12/02/2024
On behalf of the NCCBRC I would like to thank everyone who supported the shows this weekend.
There is a group of people who really need to be acknowledged, who have worked so hard to make this a successful event and who are content to be behind the scenes making things come together. The show would not have been the event that is was without Vivian Marchetti, Ally Middleton and Pat Krout.
Vivian, Ally and I have worked together each year to seek out nice prizes from small businesses (usually owned by people in the dog world) to offer as prizes. This process usually begins in January for the show in November. Vivian organizes the prizes and on the day of the show makes sure that the ring steward has everything he/she needs.
Patricia Krout and Ally Middleton organize the raffle/auction. Pat Krout buys anything that catches her eye during the year and donates these items to the raffle. She probably spends $500 - $1000 to support this show every year. Ally makes the spa baskets and I make the chocolate baskets and we spend one afternoon each November assembling the raffle baskets using the items that Pat has bought and left over prizes from previous years. The proceeds of the raffle provide the seed money for next year’s prizes. Ally and Pat run the raffle and if they are lucky they manage to get lunch before all the food is gone.
This year Michelle Carpenter donated a gorgeous “Moses Basket” that she made and filled with goodies to the raffle. It was a gorgeous prize and I wish I’d won it.
Rebecca McGuire donated a number of items to the raffle and Joyce Shaw did as well.
Many people asked why I disappeared during Breed judging on Saturday, well that was so that Pat, Ally & Tommy Middleton and I could get the room set up for the luncheon. Unlike in York where we could set the room up the night before, at this show we were not allowed in the room until 2 pm. That meant a lot of scrambling to set up tables and chairs, throw down tablecloths and centerpieces and be ready to help Mitchel unload the food.
Mitchel is another person whose contributions tend to be taken for granted. Each year he comes up with a menu, cooks and transports all of the food and the chafing dishes to set it up and keep it warm. This is his contribution to the event.
The other people that need to be acknowledged in large part are Chris and Karen Beste who donate the cost of all of the prizes for one of the shows each year. Their generosity has gone a long way to enabling us to provide prizes for 4 shows.
Then there are all of you who support a prize or donate to the trophy fund every year. Between prizes and ribbons we spend close to $5000 on these prizes. We cannot thank you enough. There are people who donate every year whether they are showing a dog or not. We couldn’t do it without you.
Similarly, a huge thank you to those who bring food to help round out the menu. When Carla Daniels arrived bearing Cindy Meyer’s famous cookies it made me again think of those of you who are always happy to be part of an event, whether you can attend or not.
So with all of that being said, I would like to reach out and see if any of you would be willing to help Nat and Mitchel with next year’s show. As many of you know, I will be moving in 2025 and a new team of people will be needed to take over, though I assume that Mitchel will still be cooking.
My job involved fund raising and promoting the show, working on the Premium List for Rau (those with proof reading and editing skills, please apply), keeping track of revenue and expenses and pretty much coordinating things with everyone else. It’s been my pleasure to do this with such a great group of people and I will be happy to offer whatever help I can to whoever decides to take over organizing the show next year.
Please feel free to reach out to Mitchel or Nat if you’d be willing to work on the show next year.
Thanks again to everyone who helped make it a great two days!
Linda
