An Evening for the Schuylkill River

Whew! We are still reeling from all the excitement of our 2nd Annual Evening for the Schuylkill River, which was held on Saturday March 18. We couldn't have asked for a better evening to celebrate the river and to acknowledge the work of some of our key supporters with Schuylkill River Legacy Awards. Our award winners, pictured above, (l to r) were John Giannopoulos, managing partner for Sly Fox Brewing Co.; Leslie Richards, Secretary of PennDOT, and Brian Swisher, author/designer of "A Paddler's Guide to the Schuylkill River Water Trail."

Here are a few things that made the event so much fun:

1. We had terrific raffle and silent auction items. Included among the over 30 donations were pieces of original art, baskets of local beer and wines, tickets to area attractions, restaurant gift cards and more. Possibly the most coveted item of all was a beautiful Fusion kayak:

 

2. The venue was amazing! The historic Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Reading is a hidden treasure in downtown Reading, with a striking ballroom that lent an air of history and elegance to the evening.

3. The food was delicious. From the veggie and fruit trays to the hearty dinner and the plentiful desserts, it was a pleasing and enjoyable meal.

4. Cocktails were on the house! We and our guests were grateful to JP Mascaro and Sons, who sponsored the cocktail hour, and to Sly Fox Brewing Co., who provided us with two beer selections at a discounted price. What's more, the cocktails were poured behind the Abraham Lincoln Hotel's impressively beautiful bar.

 5. We brought back the Rob Haffley Band. Last year, during our first Evening for the Schuylkill River, we were pleased to feature Rob Haffley and his jazz trio. This year, he came as a duo with his keyboard player. They are both incredibly talented musicians whose music added to the evening's overall pleasant atmosphere.

6. It gave us a chance to honor friends of the Schuylkill River. What makes any event special? It is always the people who you spend it with. At the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, the annual dinner is an opportunity for us to spend time with our members, partners and others who share our love of the river. While the event serves to raise money for our projects and programs, it also allows us to celebrate the work we do with the people who care about it most. We are grateful to everyone who attended or otherwise contributed to make our event special.


Reading the article about our award winners in The Reading Eagle