Loading ...Saline, MI (February 8, 2010) – The sixth annual “Winter Beach Blast” – to happen Saturday, February 20, from 6:30 pm to 1:00 am at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds – will not only put winter-hardened attendees in the mood for balmier days to come, it will also promote awareness of cystic fibrosis and raise money to fund research that will help to extend the lives of those struggling with the disease.
The event, expected to draw over 300 people, will offer fun, food, and entertainment – all with a tropical flavor. Attendees can come as they are, but those who dress in Hawaiian shirts, hula skirts, and the like will be eligible to win the “Best Beach Attire” contest.
A highlight of this year’s event will be guest speaker Emily Schaller, 27, a native Detroiter whose nearly lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis has inspired the Rock CF Foundation (www.letsrockcf.org), dedicated to helping find a cure.
The entertainment headliner is comedian Kevin McPeek, who has brought down the house in appearances on HBO and Comedy Central. Then it will be straight to the dance floor as 56Daze, an exceptionally energetic, versatile band, plays a repertoire ranging from rock ‘n’ roll classics to country, R&B, reggae, and today’s most popular hits.
Attendees will enjoy strolling appetizers of the finger-food variety. The event is BYOB.
There will also be a silent auction and prize drawings, with most items donated by area people and companies.
Proceeds from the Winter Beach Blast – including tickets, the auction, and drawings – will benefit the Metro Detroit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org/chapters/detroit). Over the years, the event has raised upwards of $126,000 to support CF research.
The Winter Beach Blast happens each year around this time, thanks to efforts of Saline residents Dan and Renee Dooley and Bill and Wendy Beardsley, organizers of the event. Two of the Dooleys’ three children themselves have cystic fibrosis, and are successfully handling the disease, thanks in large part to recent advances in treatment due to aggressive ongoing medical research like that supported by the CFF.
Corporate sponsors of this year’s Winter Beach Blast are Arrow Energy, Inc. (www.arrowenergy.com) of Saline, and Grand Northern Products (www.grandnorthern.com), headquartered in Byron Center, MI, near Grand Rapids.
The cost is $35.00 per person – $27.00 of which is a tax-deductible donation. Groups can reserve a “Bahama Breeze” table for eight to ten people at a cost of $360, with each member of the group able to tax-deduct $37.00.
Another option is a “Big Kahuna” corporate sponsorship for $1,000 and up.
Tickets to the Winter Beach Blast can be purchased online at www.cfpartyforbreath.com, the event’s Web site. Additional donations can also be made there.
Silent auction and drawing items are still needed and volunteers are always welcome. Those interested can contact Wendy Beardsley at (734) 429-3028, wbeards@comcast.net, or Dan Dooley at (734)429-2269, dandooley62@comcast.net.
