31°
NEW CANAAN, Conn. Getabout, New Canaans van service for seniors and shut-ins, will celebrate 31 years of service to the town Oct. 16 at the Country Club of New Canaan. The annual winetasting and silent auction is by far Getabouts single largest fundraising activity, and is responsible for raising almost half of the charitable organizations annual budget.
Founded in 1980 by a public-spirited group of New Canaan volunteers, the Getabout has grown from barely 60 rides in a retrofitted van in its first year to some 12,000 rides annually in a four-vehicle fleet of two customized wheelchair-accessible large vans and two minivans. President Bob Witt says Getabouts central mission remains the same: To help New Canaan senior and special-needs residents maintain active, vibrant lives in our community no matter what their transportation challenges.
This years fundraiser is also important, Witt said, because the organization is continuing to expand its no-cost Medi-Rides, serving non-emergency medical trips both in New Canaan, and in neighboring Stamford, Norwalk, Darien and Wilton. The Medi-Rides program, partly funded by state dollars, had its state funding decline in this years budget crunch while still raising the annual operating costs of the Getabout by thousands of dollars as client demand for these rides escalates.
Invitations to the annual event were put in the mail the first week of September, but were lost for several weeks by the Stamford Post Office, which processes local New Canaan mail, forcing Getabout to send out a costly replacement mailing early last week. Then, the Postal Service located and finally delivered the original mailing over the last few days, so many residents may have received dual invitations.
Nonetheless, fall fundraiser co-chairs Robin Busch and Kathy Auda Skaperdas are hoping for record results in both attendance and funds generated. Working closely with the New Canaan Country Club staff, the Getabout fundraiser committee has scheduled the cocktail party for 5:30 to 8 p.m. With the outstanding teamwork from our dedicated volunteer committee and the need to support our growing Medi-Rides base Robin and I are anticipating a wonderful evening," Skaperdas said. Busch also credited New Canaan Wine Merchants, which is hosting the winetasting, and Milestones, which created the invitations.
Katherine Ong and Rene Kemp are co-chairing this years silent auction. We are excited again this year to be pairing our auction with the Keep Our Vans Rolling giving tree to help drive the fundraising. Well be featuring an exciting portfolio of unique gifts and services, generously donated by local merchants and residents, Ong said.
Featured auction items include:
? An American Girl doll package, including several hand-sewn one-of-a-kind outfits;
? Golf rounds from Country Club of New Canaan and West Point Country Club;
? A weeks vacation at a lovely three-bedroom Marthas Vineyard home;
? An NBC studio tour and tickets to the Nightly News With Brian Williams.
Reservations for the evening are still available by calling event co-chairs Kathy Auda Skaperdas at (203) 966-9283 or Robin Busch at (203) 972-2744.
Click here to follow Daily Voice New Canaan and receive free news updates.
