High Tea serves up great expectations
November 18, 2008
By Laura J. Mansfield
Women’s Club fundraiser generates plenty of fun
High Tea ticket holders eat sandwiches, fruit and shortbread while enjoying live performances by the Liberty High School Jazz Combo, Skyline High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble and pianist Lois Albee. By Laura Mansfield
Local residents sipped tea, nibbled on lemon bars and raised money for local charities Nov. 8 — all the while grooving to jazz music.
The Issaquah Women’s Club celebrated its 25-year silver anniversary by holding its biggest fundraiser of the year. Roughly 240 people attended the silent auction event, Harmony and High Tea, at the historic Pickering Barn in Issaquah.
Although the event was open to the public, the $20 tickets had been sold out for months, according to Mariann Crane, fundraising chairwoman for the club.
“I thought we would sell out, but I didn’t think we would sell out in summer,” said Crane, who started planning the event in March along with other members.
Many local businesses donated items, such as gift certificates, yoga classes, jewelry, china, gift baskets and music lessons. About 150 items were donated, and Issaquah Women’s Club president Debby Bader said 100 percent of the money raised at the event, after expenses, will go to local charities.
“It’s wonderful. I had never seen such a variety of different kinds of items,” said attendee Elia Smith, whose friend is a member of the club.
The club supports several different local charities, including the Eastside Domestic Violence Continuing Education Fund, Issaquah Valley Seniors, Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank and the Follow Your Dream scholarships for Issaquah School District senior high school girls.
“We have worked hard over the years to try and support our community,” Bader said.
She noted that the event was a group effort. Several students from the local Issaquah student organization DECA, whose mission is to help students build skills for careers and self-esteem, fulfilled community service hours by putting out bid sheets, making goodie bags and helping with cleanup.
Ticket holders sat at round tables set with different members’ personal china collections and floral centerpieces. Terentino’s Catering of Seattle served tea and lemon bars, as well as sandwiches and fruit, while the Liberty High School Jazz Combo, the Skyline High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble and pianist Lois Albee performed.
“The sandwiches are so dainty and gorgeous,” said Issaquah resident Jennifer Swanson, whose grandmother, Norma Arehart, is a founding member of the club.
“I really like the music,” said Samantha Zistatsis, who attended the event with her mother, also a club member. “It’s fun to have the kids here. They’re doing a fabulous job.”
The event lasted four hours and attendees were given goodie bags donated by PCC Natural Markets on their way out. Last year’s fundraising event raised roughly $14,000, a number this year’s members hope to surpass.
“When we can give back to the community, it makes it all worthwhile,” Crane said.
Laura J. Mansfield is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
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