Second Vice President - Benefit
Jill Fosselman
Well, this certainly didn’t pan out the way we all envisioned … Hope this finds you and your loved ones well and not going too crazy. And if you need comic relief, I suggest you snuggle-up with Debra Qurtman and FaceBook-friend her –where does she find this stuff?!
To cut to the chase, we needed to postpone the June tour dates – hope you all saw the press release that dropped on Friday. Externally, we’re working like crazy to slow/stop the flow of refund requests … smarter people than me came up with the idea for a virtual event on June 26
as a means to “give” current ticket holders something and encourage them to hold on to their tickets (and let us hold on to their money). It will feature a live sneak peek of the finished construction at the house, as well as prerecorded musical gems and designer interviews. More to come! Internally, we’ve been begging and cajoling to get the work finished at the House. Sometimes it’s felt like a furious dash, but most of the time it’s like watching the slow chase of that white Bronco on TV for four hours … but we’re getting there! ALL, yep I said it, ALL construction will be done by the end of May, including most of the finish work (lighting, wallpaper, hardware)! What’s left is delicate finery that can be installed within two weeks when we get the green light to prepare for a tour in the fall, and touch-ups.
More nitty gritty – the City loves and supports us and is going to administratively adjust our TUP when we get the green light to open. Our understanding owners are willing to allow us to stay in the home until the end of November, so we’re working out the deets now on an addendum to the contract. Our shops vendors are almost feverish at the prospect of having Shops in the fall (i.e., Christmas shopping), and our Chef can’t wait to serve drinks and provide warm food to all of us. The trick will be how to make this all come together in a post-COVID environment with significant operational changes mandated by our governing health agencies, all while NOT totally losing our shorts (and skorts, and flat-heeled shoes) in the process.
So this is what we’re facing, and what we’ve been working on … It’s not easy, or fun, or pretty, or anything like what we signed up for, but this is what we have to deal with this year. Lots of hugs, kudos, and tremendous gratitude to those who have held down the fort at the house during the shut-down: Diane Hatfield, Mary Jarrett, Vikki Sung, Debra Qurtman, Helen Gibson, Irma Miller, Lydia Rubin, and Suzanne Hart. Also lots of appreciation to the folks tasked with sorting out this COVID nightmare, including Matt McIntyre, Cathy Hilton, Eileen Reilly, Christine Upton, and Undine Schwarz. Our Maestros of Money (AKA, Tickets People) Marti Farley, Garret Collins and Kim Galloway who will (fingers crossed) keep us in money, and our Pubs & Press Pretties (Christina Louie, Kaytie Watkins, Michele Lembo and Dotty Ewing) who are spinning our message and getting up in the web and social universe. You all rock in my book.
But we have a lot of other names in our Showcase Family … and we’re going to need all of them to pull through this thing and come out the other side, with our heritage and tradition intact. When you get the call, please answer – we need you. Help us with what you can do – either remotely, on-site, by spreading the word about the June event, soliciting auction items, writing, making calls, and yes, even writing a check. Every little bit from each of you matters – truly!
