Thursday, October 2, 2008

'Taste of Elegance' features new country market

by Kenneth Lassiter

The onset of early October means it’s “Taste of Elegance” time for supporters of the Jefferson County Hospice and organizers have thrown a new feature in with this year’s event.

This is the seventh annual Taste of Elegance and is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Jefferson West High School commons. Tickets are $20 each and usually run out fast as the event gets closer.

Carole Hendrix, volunteer fundraising coordinator for the hospice, and Betsy Schmelzle, volunteer event coordinator, said a “cash and carry country market” of homemade jams, jellies, baked goods will join the usual live and silent auctions at this year’s event.

Hendrix said the market will be like a small store where it’s first come, first served.

“We’re always trying to think of new things,” Hendrix said.

She said one or two other new additions to the event are in organizers’ minds but they want to stick to only one new thing a year.

“We figured this was a good way for people that maybe don’t want to spend as much in the auctions to have another outlet to give.”

All of the proceeds from the event go to the hospice, as this is its only fundraiser. Hendrix and Schmelzle said the hospice is still serving an average of 12 to 14 people at any time as more and more people in the last stages of life choose to stay home. The hospice has served more than 65 patients since last year’s Taste event.

“Our usage changes somewhat every year,” Hendrix said. “We’re noticing more people are falling into that gap between their private insurance and Medicare, and insurance isn’t covering all they need. We’ve also noticed we’re getting younger clients all the time. So many people want to stay in their homes today. They want to be close to their friends and families, and want to be at home in Jefferson County. This event is just as much if not more about raising awareness of what hospice does as it is about raising funds.”

The annual memorial to hospice patients will again be part of this year’s Taste of Elegance, as will last year’s master of ceremonies, Meagan Farley of KSNT in Topeka. Hendrix said Farley was a “big hit” at last year’s event.

“She just seems to love Jefferson County,” Hendrix said. “She really did a good job.”

The main events, however, are the meal and the auctions. Hendrix said hospice volunteers, who usually take on the arduous task of preparing meals for more than 400 attendees, have been assisted this year by more church and local groups that are helping provide food. She said organizers are still looking for people to help in the kitchen and serve meals for the event in two shifts, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 4 to 10 p.m.

Organizers are also offering “benefactor” pages in the program for the event at a cost between $125 and $500. The deadline for that is Oct. 8. For more information on helping or the benefactor pages, call Hendrix at 785-876-2646 or Schmelzle at 785-633-9199.

Door prizes will also replace the drawing at this year’s Taste of Elegance, with the main prize being one or more cartloads of groceries. Hendrix said the live auction again includes many nice packages, including a package honoring the University of Kansas men’s basketball teams march to a national title complete with a chunk of national championship game floor signed by coach Bill Self.

Other auction items include an in-state hunting trip, a 90 percent energy efficient furnace, a special event package from Colonial Acres in Oskaloosa, a Branson weekend Christmas holiday package, and the annual quilt by Eileen Filbert, director of the county health department. The silent auction will include gift baskets and other fare.

“We want it to be elegant because that’s what people expect,” Hendrix said, “but also to make it a premier event. We want people to want to attend it to be part of it.”

Hendrix said every year many people step up to make the event what it is.

“The businesses in the county are so good about giving, both in terms of auction items plus in coming to the event and participating that way,” Hendrix said.

She made the point that all the money from the event stays in Jefferson County.

“We see more awareness every year, which is good. This event has been good for us and has been good in many other ways. We couldn’t do it without the support of our communities, volunteers and the businesses of Jefferson County.”

Organizers are taking memorial donations as well. Checks can be mailed to Friends of Hospice of Jefferson County, 1212 Walnut, US-59 Highway, Oskaloosa 66066.