The annual Heights Party was a huge success! The committee was a bit anxious this year, as we changed things up a bit.

First, every resident in CH-EH received two free tickets to the event. We worried about giving up that revenue. In previous years, tickets were $30 each. Also, we would have little idea on the number of attendees. We have many new neighbors and wanted to encourage everyone to attend. It worked! We had higher attendance than last year and saw many new faces.

Second, we replaced the silent auction with raffles. With the silent auction, the party felt segmented. We had music, drinks and food outside; however, with the amount of auction items inside and bidders “watching” their bid, it was like having two separate parties. Our hope was once you dropped your raffle tickets in the boxes, you would be free to come outside and enjoy the party.

Third, we added a live auction. Brian Preston was the auctioneer, and he did a wonderful job energizing the party and encouraging bidders to raise their bids, which raised more money for the neighborhood.

Another change was the day of
the week of the event. This year, the party was on Friday evening instead of Saturday evening. Our hope was to avoid Mother’s Day plans. Neighbors could come to the party after work and still have the weekend to celebrate moms.

Thank you to presenting sponsors! Legacy Cleaners is a top supporter. New this year as a presenting sponsor was Hom Kitchen + Bath.

Thank you to our platinum sponsors: Wendy Chong, the McBride and Pickerell families and Oklahoma Employees Credit Union. Alotta Action Advertising saved our committee “a lotta” time and “a lotta” money! They printed all of the invitations, tickets, auction programs and sponsor signs at cost. I emailed them files of information, and they provided a great product in a very small amount of time. They are true professionals. Thanks, Jen and Chris!

Thank you to our gold sponsors, Patricia and Rick Ayling, Mr. Bob White, Lisa and John Joyce-Engineering Associates, Michele and Bob Eskew-Physical Therapy Associates, Orthodontic Arts, Pati White, David Gipson-Gipson Design and Malena
and Brent Crandall-Clyde Riggs Construction.

The goal was to give our sponsors more for their sponsorships. We added a page to our website with our sponsor names and logos, larger and more professional signs at the party and a champagne reception before the party.

Thanks to our wonderful committee — John Joyce, Olivia Hanson, Patricia and Rick Ayling, Julie Richardson, Pati White, Dorothy Thadani, Marjie Galt, Jane Clark, Dan Mann, and Shelley Reeves — for their time and efforts. Shannon Purnell, Judy and Fred Kruger and Allison Waldo, your dedication to the event made my fourth year as chair the easiest one yet.