Community Gave Generously at Cruise Night

Cruise Night 2011 raised over $136,000 to help Catholic Charities Harbor House. Held February 27 at the Beech Activity Center, over 650 people attended the event, up from the numbers in attendance for 2010.  

Guests enjoyed stops along the California coast such as Baja, La Jolla, Carmel and Sausalito, created by local florists and chefs.

Chefs from across Wichita created tantalizing cuisine. The captain and host for the evening was Rene Steven of Spangles, Inc. Steven joined Cynthia N. Colbert, Catholic Charities Executive Director, to greet guests and set the pace for the evening. As host, Steven offered a chance to appear in a Spangles commercial as part of the live auction. The item brought in $1,500 for the charity.

 “At this point in the year, we are pleased with the results of this event,” said Cynthia N. Coblert, Executive Director of Catholic Charities. “It has been reassuring to see and hear from many of our past supporters and new supporters too. We are thankful for the help of those who organize this event and to those who support it.”

The vendors that give generously to this event are Blue Moon Caterers, Eurest Dining Services, Mike’s Wine Dive, Wichita Marriott, Wild Thyme Bakery & Café, Redbud Farms Catering, Balloon Studio, J.R. Koontz Flowers, The Plaid Giraffe, Beards Floral and Marlene Valliere and Natalie Herlocker.

We would also like to thank our many sponsors for their generous support, without which Cruise Night could not be a success. Via Christi Health, Capps Manufacturing, Preferred Health Systems, IMA of Kansas, Fugate Enterprises, Bank of America, Printmaster, Entercom Radio, Spangles, Latshaw Enterprises, Armstrong Shank Advertising, Foulston Siefkin, AT&T of Kansas, Kennedy & Coe, Great Plains Imagin, Dustee’s Fashion Accessories, Vornado Air, Sharpline Converting, Reddi Industries, Mechanical Systems and C.E. Machine Co., Inc.

It is also important to thank the many volunteers that make up the Harbor House Advisory Council. The advisory council works year round to plan and organize the event and raise funds for Catholic Charities Harbor House.

The money raised at Cruise Night goes back to help women break the cycle of domestic violence at Catholic Charities Harbor House. Harbor House is a shelter for abused women and their children. Since opening in 1992, Harbor House has helped thousands of victims of domestic violence through shelter and outreach advocacy and prevention services. The new shelter facility opened in 2006, making Harbor House the largest domestic violence shelter in the state. This Catholic Charities program is able to make a difference not only in the lives of those who stay at the shelter, but also in the lives of thousands of others who receive outreach services. Last year more than 1,500 women and children were touched by the services of Harbor House, and nearly 300 of them stayed in the shelter.