ESCANABA — On this wonderful Saturday, over 200 supporters of the Delta Chamber will take part in our Annual Fundraising Gala- Fire and Ice Under the Northern Lights. The following is communication that was sent to our guests and sponsors outlining the overall flow of the event. Thank you does not come close to expressing the gratitude I feel toward those who choose to support the Chamber of Commerce, which in turn allows our staff the opportunity to continue or efforts to support our waterfront community.

Dear Fire & Ice Guest,

We’re delighted that you will be joining us Saturday evening for the Delta County Chamber’s Fire and Ice Under the Northern Lights Fundraising Gala presented by Stewart Manufacturing.

The doors at the Island Resort and Casino’s Convention Center will open at 5:00 Eastern on Saturday, February 11. Your name is already on our guest list, so you are not required to show a ticket at the door.

The Ambassadors of Delta County will escort you to your table where you will find a bidder’s card that doubles as your door prize number. It is “safe to say” that five lucky guests will have a winning number drawn and participate in the Grand Door Prize Drawing sponsored by Highline. You could walk away with $1,000 cash! Each lucky participant chosen is a winner and will get to unlock one of five safes donated by Cooper Office Equipment and find cash or a prize inside!

You will experience the fire and ice transformation of the Convention Center with decorations designed by Wickert Floral and generously sponsored by the Community Foundation for Delta County.

As you stroll around the convention center, you will be served a glass of champagne, compliments of Bink’s Wine and Beverages, or swing by the bar for a glass of wine sponsored by Great North Auto Wash. Enjoy your libation while you view the many opportunities to win fabulous prizes donated by our incredibly generous Chamber Members.

The Fire & Ice Bucket Raffle will be set up to the left of the podium. You will have the option of placing the blue raffle tickets in buckets of your choice for the indicated prizes. Bucket Raffle tickets are just 5 for $10 or 30 for $50 and can be purchased from Peninsula Federal Credit Union volunteers.

Look for the “Your Tickets to Fairadise” Raffle. Pay $20 and pick a daily gate pass for the 2023 U.P. State Fair for a chance to win two adult and four youth weekly gate passes and four Mega Ride wristbands, sponsored by Skerbeck Entertainment Group and the U.P. State Fair Authority. The number on the gate pass could be your winning “Ticket to Fairadise!”

A Fire and Ice favorite is the Northern Lights Mystery Prize instant raffle sponsored by Premier Real Estate and Advanced Tech Service Center. You can light up the night when you spend $10 and select a lighted foam baton. Each baton will have a number matching a prize valued at $10 or more. Light up your foam baton and use it as a prop when you pose for a picture in the Ember’s Credit Union Photo Booth.

Live Auction descriptions will be on display near the podium of our emcee, Betsy Hadel of Taylored Weddings. Be sure to check them out so you are ready when the bidding begins.

Get ready for a fabulous buffet dinner prepared by the in-house professional chefs of the Island Resort and Casino featuring carved beef tenderloin, caprese stuffed chicken, garlic smashed baby red potatoes, assorted sides and salads. During dinner, the winning red ticket number for the 50/50 (6 for $10) and blue ticket numbers for the Fire and Ice Bucket raffles will be drawn and announced.

After dinner and delicious dessert sponsored by Michigan Planners and Anderson, Tackman, and Co., the LIVE Auction gets underway with our auctioneer, Don Martin. Here’s a sample of the fantastic prizes winning bidders can walk away with for great prices!

– Progressive dinner for eight with Heritage Limousine stops at Leigh’s Garden Winery, Horizons Steakhouse, and Northern Sun Winery

– Dinner in your home prepared by Chef Matt Wiles of Wiles Food Service

– Two-night getaway at the Lakeview Hotel on Mackinac Island

– Community Events Package sponsored by the Delta County Economic Development Alliance

– Party Under the Big Top at the 2023 U.P. State Fair, perfect for a corporate summer event

– and many other wonderful auction items!

Following the auction, the life of Tara and Jerry Weaver will be honored when Don Martin offers guests an opportunity to donate to a memorial fund established at First Bank — gifts from the Chamber family to the Weaver family.

The Peninsula Federal Credit Union bankers will be ready to receive your payment for your purchases – accepting cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, Discover and American Express or direct billing. No need to worry about bringing cash, we will send you an invoice after Fire & Ice Under the Northern Lights.

The final drawing of the evening is for the Door Prize sponsored by Highline. All guests are eligible for this game of chance with the purchase of an event ticket. Remember, your winning number is on the bidder’s card at your table.

After all that excitement, the only thing left to do is dance the night away to the musical stylings of the band Sonic Circus. Sonic Circus won the 2004, 2006 & 2009 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award for BEST COVER BAND and was nominated again in 2010. Performing at Summerfest, Wisconsin State Fair, Rock USA, clubs, festivals, casinos, and corporate functions all over the Midwest, Sonic Circus is the Ultimate Party Xperience! The evening’s entertainment is proudly sponsored by Taylor, Lord, and Hughes Insurance.

Fire & Ice Under the Northern Lights provides the funding to conduct the community promotion and economic development programs of the Chamber. The “spirit” of our community demands a high level of activity for the coming year, and we are grateful for your continued support of our gala event. Do not forget–the monies that you invest in this evening may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor.

We hope you have an enjoyable time on Saturday night ~ we look forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Commerce Center Staff

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Sheila Krueger is associate director of the Delta County Chamber of Commerce