbook staffers who challenged 4 eager audience members. Then, the Rocky music played while the General and 4 other base leaders came up to the stage to hear the final count. The General and one of the squadron commanders ended up demolishing a HUGE plate of spaghetti with meatballs in front of a excitedly cheering crowd. I circled carefully with my camera. The yearbook staffers stood on the back of the stage ready with warm towels for clean up. Then the General started flinging saucy pasta at the kids with his mouth. Our other contender was so focused, he didn't look up from his plate once - not even when the general finished and threw his empty plate at him.
The event was fun and ended up being a huge success. We are all happy and very relieved that it was over. Now I can focus on the book itself.
So, we profited over $2300 making each yearbook go from $20 each to $7.
On the left, the general with spaghetti on his face... on the right, Tiara, using a fork. Below: our press release
OUR OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE EVENT:
GKES YEARBOOK “SPAGHETTI FEST” A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
GKES Yearbook advisors Tiffany Stahlbaum, LaVonne Reiser and Holly Bristol have pronounced last Thursday’s “Spaghetti Fest” fundraiser an overwhelming success. The advisers and their 14, 6th grade yearbook staffers hoped to reach a net goal of $1,000 to defray the cost of this year’s student produced, all-color yearbook. Incredible US community support and extensive GKES parental involvement took the event to a higher level, raising the collected total to more than double the goal. Over-reaching the goal will allow the yearbooks to be sold for a mere $7 each, and will include a bonus disk of additional candid photographs.
The event was attended by nearly 400 guests and offered not only a spaghetti dinner, but bake sale, t-shirt sale and face-painting. The evening’s highlight – along with an unexpected and short-lived fire alarm -- was the spaghetti face off in which US senior personnel including BrigGen Schmidt, Col Mittuch, LtCol Allara, LtCol Hebert, CMSgt Torres and GKES representative, Jim Cammelocci, had competed in collecting monetary “votes”. The winners, BrigGen Schmidt and LtCol Hebert entertained the crowd with their fast gobbling of very messy spaghetti. The US senior personnel raised over $900 in donations.
“The support of the senior leadership was overwhelming,” said LaVonne Reiser. “They really helped this become a US Community-wide event and not just a school function. Everyone had such a great attitude and really helped make this a big deal. We’re still just blown away by how great it was to have these gentlemen help us out.”
With nearly all food and services donated, the event was able to be truly focused on lowering the cost of the yearbook. School families donated everything from jars of sauce to garlic bread to juice boxes. A volunteer kitchen staff of eight headed by Tim Epperson made sure the throng of hungry families got full.
“We can’t say enough about our yearbook kids and our army of volunteers… the list is over two pages long! Not to mention those that made and brought so many fantastic baked goods. We have so many unsung heroes from this event,” added Tiffany Stahlbaum, the yearbook’s editor-in-chief. “The best way we thank the kids and the GKES families is to give them a wonderful yearbook at a very affordable price.”
Yearbooks sales begin today, February 5, 2007 with orders taken until Friday, March 9. The final cost is $7 for a full-color, student produced yearbook with bonus picture disk. Yearbooks should arrive in the later part of the school year.
GKES Yearbook advisors Tiffany Stahlbaum, LaVonne Reiser and Holly Bristol have pronounced last Thursday’s “Spaghetti Fest” fundraiser an overwhelming success. The advisers and their 14, 6th grade yearbook staffers hoped to reach a net goal of $1,000 to defray the cost of this year’s student produced, all-color yearbook. Incredible US community support and extensive GKES parental involvement took the event to a higher level, raising the collected total to more than double the goal. Over-reaching the goal will allow the yearbooks to be sold for a mere $7 each, and will include a bonus disk of additional candid photographs.
The event was attended by nearly 400 guests and offered not only a spaghetti dinner, but bake sale, t-shirt sale and face-painting. The evening’s highlight – along with an unexpected and short-lived fire alarm -- was the spaghetti face off in which US senior personnel including BrigGen Schmidt, Col Mittuch, LtCol Allara, LtCol Hebert, CMSgt Torres and GKES representative, Jim Cammelocci, had competed in collecting monetary “votes”. The winners, BrigGen Schmidt and LtCol Hebert entertained the crowd with their fast gobbling of very messy spaghetti. The US senior personnel raised over $900 in donations.
“The support of the senior leadership was overwhelming,” said LaVonne Reiser. “They really helped this become a US Community-wide event and not just a school function. Everyone had such a great attitude and really helped make this a big deal. We’re still just blown away by how great it was to have these gentlemen help us out.”
With nearly all food and services donated, the event was able to be truly focused on lowering the cost of the yearbook. School families donated everything from jars of sauce to garlic bread to juice boxes. A volunteer kitchen staff of eight headed by Tim Epperson made sure the throng of hungry families got full.
“We can’t say enough about our yearbook kids and our army of volunteers… the list is over two pages long! Not to mention those that made and brought so many fantastic baked goods. We have so many unsung heroes from this event,” added Tiffany Stahlbaum, the yearbook’s editor-in-chief. “The best way we thank the kids and the GKES families is to give them a wonderful yearbook at a very affordable price.”
Yearbooks sales begin today, February 5, 2007 with orders taken until Friday, March 9. The final cost is $7 for a full-color, student produced yearbook with bonus picture disk. Yearbooks should arrive in the later part of the school year.
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