16th Annual Bountiful Bowl Raises $55,000
Thanks to our sponsors, guests and supporters, the 16th Annual Bountiful Bowl was our most successful ever—raising $55,000. The money raised will subsidize at least 13,000 meals for our homebound clients.
250 guests enjoyed a wonderful evening of camaraderie, great food prepared by Sodexo Dining Services, an open bar and musical entertainment by Roger Latzgo in a beautiful setting at DeSales University. The evening included a silent auction of handcrafted bowls and other treasures as well as gift baskets and gift certificates; libation raffle, and live auction with a chef event, sporting events, condo vacation, wine tasting, and flowers for every season.
This year Mary Pat Stark was honored as the recipient of the Second Annual Bob Wood Legacy Award. This award was created by Bob’s family and Meals on Wheels to be given to someone who exemplifies Bob’s generosity of spirit and care for his community, especially in the area of ensuring that members of our community do not suffer from hunger.
Bob was instrumental in the creation of the Meals on Wheels program and remembered the beginning of the program as an example of how Lehigh County leaders and citizens put into place a program that would ensure that the people who needed home-delivered meals could have full lives. “The program wasn’t just for convenience, but instead helped people to stay in their own homes and be independent.” The Meals on Wheels program, Bob said, “is an example of institutional commitment leveraged by people who want to make a difference.”
Mary Pat Stark of Emmaus, PA is the mother of 4, a grandmother of 7, a wife of one and friend to many, many people. She has room for all of them in her heart and her life, but still finds time for volunteering. Fortunately, Meals on Wheels has been the recipient of her big heart, creative mind, infectious laugh and engaging personality.
Mary Pat has been volunteering with Meals on Wheels since March, 2001. She has driven on Route 21 since she started; currently on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays of each month. This is the Agency’s longest route, taking up to 2.5 hours. She’s logged 6,416 miles and 1,090 hours delivering about 13,000 meals. In addition, she served on the Meals on Wheels Board for 4 years.
She is the one the agency calls when they need to create a fun volunteer recognition or anniversary event or come up with volunteer recruitment ideas. She never fails to come up with something new and fun and takes everyone around her along for the ride. Mary Pat is the one with the ideas, the deals and attention to all the details.
Meals on Wheels clients, volunteers and staff truly benefit from all of her generosity and spirit.
Thank you to all the members of our community who donated money or items for this event as well as the following:
The Bountiful Bowl Committee: Brooke Griffiths & Cindy Merrit, Co-Chairs, Connie Archer, Pat Beldon, Audrey Fronheiser; Pamela Koons-Hartnett, Pam Lackman, Rosemarie Lamaestra, Mary Anne Johnson, Sue McCann, Mary Pat Stark and Norma Visnar.
Event volunteers: Pat Blahnik, Jane Crowther, Karen Haberern, Marilyn Howard, Grace Reed, Joy Buckley Reed, Lisa Russo and Audrey Wallace
Volunteer photographer: John Hughes
Volunteer auctioneer: Ray Starner
Major Sponsors:
Media: ASR Media Productions and The Morning Call
Bountiful Harvest: Aesculap, Inc.; Cross America Partners; People First FCU; Top Star; and The Topper Family
Basket of Plenty: Pat & Sandy Beldon; BB&T; Buckno Lisicky & Co.; Burkholder’s HVAC; HCSC Enterprises, Inc.; The Hartford; Liberty Property Trust; Doug & Mary Anne Johnson; The Pidcock Company; In Honor of Mary Pat Stark; Talen Energy; St. Luke’s Physician Group; and Valley Extrusions
Cornucopia: Bradley Pulverizer Company; Fellowship Community; Health Network Laboratories; LVHN Population Health; Olympus; PPL; Law Office of Michael Santanasto; Wells Fargo Bank Regional Office; and Working Dog Press