This letter is to thank you for your participation in the recent Stephanie Boatwright Benefit Event and to report the success of our endeavor. “Thank you” seems inadequate, but I struggle to find better words that would begin to convey the depth of our gratitude for this experience.

A wonderful time was had by all at the event! Stephanie was the “Princess of the Ball” that evening and she danced the night away. There was a sell-out crowd of 300+. The band, DV8, whose lead singer is Planes’ own Melissa Singer-Reed, rocked the house down. They also sold DV8 logo merchandise and donated all proceeds back to Stephanie. The 100 balloons for the balloon pop sold out in a matter of minutes. We had nearly 100 items for the silent auction table, and every item sold. We had hoped for five corporate sponsors - we had 18! A very special thank you goes to John Planes and to John Sabatalo for their total commitment to the event. Without their support, we could not have been so successful. Cathy Halloran from “Chicks and Chucks” (www.chicksandchucks.org http://www.chicksandchucks.org ) came to the event from Northern Kentucky to personally present a check in the amount of $1,000.00 to Stephanie from her organization.

Our receipts for the evening totaled nearly $10,000, and the total amount we were able to give to Stephanie has exceeded $18,000 after expenses! WOW! By every measure, this event has exceeded everyone’s expectations. The generosity of individuals, corporations, and local businesses has been heartwarming and overwhelming. The amount we raised will make a significant “dent” in the debt for Stephanie’s ongoing cancer treatments, and lifts a burden of worry as well.

Many of you have asked “How is Stephanie?” I am pleased to report that she is stable and that so far, the cancer treatments she receives three times per month seem to be holding the inexorable spread of the cancer at bay. Stephanie’s cancer is incurable and she will continue to receive treatments to contain its spread and to maintain her overall quality of life. The messages of encouragement and hope that were expressed on the luminaries mean so much to Stephanie! She would love to hear from you! Her email address is kalisfieryeye@yahoo.com kalisfieryeye@yahoo.com .

Attached is a listing of companies who provided corporate sponsorships or gifts for the balloon pop or silent auction. If you have an opportunity, please return their kindness by patronizing their businesses whenever possible.

It would be impossible to list every individual who contributed their time, their ideas, and all of those who supported the effort with their hard-earned dollars. At the risk of overlooking some, I would like to acknowledge a special few. If your name does not appear in the list below, please know that everyone’s efforts were much appreciated.

The Benefit Committee:

Lisa Mosley

Marge Raffel

Mollie Paterson

Hope Bowman

Jen Maitre

Maria Cohen

Kindra Burress

Tracie Joyce

Chris Donohoue

Joel Engelmeier

Tiffany McQueary, bartender

Don Mueller, photographer

Diane Bierman, table décor

Morgan Heflin, poster & ticket design

A special thanks to the band: DV8 & Melissa Singer-Reed

I have been honored to serve as the coordinator for this event, and could not have achieved such enormous success without the help of everyone who participated. Thank you.

Please take a moment to acknowledge the corporate sponsors and donors listed on the attachment, and enjoy a few photos from the event!

Kind regards,