Milford Welcome Party brings in the big bucks

The sun came out to shine on the 2024 Welcome Party. This was fortuitous since the title of party this year was “Under the Milford Sun.” Board member Yana Thatcher said, “Despite the heat [it was about 95 degrees], it was a great event and allowed the Milford Enhancement Committee (MEC) to use this fundraiser to continue to invest in the borough’s public spaces and make the town better for everyone.

Eileen Smith, president of the MEC, said, “The money the MEC gets is for the benefit of the community and not a cent of it comes from tax dollars.” She continued, “This wouldn’t be possible without the help of the volunteers and the donations.” The MEC has done much to beautify the town, such as installing sidewalks and pedestrian lights, planting trees on the verges from sixth to ninth street, and purchasing and installing 25 trash receptacles. They also sponsor an annual Milford Community Clean Up Day.

Board treasurer Maureen Dooley reported that this year the Welcome Party yielded approximately $55,500 (not a final tally) from ticket sales, donations, and the live and silent auctions. The funds raised support MEC’S ability to apply for grants that require matching contributions to complete their work. There were approximately 245 attendees, lots of volunteers, and lots of community spirit. The party was an opportunity for residents get together and have fun, as well as to promote civic partnerships.

Bobby Kyle and his band kept spirits high, and some folks took to dancing toward the end of the party. In addition to the monetary donations, 17 different restaurants and food markets donated a sumptuous buffet of hot and cold dishes including different kinds of pasta (the theme was Italian). The most popular items were the gelato and bottled water to help people try to beat the heat.

There were two auctions – a silent auction with 17 items and a live one with 14 items. Among the silent auction items were three different wine packages by local wine collector Jim Pedranti, two framed photographs of Milford by Matt Winkler, five tickets to the “Live with Kelly and Mark” show in New York, and two Reiki sessions with Reiki practitioner and teacher Linda Lockspeiser.

The live auction was a show in itself, with Milford Mayor Sean Strub as the auctioneer. Strub has recently stepped down as president of MEC, and when asked how he feels about that, he said, “It’s feels great to be here as a guest and to see how everyone has done such an incredible job at carrying on with this effort. I’m looking for wonderful things from the Welcome Party and the MEC’s next stage.”

There were many exciting things and events being auctioned off in the live auction. Many items were listed with an approximate value, perhaps in order to set a base line for the auctioneer.

For example, a large, signed limited edition screen print by Christopher Makos of a photograph of Mick Jagger (taken by Makos) had an estimated value of $3,500. Another example was a consultation with landscape architect Ed Brannon, which had an estimated value of $1,000.

Then, there were those events whose estimated value was listed as “priceless,” such as a guided tour on the Delaware River for six with Gail Shuttleworth and Jeff Rosalsky who “will introduce you to the history and wildlife of the river.” Everything is provided, including life jackets, snacks, and a gourmet lunch. Another “priceless” event was a private opera performance from the Academy of Vocal Arts and dinner for six at the home of Megan Strub and Doug Manion.

Eileen Smith said, “it was a great party. I can’t wait for next year.” She invited people who are interested in volunteering to email milfordenhancementcommittee@gmail.com or call 570-832-4789.