Unbeknownst to the huge crowd of 300 at the Sunriver Great Hall at the annual RE/MAX Offices of Central Oregon Wing Ding Gala and Golf Classic, Jeff had whispered to Sami before she came on stage, ‘It’s OK, Sami, the reason everybody is here is because they love you!’ After that, everything was okay. Sami was in a safe place, a sanctuary, where she could not fail.

The weekend event drew a phenomenal crowd which hobnobbed over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with the sounds of the very talented Andy Armer and the Bend Jazz Trio playing in the background, featuring special guest vocalist, Michelle Johnson. Dinner followed with a dessert dash that had the crowd outbidding one another for first choice desserts—someone paid $500 for a box of Hostess Twinkies! The check also reflects the rich relationships that are growing deeper and wider each year we do this event. After the event, Jeff Leeland said, “I’m finding myself looking forward to the process as well as the product. Deepening friendships with the folks in RE/MAX, and developing new ones like we have with Ali and our friends in Leadership Bend is a rich experience, too.”

In the first planning meeting last year, Tom Lewis, the Owner/Broker of RE/MAX Land and Homes Real Estate of Redmond, Crooked River Ranch and Madras, insisted that we could double the proceeds from last year’s event. “Everybody thought Tom Lewis was crazy when he challenged the planning committee with a goal of doubling the $50,000 raised in 2005 for Sparrow Clubs. “Well Tom, we owe you an apology!” exclaimed Jeff Leeland.

The Friday evening Wing Ding Gala at the historic Great Hall in the Sunriver Resort featured exciting live and silent auction items such as African Safaris, trips to Puerto Vallarta and the ever exclusive Sanctuary golf course in Denver, Colorado, and incredible auction items that were so generously donated by our community businesses! Ali King, of An Affair to Remember, in conjunction with Leadership Bend—the co-hosts for this year’s event—put on a smooth event with her team of volunteers who tirelessly worked all evening to make sure the guests were enjoying themselves and everything ran like clockwork.

The annual event supports a very worthy cause, which benefits not only hundreds of local children in a medical crisis, but the thousands of local young heroes who are helping these children and their families each year. Sparrow Clubs USA, born in Central Oregon, is a youth-based charity where kids-help-kids in medical crisis.

A special celebrity appearance was made by the current reigning Miss Teen USA, Allie LaForce and her entourage which included Miss Teen Oregon, Kelci Flowers, who will be competing for the crown in 2007. According to Allie’s escort from the Miss Universe organization, “This is one of the best events I have ever attended. In fact, it was actually the best event I have attended.” The two beauties with a big heart for Sparrow Clubs, posed for photos with gala attendees on Friday night, then headed for the golf course on Saturday morning where they posed with all of the golfers who played in the Golf Classic.

The parents and children whose lives have been positively affected by Sparrow Clubs would like to extend a great big THANK YOU to the following sponsors who made the 2006 Wing Ding Gala and Golf Classic possible. These companies and individuals care about the work of Sparrow Clubs, and the kids of Central Oregon. Please show your support by patronizing these businesses:

Co-Host –Leadership Bend, Class of 2006
Gold Sponsor – David Lewis and Nonda Clark of Washington Mutual Home Loans of Sunriver & Bend. Nonda Clark, who attends all of Central Oregon’s premier events, stated “The Wing Ding Gala and Golf Classic was a wonderful 2-day event that brought us immense exposure and networking opportunities with the community. And, it was the best event that I have attended to date. Sparrow Clubs is a wonderful organization and we are happy to be a part of it. You better believe we plan to sponsor this event next year.”

Silver Sponsors – Bank of the Cascades; SunWest Builders; Western Title & Escrow
Patron Players: Ron and Joann Meisner of RE/MAX Land & Homes Real Estate; Ron and Diane Tolley of RE/MAX Sunset Realty; Peter Storton of RE/MAX Town & County Realty; Emily Rothman of Lowes Commercial Property; Jack and Lara Cooper of Aspen Construction; Shayne and Angelika Olsen of SACE, Inc. Homebuilder; Dave Decoursi of First American Title
Media Sponsors – Combined Communications; Bend Broadband; The Bulletin; www.BendNights.com
Marketing and Website Sponsor – Lu Solutions: marketing communications
Print Sponsors: Press Pros; Central Oregon Office Solutions

To find out more about the RE/MAX Offices of Central Oregon Wing Ding Gala and Golf Classic, log on to www.wingdinggala.com. This event fills quickly and we are now taking sign ups for April 2007. If you or your company would like to become a headline sponsor, table sponsor, a hole sponsor, advertise in the event program, donate an auction item, or simply play golf for a great cause, contact Scott Pence at (541) 593-5018. Save the date of April 27th & 28th,2007 – your presence at this event will make a difference in the lives of sick and healthy kids in and around Central Oregon!

The RE/MAX Offices of Central Oregon are raising the level of co-operative involvement of Central Oregon RE/MAX Offices resulting in mutually beneficial ventures within all areas of Central Oregon RE/MAX real estate. In keeping with RE/MAX International goals and objectives to better serve the communities we live in, Central Oregon RE/MAX Offices combine their efforts annually to help support Sparrow Clubs USA.