Last weekend was one of the most remarkable in memory.
Under spectacular late-summer skies, several organizations held important fundraisers.
The Westport Country Playhouse, Wakeman Town Farm, Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Services and Levitt Pavilion all threw great bashes. All depend on donors to do the amazing things they do.
The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s annual Slice of Saugatuck is part fundraiser too. Each year, they donate thousands of dollars from proceeds to Homes with Hope’s food pantry.
Thousands of Westporters ate, drank, danced and were entertained at those events.
At the Levitt Pavilion, Peter Frampton came alive.
Two days earlier, the Westport Library’s biggest gala of the year, “Booked for the Evening,” was the most successful — and fun — in its 25-year history. Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Chris McKendry wowed a sellout crowd.
And this weekend, 1,500 more will head to Compo Beach. Proceeds from the Westport Rotary Club’s LobsterFest will allow that group to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars, to dozens of organizations in Fairfield County and abroad.
Parties like these make Westport a wonderful place to live. In addition to money raised, they create a sense of community. They make us smile, and feel good about ourselves, our neighbors and our town.
But none of those events happen overnight.
Each takes months of meticulous planning. From the big items — talent, food, decorations, auction items, publicity — to the smaller ones like programs, signage, tablecloths and a squintillion other details, a successful fundraiser relies on a huge pool of volunteers.
Wakeman Town Farm’s HarvestFest was fantastic. But who arranged for the singer? Figured out where he’d sing? Got the flowers, and put them there?
The overall chairs get thanked profusely. They thank their committee chairs. All deserve their kudos.
But it’s the grunt work of all the un-thanked men, women and teenagers who ace a Billie Jean King evening, help Peter Frampton sing, and feed (then clean up) 3,000 lobsters.
So to all those who worked on any of those events. Or will work this weekend. Or worked in the past, and may in the future:
Thank you. You are our unsung — but greatly appreciated — heroes of the week.
(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To nominate a hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
