It has been an extraordinary year for the Fountain Hills Women’s Club, which is marking its 50th anniversary in 2024.
Undoubtedly, the highlight of the club’s festivities so far was the tremendous celebration held March 9 at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort.
The 50th Anniversary “Gold in Them Hills” Gala Luncheon and Fashion Show was attended by 165 guests and has garnered rave reviews from attendees, sponsors and donors alike, a press release read.
Most importantly, the event raised more than $25,000 for the Women’s Club’s annual scholarship fund. The organization’s primary mission is to provide scholarships for women, age 23 and older, who live or work in Fountain Hills to assist them in continuing their education or advancing their careers.
Additionally, the club offers two scholarships each year to graduates of Fountain Hills High School.
“The annual springtime luncheon and fashion show has been a longstanding tradition for the Women’s Club,” explained event chair Joanne Colella. “For this historic milestone year, our committee worked extremely hard to elevate it to an even grander scale.
“We did unique things we had never done before, including an oversized audio-visual presentation throughout the day with images of the club’s long history and tributes to our supporters, a beautiful new venue, a creative fashion show that tied in with our five-decade theme, a festive photo backdrop, and the opportunity for local businesses to gain visibility through sponsorships.”
Colella continued: “Having Cory McCloskey as a popular celebrity emcee and performer generated a tremendous response, and township native Betsy LaVoie, CEO of the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce and a fitting example of women’s achievement and love for the community, was our live auctioneer.
“We also managed all of our ticket sales and silent auction bidding online, which was a convenient new option for everyone.”
All of that effort clearly paid off, according to Colella.
“Once the numbers came in, we were proud and delighted to realize that this amazing event was so successful. That’s a reflection of the incredibly generous support we received from sponsorships, program ads, donors, silent and live auctions, the 50/50 (raffle), and of course, the many guests who bought tickets.
“The glowing feedback we’ve received from everyone who attended has been gratifying and heartwarming. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard, both behind the scenes and on the day of the event, to help make this milestone celebration a great success.”
Fundraiser sponsors
Special recognition goes to the sponsors of the fundraiser, including centerpiece sponsor, Gatsby’s Florist; balloon marquee sponsor, Top Balloon Creations; program sponsor, Fountain Hills Theater; fashion show sponsor, Classy-Jazzy Fashion Boutique; video production sponsor, Daylite Films; silver sponsor, Joliet Aesthetics MedSpa; women’s achievement sponsors, Harr Family Homes and Pellegrini Group; decades sponsors, DeGeorge Partners Realtors, MCO Realty, RE/MAX Sun Properties and Sami Fine Jewelry.
Fountain fans sponsors include Colella Communications, Fountain Hills Medical Center ER, Fountain Hills Physical Therapy, Holmes Family, Jazzercise, MorningStar Senior Living, Skin Oasis Institute and The Adventures of Julie Jones; and helpers from the Hills sponsors Euro Pizza Café and Phil’s Filling Station.
Plans are already underway for the Fountain Hills Women’s Club 2025 Luncheon and Fashion Show.
In the meantime, the club is hosting its last monthly meeting of the season Wednesday, May 15, when this year’s scholarships are presented to the selected recipients.
All are invited to attend. More details will be posted online at fountainhillswomensclub.com. For ongoing updates throughout the year, visit the Fountain Hills Women’s Club page on Facebook.
