Possible
Dreams Auction
Marks 30th Anniversary
With Move to New Location
After
29 years in the garden of Edgartown's Harborside Inn, the Possible
Dreams Auction of Martha's Vineyard will celebrate a 30th Anniversary
in a grand tent on the grounds of Outerland, the former Hot
Tin Roof nightclub. This year's event will be presented through
a generous sponsorship provided by COMCAST.
The
island's pre-eminent fundraising event, the Auction supports
the wide range of human services provided by Martha's Vineyard
Community Services (MVCS) to more than 6,000 residents and visitors
each year. Over the years the Auction - under the guiding hand
of the late Art Buchwald, its beloved longtime auctioneer -
has attracted celebrity participation, raised $7.25 million
and became an integral part of the organization's budget.
However,
as last summer's Auction day got off to a bright and sunny start,
its organizing committee found itself in a bind: severe thunderstorms
were forecast to hit the island just as the Auction was scheduled
to begin. There was no rain contingency location; the choice
was to take a chance with the weather or postpone the event
till the following evening. Committee chairman James H. Shane
made the difficult decision to postpone, a move that was later
justified as heavy rain and fierce winds swept through the Harborside
garden late that afternoon.
The
24-hour delay posed numerous challenges for the event's organizers
and participants. Some celebrity guests were unable to attend,
and attendance overall was significantly lower than past years.
In short, the final tally was nearly $250,000 less than the
previous year.
"We
knew the rain date was going to hurt us," said Mr. Shane.
"We just didn't know how much until we had finally put
that difficult day behind us. A lot of people were able to accommodate
the change, but many more could not, and the Auction suffered
as a result. When all was said and done, the committee felt
that the Auction proceeds were too important to Community Services
to allow the weather to dictate whether we could proceed."
This
past fall, the 19 members of the Possible Dreams Auction Committee
undertook a strategic planning process. After several in-depth
meetings and thoughtful discussion of the available options,
they decided to hold the 2008 Possible Dreams Auction on Monday,
August 4, under a grand tent at Outerland, the long-time island
nightclub founded by Carly Simon and now owned by brothers Barr,
Mona, and Arthur Rosenthal.
"We
reflected long and hard on the need to safeguard the event from
unpredictable weather in the future. Tents in the Harborside
gardens were not a viable option because they take several days
to erect and would block the water view for hotel guests,"
Jan Hatchard, MVCS director of development, said. "The
committee also felt strongly about preserving the warmth and
intimacy of the Possible Dreams experience. It's a delicate
balance, with good arguments on all sides, but in the end, we
felt that Outerland offered both safety and some exciting new
opportunities."
Although
they've only owned the popular nightclub for two years, the
Rosenthals and their marketing business, B/R Creative, have
a long history in event production and promotion. They plan
to draw on an array of in-house talent to help ensure the success
of this year's Auction.
"We
are extremely excited and honored to be selected as the site
for the 30th Possible Dreams Auction," said Barry Rosenthal.
"It's an enormous responsibility that everyone here at
Outerland is taking very seriously, and we look forward to the
challenge of making this transitional year a smooth and successful
one. As life on the Vineyard becomes increasingly difficult
for so many people, the services that Community Services provide
become even more crucial, and we're dedicated to helping in
every way we can."
Other
changes are planned as well. An elegant 30th anniversary dinner
in a second grand tent on the site will immediately follow the
Auction. The dinner will accommodate up to 300 guests and honor
a number of long time auction supporters including Patricia
Neal, Jules Feiffer, Norman Bridwell, and Mike Nichols and Diane
Sawyer.
Addressing
another important issue, the committee realized that the line-up
of 50-plus auction items went on too long. This year, the Committee
plans to offer a limit of 30 Dreams. An online auction and raffle
introduced in recent years will be eliminated so that organizers
can re-focus their energy on the creation of one-of-a-kind dreams.
"We're
building on the spectacular dreams for which the Auction has
become famous - celebrity interactions, unusual travel opportunities,
behind-the-scenes experiences in entertainment, sports and the
arts," said Mr. Shane. "Out of the ashes of last year's
rained-out Auction has arisen a new energy and enthusiasm, and
we plan to make the 30th Possible Dreams Auction the most exciting
one ever."
For
more information on the 2008 Possible Dreams Auction, please
contact Jan Hatchard at 508-693-7900 x374, or jhatchard@mvcommunityservices.com.
