Our 6^th annual fundraising event, “Bee the Change – In Support of EarthLinks!” was held on September 24, 2009 at the Park Hill Golf Club, where 125 guests enjoyed a spirited evening of fellowship, good food, fun bidding on a wide variety of donated items, and zesty live music by the Prairie Chickens. The event raised over $20,000. to support our programs. Thanks to all who attended, donated items, and helped sponsor “Bee the Change!” Click here to see photos of the event.

We established a new award in honor of EarthLinks’ co-foundresses, Bette Ann Jaster, OP,  and Cathy Mueller, SL, and presented this to them with moving tributes in gratitude for their vision, creativity and contributions to EarthLinks.  Bette Ann and Cathy have both moved on to take other leadership positions in their respective religious orders, Cathy in 2006 and Bette Ann in 2009. The Foundress’ Award will be given in future years to others “who provide outstanding service to EarthLinks.”  To read more about our history…

Other highlights of the evening were hearing about the life-changing impacts of our programs from one of the GreenFingers’ participants, Darlene B., and announcing the winners of the Bee Box competition. We received 12 extremely creative and diverse entries in our first-ever contest to build and donate Bee Boxes, which were auctioned at Bee the Change, with the award-winning designs sold in the live auction. Thanks to all our contestants! See all the wonderful entries and prize-winners here.

The winners are: Best Use of Recycled and Reused Materials went to Jane Belanger for her gourd bee box, with Runners-Up in this category to Terry and Pam Schmidt for their striped bee boxes. The Youngest Builder was Isabel Brunner, age 13, for her high-rise bee box built with her Mom and sister. Best Family Collaboration was awarded to the Hesser family for their Gnome Invasion, and the award for Outstanding Design went to Mark Olsen for his Bee Block Douglas Fir bee box.

We also unveiled new EarthLinks products, including the EarthLinks’ bee box design

EarthLinks Bee Boxes

Rain/Irrigation Barrels

and Rain/Gravity-Irrigation Barrels.   To purchase these or any of are our products click here…

Over 60 businesses and dozens of individuals donated items for the auction. Major sponsors for the event were Centura Health,  Roger Nittler & Co., CPA,  the St. Anthony Health Foundation, the Dominican Sisters of Hope, the Sisters of Loretto, Wellspring Trust, Steele St. Bank and Trust, and many other individuals and friends.  Many thanks to all of our generous sponsors, donors and friends.