The Dunn County community gathered on Nov. 4 to support the work and mission of the Community Foundation of Dunn County for its 13th Annual Jeans & Jewels Gala. Over 280 guests filled the Great Hall and Ballrooms at the UW-Stout Memorial Student Center to support the event, which included a delicious dinner and hors d’oeuvres, over 100 raffle and auction items, and a Dessert Dash! On the night, the community helped The Foundation raise over $63,000!
A crowd favorite since 2018, the Dessert Dash raised an impressive $25,000 for charity in just a matter of minutes. Guests collectively bid as a table and designate a runner to “dash” for their table’s dessert. The highest bidding table dashes first, followed by the second highest, and so on until all desserts are claimed. This year’s winning bid was the highest amount in Dessert Dash history at $2,409!
All of the desserts were donated and baked or prepared by home bakers and professional bakers alike, ranging from layer cakes and creamy cheesecakes to fruit tarts and comforting pies, with favorites like Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Cake, Chocolate Bailey’s Cake, French Fresh Fruit Tart, and Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake. A fun new addition this year was a Spaghetti & Meatball Cake, which looked just like spaghetti and meatballs but was actually a delicious white cake with raspberry filling, topped with round brownies.
During the night, guests were enticed with three specialty raffles: Bubbles & Bling (donated by Robert Giede Designs), an Optima D12 Shotgun (donated anonymously), and Stock the Back Bar - 32 full bottles of various spirits, wines, and mixers from Bills’ Distributing (donated by John and Brittany Heike). Bubbles & Bling featured two unique custom-made jewelry; a 14K yellow gold lady’s ring with a blue topaz and a sterling silver pendant with a citrine on an 18-inch chain. The Bubbles & Bling winner chose the pendant, and the ring was later auctioned off during the live auction.
A new feature at this year’s Gala was a Door Prize, sponsored by Synergy Retirement Planning. Each guest was entered into a special drawing to win a 1-Night Stay at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells and a $500 Visa Gift Card. The lucky winner was Monte Burstad.
Attendees also had the opportunity to drop raffle tickets into over 30 bucket raffles which featured an array of themed gift baskets, gift cards/certificates to local businesses, and home decor. The silent auction featured 46 unique items and packages including sporting events/experiences and memorabilia, dazzling jewelry, outdoor adventures, home decor, gift baskets, and more!
An exciting live auction closed out the evening where Troy Krueger of Andrews Auction Service auctioned off 22 amazing items and packages. Guests raised their bid card for their chance at winning trips to Park City, Utah, Bayfield, Wisconsin, and Kohler, Wisconsin; Ted’s Pizza for a Year; Culver’s Custard for a Year; a 2024 membership to Tanglewood Greens; an annual membership to Menomonie Health & Fitness, plus unique experiences like a pontoon ride on Tainter Lake, an Airplane Flight over Wisconsin, and an Alaskan Fish Fry.
This special night was a smashing success, all thanks to the generosity of the Dunn County community. A special thank you to the presenting sponsor Waznik Moseler Group, LLC, Gold Sponsor WESTconsin Credit Union, and Silver Sponsors 3M and Mayo Clinic Health System.
The staff and Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of Dunn County are humbled by the immense generosity displayed by the community and ask to save the date and join in the fun next year on Saturday, November 2, 2024!
All proceeds from the Jeans & Jewels Charity Gala support the Community Foundation of Dunn County, a 501(c)(3) public charity. The Foundation works with individuals, families, and businesses to help them achieve their charitable goals to support the needs of communities in and around Dunn County both now and in the future. Grants are made to non-profit organizations that support arts and culture, health, and social services, education, the environment, and a wide range of community improvement projects.
