Couple's party raises $8700 for Community Christmas
HOLIDAY SHORES - Children who love presents and people who love to socialize can both agree on one thing: Kevin and Karla Suttles know how to throw a party.
A total of 110 people piled into the Holiday Shores Clubhouse last Saturday for the fifth annual Community Christmas Toy Drive and Holiday Gathering.
For years, the Suttleses have been big supporters of the Community Christmas campaign, which is sponsored by United Way Southwest Illinois Division and The Telegraph, and benefits a number of charities in The Telegraph area.
The party was moved this year to the clubhouse after being held for years at Gilliganz, a local bar and grill. The extra space brought out an even bigger crowd and made the event one of the most successful yet for Community Christmas.
The event raised $8,700.
"It's the best we've had," said Karla Suttles, pre-press manager for The Telegraph. "We were so excited to go over last year's donation.
"Our poker run by boat that we hold in the summer helped with the extra costs of the band and renting of the clubhouse this year," she said.
"The first year we held it, we collected toys and raised $215," Suttles said, crediting her husband for making the event finally take off.
"He loves it," she said. "He was the inspiration to make it bigger."
This year, a band played for the event, and silent and oral auctions were held, with a host of contributed items, drawings and games. A total of 75 door prizes were given away, donated by local businesses.
One guest, Willie McArtor, "went above and beyond," she said, by collecting a host of toys and $230 at his workplace, Phoenix International in St. Louis.
The Suttleses said the residents of Holiday Shores make the event work.
"Year after year, they are the best group of people. Without them, it would not be the success that it is," she said.
She gave a special salute to Cindy Dannenbrink, "who works tirelessly on collecting items throughout the year for the party."
Suttles said everyone is anxious to return to the clubhouse in 2010.
"It's always the first Saturday of December," she said. "We're already booked for next year."
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