Winetasting, microbrew sampling, auction May 5

Springtime in Odessa means rain, sunshine and wind…sometimes all three in the same day. It also means baseball games, track meets, golfing, fishing, farmers in the fields, spray planes in the sky and the Odessa Healthcare Foundation working on the 26th annual Odessa Healthcare Foundation Wine Tasting, Microbrew Sampling and Auction. On Friday, May 5, 2017, the Odessa Community Center will be filled with friends seeking a new wine to taste, sampling a favorite microbrew, bidding on silent and live auction items, and supporting the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center.

If you would like to walk down “the red carpet” and enter the east door of the community center and have a speedy checkout at the end of the evening, go to http://omhf.maestroweb.com to purchase your tickets and register your credit card. Your name will now appear on “the VIP list” and your glass and bidder number will be waiting for you.

The Odessa Healthcare Foundation appreciates the many donations from the businesses of Odessa and the surrounding area, the employees of the Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center, and our friends and neighbors. Once again, many talented bakers and artists have generously agreed to share their talents by donating handcrafted items to the 26th annual Odessa Healthcare Foundation Wine Tasting, Microbrew Sampling and Auction. This is by no means a complete list, but a sampling of what you will find at the auction.

We have food items to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. For those with a sweet tooth, look for Pat Estes’s Fabulous Fudge, Peanut Brittle by Linda Kuch and Almond Roca by Corrine Schuh. Or maybe you would prefer a basket of Grannie Bar Bar’s cinnamon rolls. Stephen and Barbara Walter will prepare for you and your family a smoked chicken dinner with all the fixin’s. Looking ahead to Christmas and knowing you won’t have time to bake, Merleen Smith is offering two gift certificates, each for a tray of Christmas cookies. Or maybe this summer, you and friends want to attend a backyard BBQ prepared by Neil and Lecia Fink and Clark and Charlene Kagele. And don’t forget the dessert auction, where you can either share the dessert with your table that night or take it home with you to enjoy the next day. This year it will feature a New York Cheesecake with Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Topping by Barbara Greenwalt, a Tipsy Peaches and Cream Trifle by Ellen Holman, a Rhubarb Pie from Charlene Kagele’s kitchen, Maria Manley’s Carrot Cake with a Cheesecake Center, Gourmet Cupcakes from Kerry Scheller and a Raspberry Chocolate Cake and a Blueberry Custard Pie from Deborah Walter.

The talented quilters have been busy creating many treasures. Experience Quilts! donated a throw-sized quilt, designed, pieced and quilted by Lise Ott, called “A Little Off-Center.” Faye Haase has designed and pieced a large scappy quilt featuring nine-patch blocks. Alva Richardson has designed, pieced and hand quilted a large quilt featuring yo-yo flowers. It’s not too early to think about Halloween, so look for “The Witch Is In” wall hanging by Patricia Gies. Fronen Steppdecker Quilt Club has donated a bed runner, pieced by members of the quilt club and machine quilted by Erin MacGregor, featuring batiks titled “Bali Sea Star.” Laura Estes of Laura’s Sage Country Quilts has teamed up with Lise Ott of Experience Quilts! and created a denim tote bag with a throw quilt and a hand-cranked flashlight. In addition to the quilted items, we also have a crocheted rag rug by Sandy Libsack and a ruffled pillow by Juli Weishaar that will accompany a shabby-chic storage bench donated by Nancy Floether and the Weishaars. Annette Edwards has stitched and framed a counted cross-stitch picture and Nancy Floether has embroidered flour-sack tea towels. Lora Zimprich has created two sets of greeting cards featuring sayings and fabric that will appeal to quilters and non-quilters.

We have some wonderful woodworkers who are sharing their creations. You will find a triple-decker birdhouse, as well as a surprise from Paul Hopp. Keith and Becky Kolterman have created a wooden tray with a wine cork bottom. Doug and Jean Starkel have designed and built a side table from repurposed fence boards. Mandi Braun and Tracy Walter of the Hair Haus also have plans for a repurposed wood handcrafted surprise.

Other surprises await you from Marilyn Fink, the Odessa High School FFA chapter, Phil Peterson of Legacy, Brian Schorzman, Carol Schott, Health Voise, Pam Williams, and Laurie Wilson of Walter Implement.

The Schafer family of Rocky Coulee Brewing Co. will once again provide beer for sampling and purchase by the glass. We also have a set of etched wine glasses and a set of Seahawks beer glasses with a pitcher from Odessa Designs, metal work from Mike Kuest of Silhouettes by Request and a case of sausage from Voise Sausage.

The Odessa Healthcare Foundation greatly appreciates the donation of all these handcrafted items and knows many of the attendees will look forward to bidding on them on Friday, May 5, 2017. Remember, advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at http://omhf.maestroweb.com or at Odessa Drug.