Recreation Department’s Adult Prom raised over $1,500 for summer day camp
Dan McClelland
The Town of Tupper Lake’s Recreation Department reports there was a great turnout for its second annual Adult Prom at the Raquette River Brewery Saturday evening.
The event was billed as a major fundraiser for the town’s growing summer day camp program and to that end it produced a big boost for the town program. Over $1,500 was raised to help underwrite growing costs each summer.
Besides local supporters, it brought people in from Vermont, Lisbon and the Watertown area. A few adults were grateful as it was their first prom experience ever or they got a chance to "re-do" their original prom. There was a mixture of formal attire and casual 80's wear.
Organizers Laura LaBarge and Christielee Geiger say the event wouldn’t have enjoyed the success it did, without the help of many volunteers who included Mary Kay Strack, Brent Cook, Courtney Carey, Katelyn Drasye, Laurie Fuller, Jessica Eggsware, Kathy Savage, and the four Wild Center AmeriCorps volunteers.
Other individuals and groups also had a big hand in the success, including the host site, Raquette River Brewing, bartenders Annie and Allison who did amazing work all night. The musical entertainment provided by “Night School” and the band’s new sound man, Leon Jessie, was top rate and Magnus and his crew at Fusion Street turned out some delicious food.
Another highlight of the evening were the “Moon Cookie” treats produced by Mary Churco at Spruce and Hemlock bakery.
Michelle Clement, the ROOST marketing director and one of Night School’s biggest fans, arranged for the more than 125 guests free Eclipse stickers and county’s Tourism office and its Adirondack Frontier division provided free “Totality in Tupper Lake” eclipse glasses.
Organizers also noted that MAC's Safe Ride Continued was another important piece of the event for being available to prom-goers to have a safe ride home from the event.
Sponsors/Basket donations were furnished by Santa and his Elves, Brooke Bell, Jessica Vaillancourt, Lisa Reed, Pam Arsenault, Birch Boys, KW Ranch, Vicki Hubbard, Laurie Fuller, Mary Kay Strack, Christielee Geiger, Laura LaBarge, and Wild Center. The many raffles and auxiliary fundraisers helped make the event the financial success it was.
Some of the prize winners of the evening were: Donna and Matt Averill, Kati King, Brittany Bush, Kellie Trudeau, Clay Sauvie, Rachel Helt, Ashley Colby and Bobbie Jo White.
Mrs. LaBarge called the community support for the Adult Prom “truly a blessing” for the local kids, many of whom wouldn’t be able to attend the camp without the town scholarship this event will help to provide. (All photos by Christielee Geiger)