Overview of Spring Swing 2010
Qualified people with disabilities perform assembly, packaging, and inspection tasks for local employers.
Vision & Vocational Services' annual Spring Swing took place at the Ohio Statehouse on the evening of March 6, 2010. It proved to be a very successful evening for the agency as the attendees were entertained by the keynote and consumer speakers, a sumptuous dinner and a silent and live Auction. Over $27,000 was raised throughout the course of the evening, including other external donations. Many V&VS board members and others from the greater Columbus area were in attendance. Major Sponsors for the evening were BIG LOTS!, Nationwide, Grange, WBNS Channel 10 TV, Grange, HLS Medfreight, Navigator Management Partners, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Huntington Bank, Old Trail Printing as well as many other patron supporters.
The night started off with a cocktail hour, as well as the commencement of the silent auction. This occurred from the beginning of the evening until the Live Auction started, and nearly 100 items were up for bidding. Introduced by Vision & Vocational Services CEO Marty Gaudiose , President of the V&VS Board Chuck Haubiel II gave the welcoming remarks as attendees descended upon the Statehouse Atrium from the Rotunda for the first set of speakers and dinner. Mr. Haubiel spoke briefly about the services provided by the organization and introduced the emcee of the evening, Kurt Ludlow. Ludlow is another V&VS Board member and currently serves as an anchor for WBNS-Channel 10 TV in Columbus. Mr. Ludlow led the audience through a memorable evening.
After an entertaining and motivational address from the keynote speaker Phil Sorentino from Humor Consultants, an exquisite dinner was served, catered by Vito's Catering in Columbus. The buffet style dinner included many delicious entrees and could have been paired with a beverage provided by Catering by Design, another local catering company. Shortly after dinner, Kurt Ludlow introduced Sharon Pitstick, a courageous woman who delivered a heart-wrenching testimony on her personal experience. Pitstick has a condition called macular degeneration and has been battling this condition for years. She spoke about her life's challenges, supportive friends and family and her father's humor that kept her grounded with all of the sudden changes. As an artist, losing her vision was the last thing she needed and Pitstick gave the event's attendees a testimony of hope and cure of her and other eye conditions. She recognized the valuable services and assistive aids that V&VS had provided her and others to improve the quality of their lives. Pitstick received a much-deserved standing ovation from the nearly 200-person crowd at the Ohio Statehouse who will likely remember her testimony for the rest of their lives.
Taking place after Mrs. Pitstick's speech was the Live Auction, which had many sought after items for attendees to bid on, including a personally-tailored suit by ASTOR & BLACK with a high thread count and autographed pictures from past Ohio State University national championship football teams. Auctioneer Rich Jenkins and his wife Valerie were back for another year conducting the Live Auction. Seen in the picture to the left is the pair soliciting bids for a unique sports memorabilia item. Jenkins did a great job with the Live Auction once again.
The evening ended shortly after the conclusion of the Live Auction and the deliveries of Silent Auction items to their winners by volunteers from Ohio State's Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. Vision & Vocational Services is proud to have had yet another thriving fundraiser with the 2010 Spring Swing. Thanks go out once again to all sponsors, donors and the Ohio Statehouse for the usage of the beautiful Atrium and Rotunda.
Vision and Vocational Services' CEO Marty Gaudiose initiates the program and introduces Board President, Chuck Haubiel II.
Guests are seen here enjoying the elegant dinner of the evening.
Seen here are Silent Auction items up for bid from the Ohio State Football section.
V&VS Employee Rich Shirey makes sure all items are set after the day's rigorous setup.
