Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Wine, Beer Fest raises funds for HIT

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Ironwood - Party-goers stepped back in time Saturday night at the Ironwood Memorial Building as they celebrated at the '20s-themed Historic Ironwood Theatre's Wine and Beer Fest.

"We had an amazing turnout," said Chris Luxton, one of the co-chairs for the fundraiser. "And I am totally thrilled to see how into it everyone got with the (theme). These people look amazing."

She explained the 1920s theme was chosen in recognition of the theatre's 90th anniversary and its founding in 1928.

Over 200 people attended Saturday's fundraiser, Luxton said; which featured silent and bag auctions, a wine pull and a designer purse raffle, as well as refreshments and hors d'oeuvres

Luxton, who moved to the Gogebic Range from Madison roughly 18 months ago, said the Historic Ironwood Theatre means a lot of different things to different people - everything from its role as a historic building to introducing young people to theater and more.

"Moving up here from a bigger city, it really seems important to keep something like the theatre here and not just for the historic reasons, but you know for entertainment," Luxton said.

Now in its third year, Luxton said she hoped the fundraiser gave people the opportunity to go out for a night and do something different.

The money raised at the event will be used for a variety of projects and costs at the theatre, Luxton said. Adding to the fundraiser's power was Don and Abby Funk's offer to match up to $25,000 raised Saturday.

"With the Don and Abby Funk match; that's a huge, huge, huge opportunity. Literally (the theatre) could double their annual budget," Luxton said. "It's going to go a long, long way for this place."

The match is earmarked for youth programming, according to Luxton, which allows the theatre to fund both programming and pay for renovations - such as the campaign to raise funds for the replacement of the theatre's roof.

"It's nice to have that match, because then all of our funds we can put towards a big roof project and still be able to fund the youth theatre and (other) programming," Luxton said.

 
 
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