An amazing group of people worked incredibly hard to produce BBA’s Annual Dinner.  Planning started in the Fall when Lesli Blount and Becky Cassidy volunteered to chair the Annual Dinner Committee and their organizational skills were evident in every detail of the event. Denise Sortor provided superior staff support that pulled all the pieces together, and many volunteers and contributors stepped up to make it all happen.

What a treat to have the Church Street Marketplace “reconstructed” at the Sheraton—with banners flying, the seating area with bench and bricks, and trees with little white lights. Thank you to Pat Rideout and Marketplace staff for their efforts and creativity to make that happen.

And the flowers!  Theresa McGuire of Twigs et fleurs did wonders for the tables with her elegant arrangements.

This year’s program had a lively new feature that had us dancing to the podium: Rod Hill from KOOL 105 provided music chosen specially to introduce the speakers and highlight special moments.  Dan Dubonnet as MC kept things moving and interesting  with his good humor and  professionalism.

There are so many more people to thank: our speakers, Governor Douglas and Mayor Kiss, so gracious to join us.  The winners of the awards for their accomplishments and eloquent acceptance speeches: Ron Redmond, recipient of the Nate Harris Award; Melinda Moulton and Lisa Steele of Main Street Landing for 60 Lake Street, winner of the Hertzel Pasackow Award; Bill Truex, Tom Cullins and their partners, including Rolf Kielman who accepted the Burlington Business Award

for the firm. We also are grateful to Bill Truex for allowing us to feature his fascinating slide show created for Preservation Burlington.

More thanks… to Rick Norcross of Airflyte Productions for design of ads, invitations & programs; Paw Print & Mail for printing of invitations & programs; Otter Creek Memories for digital scans; Kate & Michael Stein for Silent Auction assistance; Magic Hat Brewery, sponsor of the cocktail hour; Select Design, our decoration sponsor; Kate Watson and The Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center for their gracious hospitality, organizational help and fabulous hors d’oeuvres and dinner.

The volunteers on the Annual Dinner Committee made it happen so smoothly: Co-Chairs Lesli Blount & Becky Cassidy, Dan Dubonnet,  Robynn Albert, Laura Bowe, Pat Burns, Mitch Cantor, Nicole Clements, Mariana Effron, Mark Ellingson and Rick Norcross.

We’re especially grateful for the generous support of our Annual Dinner Sponsors: KeyBank, Main Street Landing, Chittenden, R.E.M. Development Co., and TD Banknorth.

And what a great auction!  Many thanks to all of you who bought items, and to all who generously donated:

The “Living Auction”

Mayor Kiss, Heritage Flight; Perrywinkle’s Fine Jewelry, and  Ron Hernandez

The Silent Auction

Adelphia Media Services * Airflyte Productions* Anything's Pastable *  Mirabelles * Apple Mountain * Bennington Potters North * Burlington Chef Services * Burlington City Arts * Burlington Magazine * Burlington Town Center * CCTA * Cedar Wood Chiropractic * Champlain Valley Expo * Chittenden Bank * City Market * Core Studio * Discover Jazz * ECCO . . . Clothes for women * ECHO at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain * Expressions

* First Night Burlington * Flynn Center for the Performing Arts * Freeman French Freeman * Gobeille Hospitality Group * Grannis Gallery * Greater Burlington YMCA * Gregory Supply * Hall Communications * Halvorson's Upstreet Café * Hanson Investment Management * Homeport * JMM & Associates * Katherine Montstream * KeyBank *Rick & Lesli Blount * Kiss the Cook * Kountry Kart Deli * Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center * Lake Champlain Ferries * Lake Champlain International * Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce * Larkin Realty * Leunig's Bistro * Lindt Chocolate Store * Local Motion * Lyric Theatre * Main Street Landing * Merchants Bank * Michael Kehoe Ltd. * N. A. Durso Woodworking * New England Air Systems * Northfield Savings Bank * Paw Print & Mail * Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. * Photogarden * Preservation Burlington * Robynn's Cleaning Service * Roque's Restaurante Mexicano * RunVermont * Seven Days * Shelburne Farms * Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center * Smokejacks * Spirit of Ethan Allen III * TD Banknorth * The Burlington Free Press * The Inn at Essex * The Shoe Shop * The UPS Store Regional Office * Truex Cullins Interiors * UVM Lane Series * UVM Theatre * Vermont Railway * Vermont Stage Company * Vermont Symphony Orchestra * Vermont Times * Westaff * Whistling Man Schooner * Willard Street Inn * Wyndham Burlington         

- Nancy