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Blast the Blues 2010 RECAP

“Second annual Blast the Blues” raises over $13,000
Amazing Food…Outstanding Art…all for a Great Cause!
                   
The Tolfree Foundation would like to thank everyone involved in making the Second Annual Blast the Blues such an overwhelming success! More than 300 people from around the state attended the event hosted by Matt & Chelley Arbour at Dean Arbour Ford in West Branch. The event featured 14 restaurants and caterers offering a delicious taste sampling of everything from sushi to amazing wraps, pulled pork, fall off the bone ribs to out of this world potato soup topped off with yummy desserts, handmade Sangria by Tony at The Willow Tree and a variety of Rose Valley wines. What an outstanding show by all of our restaurants!

The event also featured original artwork by 18 talented Michigan artists offering everything from photography to wire wrapped sea glass jewelry - to amazing gourd art to metal sculpture - to tattoos. Our area certainly has a diverse base of talent. Thank you artists! A big thank you also to Andy Oberdick, event artist and event photographer. Thank you Andy…you sure capture the event well!!!

The Planning Committee was honored to have the Ogemaw Heights High School ROTC students assist with evening activities. The students were both helpful and greatly appreciated. This year attendees were entertained by two bands. The Planning Committee was happy to welcome back The Deville’s and new band, Lost Identity. Both bands provided one rockin’ good time.

A big thank you to Howie Hanft, county sheriff, and event auctioneer. No one can quite get a crowd going like Howie can! Thank you Pete and Carrie Jackson for always bringing an added sense of fun to the event as our distinguished ‘sound crew’.  

The event more than doubled in income from last year netting out a bit over $13,000.Funds from the Second Annual Blast the Blues will be used to help purchase a cardiac stress test with treadmill and digital mammography system for West Branch Regional Medical Center. Again, a big thank you to the event planning committee, the Arbour’s, restaurants, artists, bands, sponsors, volunteers and everyone who attended! I can’t wait to see what the committee has planned for next year!

 

 

Mary Koliba
Foundation Director

 

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2009 RECAP

“Blast the Blues” raises $10,000
Great Food…Great Art…for a Great Cause

More than 200 people from around the state attended the Tolfree Foundation ‘Blast the Blues’ event recently hosted at Dean Arbour Ford. The planning committee made the decision late last year to combine two prior events – The Divine Wine Affair & Taste of Michigan Brews - into the new event  and are happy with that decision! The event featured 11 restaurants offering a tasty sampling of hors doeuvres, to delectable desserts and wine. The event also featured an art show and sale by 18 talented artists from our local area to Oscoda, to Midland and the Traverse area. Rounding out the night was the sound of the ‘blues’ by a band from Midland, The Deville’s.

The event raised nearly $10,000. Funds raised will benefit the ‘Greatest Need Fund’ at the West Branch Regional Medical Center. 'Greatest Needs Funds' are available to the WBRMC Board of Directors for new medical center equipment or projects as they arise.  

Read more about the the event at:

> Ogemaw County Herald

> 9 & 10 News


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