On Saturday, April 6, 2019, nearly 200 women, teens, kids, and of course several area Fire Fighters convened at Madden’s Town Hall Conference Center to enjoy the 5th-annual Afternoon Tea for Hope.
This year’s event featured the most popular games & activities from years past, along with a few newer features–2019 marked the second year of an Online Auction, allowing those who were unable to attend the Tea to still support the event from afar. One big surprise this year came from Brainerd Fire Fighter Nick Haglin, also a member of Brainerd Noon Sertoma, who presented Bridges of Hope’s Executive Director Kassie Heisserer with a $5,000 donation from Sertoma to support programming!
Proceeds from the Afternoon Tea for Hope support Bridges of Hope’s Side by Side mentoring program for women. Program Participants filmed a video that was played during the Tea program and then bravely joined Bridges staff Karen onstage as she outlined the benefits of Side by Side, along with some of the Participants’ successes and achievements over the past year.
This year was an exciting one, as support for the event reached $19,800–just $200 under our goal of $20,000–a record-breaking year for the Afternoon Tea! On behalf of our Board, Staff, and the Women of Side by Side: thank you to our Afternoon Tea Planning Committee; the Brainerd & Nisswa Fire Departments; our many donors who contributed to our Online Auction & Raffle Baskets; Nina Halls – Ardor Boutique; Nikki Holst & Copper Creek Landscaping; our sponsors (Wes Anderson Insurance, Maddens, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, BlackRidge Bank, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Bremer Bank, Pam Braland – Vernon, Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union, Deluxe Printing, and Zaiser’s); Brainerd Noon Sertoma; and of course our attendees–because without you, there would BE no Afternoon Tea!
We’re looking forward to seeing you next year…until then–pinkies up!
If you would like to make a contribution to support the Side by Side program, click here. (You can designate “Side by Side” in the Notes area.)
Your Help Wanted: Side by Side Mentors & meal-donors are needed for 2019-2020! Click here to get in touch with Michelle and learn more.
Read Stories of Hope about women in the Side by Side mentoring program.