Fundraiser: 44th Annual Edgewood Fair “Rock the Casbah”
Date: May 4-5
Co-Chairs: Sarah Moody (left) and Janet Lautenberger (right)
Beneficiary: Edgewood Center for Children and Families
Event411: The Edgewood Auxiliary will host its 44th Annual event at the Presidio’s Golden Gate Club and will feature exquisite Mediterranean cuisine, decadent auction and shopping opportunities, and dynamic speakers and entertainment. This venerable San Francisco tradition, a lavish two-day fundraiser, will benefit the Edgewood Center for Children and Families and its programs that support Bay Area children and families in crisis.

Co-chairing an event can be tricky, especially if you’ve chaired big fundraisers solo. How do you find collaborating – how do you divide and conquer?

SM: I love a partner in crime. From our complimentary skill-sets to brainstorming on how to deliver a unique WOW experience for our patrons, Janet rocks!

JL: Sarah and I each have our own strengths and previous experience to draw from that really complement one another. And thank God for late night emails because that’s when most things get accomplished

What’s new for this year’s event?

We try not to re-create the wheel each year but to add a new twist and add some fresh ideas. With a Rock the Casbah theme the décor is going to be amazing. There will be a lot of new vendors so shopping will be unique and fun. Also, we have a great speaker for the luncheon, Christine Carter who speaks to happiness and raising happy children. Always a hot topic.

What qualities make an event Chair successful?

SM: Have a vision, build teams with clear roles and responsibilities, believe and be passionate about your cause, and always being available to inspire and motivate, brainstorm, remove obstacles, and just have fun with it all.

JL: Communication and handling issues in a timely manner. I think that is all the committees need and we really try to do that so that everyone is working together and building off each other’s ideas.

What is one fundraising tip you’ve learned that you’re willing to share?

SM: The power of a handwritten note. A note with a genuine heartfelt story about why this is important to you, as well as the person you are asking for support, and the community as a whole.

JL: Just ask. The money can come from the strangest places but just ask.

Tell us a little about your backgrounds – Where are you from? Where did you go to school? What do you do for work?

SM: I am originally from England, and at a young age moved to Jamaica and then Chicago to go to high school. I went to college in Michigan, and came to San Francisco after graduation to visit my best friend on a 10 day holiday and never left! That was 20 years ago. For the last 9 years I have had my own high tech product marketing consulting company- a recipe to build the perfect work/fun/philanthropy balance in ones life….something very important to me.

JL: I grew up nearby in Lafayette. I went to San Diego State and then quickly returned to San Francisco after graduating. I worked in radio advertising sales both locally and nationally for 15 years which gave me a great background in connecting with people, listening and keeping organized. I now work as a regional sales rep for Elle Décor magazine and I LOVE it. I work from home so I can juggle work and my Edgewood commitments fairly smoothly.

Do you have a fundraising mentor?

SM: Ginger Wilcox from the Junior League of San Francisco. WOW!

JL: I don’t but I have a lot of people who I have met through working with Edgewood that I have watched and try to emulate. Nancy Rubin the CEO of Edgewood has really taught us to be ambassadors for the children at Edgewood and there are various women who I have worked with that I respect and admire for the way they handle situations.

What is your idea of perfect bliss?

SM: A candlelit dinner party in early summer outside with my best friends and family on the top of the isle of Capri at a little restaurant called Da Paolino. It’s in a lemon grove!

JL: A hammock on the west side of Lake Tahoe

[Feature photo by Drew Altizer]