H. Harrand > wrote:

<snipped helen's great menu>

> Thanks Serene.....I'm taking the "wows" as a compliment!

Oh, yes!

>
> I hope your party went great, ours was a bit of a bust. Only about 70 folks
> showed up and a LOT of them are employed at our ASO so they are broke folks
> (taking care of 500+ patients on a budget of less than $1M a year is insane.
> This is all basic medical services, reproductive services, education, meds,
> housing assistance, social work assistance, emergency food assistance, etc.,
> etc. This includes taking rent, payroll, utilities and all other - to me
> this is impressive!). After all they crying was done it turned out that we
> raised about $1,300 or so.

Is that not a lot?

> The only really great thing is that word will
> get out that OUR party had the best food, the best drinks and the most fun
> so I think next year it'll be kicking! We had "crashers" from another party
> just as ours was begining to break up and the last people left about 3:00am.

Yay! Then I don't think it was a bust at *all*.

> A good time was had by all and my co-hosts and I had the place cleaned up in
> less than an hour. THAT was WONDERFUL!!!!!!!! Got up this morning and the
> house was clean instead of having to deal with it the next day as usual.

Woo-hooooo! I love that feeling. Last Thanksgiving, I cooked a
sit-down dinner for twelve people. At the end, I was *so* exhausted --
I'd been cooking and entertaining all day. James stood up after dinner
and did all the dishes. Every one of them. I swear I could have cried.
It was one of the most beautiful gifts in the world.

> Hope everyone gives what they can/want to the charity of their choice!

Great idea!

serene
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