Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
This year's Red Ball, "Beatlemania," raised nearly $55,000 (before expenses) for the disaster preparedness and response program of the local Red Cross.
Rebecca Kubacki and Cathy Teghtmeyer, co-chairs of the event, welcomed the group to the Ball, and Larry Peppel, executive director of the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, gave the invocation.
Prior to dinner, Al Disbro took photos in front of a red VW Beetle convertible, provided by Vorderman Volkswagon, who also underwrote the invitations. The photos will be mailed to attendees.
The VW Beetle theme was carried into the table decorations. The English dinner, complete with beef Wellington and fish and chips, followed by "Strawberry Fields Forever" cheesecake, was served under the guidance of Tippecanoe Lake Country Club's executive chef Scott Howell, general manager John Dillon and banquet manager Paul Nowak.
Kubacki and Teghtmeyer were recognized for their five years of leadership for the Red Ball committee. They said, "Our community is blessed with philanthropic companies and individuals. Local people and companies have been very generous to the local Red Cross." New co-chairpersons, starting with the 2006 ball, will be David and Cheryl Blakemore, Dr. Larry and Fran Allen and Brian and Kristen Elliott.
Silent auction items were available for bidding until 8 p.m. and included: a fish and chips dinner for six, by Larry and Fran Allen; floral vases, Mr. J's Floral and Gift Shop; Poppy original oil by Cheryl Blakemore; Spice Girls package, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Thornburgh; Queen Elizabeth package, flowers for special occasions throughout the year, by Mr. J's and the Kubackis; a nature scene print, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Luchenbill; an English tea party, Mike and Rebecca Kubacki; Love Bug floral package, by the Love Bug, Warsaw; Prince Charles package, with shooting instructions by the Warsaw Police Department; a special makeover package, Mr. and Mrs. David Montgomery; and an English garden package, by Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware, Syracuse and North Webster.
The live auction kicked-off with Kevin Deardorff as this year's auctioneer. Items in the live auction were: the calla lily pendant and necklace, designed and donated by Bill and Susan Allen; Elton John concert tickets, donated by Dr. and Mrs. Randall Cory, and Hyatt hotel reservations, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kubacki; Wimbledon tennis party, hosted at the home of Omer Kropf on Syracuse Lake, dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Teghtmetyer and Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Williams, with a margarita bar hosted by the Kubackis; Paul McCartney concert in Las Vegas, including airfare and accommodations for two, presented by Destinations Travel, Dr. and Mrs. Zoe Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Scott Lennox; and a voucher for two airline tickets to any location within the continental United States, from The Zimmer Corp.
Patrons and levels of support of the 2004 Red Ball were: "Love Me Do" - Allen's Designs Biomet Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Ferguson, Dr. and Mrs. Dane Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Howard Levin; "I Want To Hold Your Hand" - Lake City Bank, Medtronic Sofamor Danek and Zimmer; "Good Day Sunshine" - DePuy, Omer Kropf, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kubacki and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Teghtmeyer; "All My Loving" - Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Grossnickle, Dr. and Mrs. Steve Grossnickle, Grossnickle Foundation, Ramada Plaza and Sprint; and "Till There Was You" - Dr. and Mrs. Larry Allen, Syracuse Family Practice, Bodkin Abstract Co. Inc., Dr. and Mrs. Randall Cory, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hartley, Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Lennox, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Miller, Mishler/Eastlund Funeral Home, Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Thornburgh; Mr. and Mrs. Ron Schwartz Jr. and Todd Realty.
This year's Red Ball Committee included: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kubacki and Mr. and Mrs. Larry Teghtmeyer, co-chairs; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Allen, Dr. and Mrs. Larry Allen, Mr. and Mrs. David Blakemore, Mr. and Mrs. Toby Buck, Dr. and Mrs. Bruce Grossnickle, Dr. and Mrs. Steve Grossnickle, Dan and Dr. Pamela Hann, Dr. and Mrs. Thom Howard, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Lennox, Mr. and Mrs. J. Randolph Lowe, Dr. and Mrs. Dane Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Miller, Mr. and Mrs. David Montgomery, Larry Peppel, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey J. Thornburgh, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Tuttle, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Walston and Mr. and Mrs. Chandler Williams.
