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For Immediate Release

Written by: Susan Alderman, 260-481-6165

Media Contact: Irene Walters, 260-481-6104

Gala/Auction Raises $175,000+ for United Way

(Fort Wayne, Oct. 24, 2005) -- More than one thousand people gathered at the Grand Wayne Center Friday night, Oct. 21, with two thoughts in mind: raise a lot of money for the United Way of Allen County, and give the Mastodons on Parade a fitting finale. Both goals were not only met, but were exceeded by amounts even greater than hoped for.

Irene Walters, executive director of IPFW’s office of university relations and communications, whose brainchild the Mastodons on Parade project was, says more than $175,000 was raised during the live and silent auctions of mastodons and miniature mastodons. John Cantrell set the mood for the auction by entertaining the audience with his Mark Russell-esque musical composition about the mastodons. The main event of the evening, the live auction of 16 full-size mastodons, was a lavishly staged and designed show produced by Mark Carboni and Lori Lobsiger, with video assistance from PUNCH. The Steffen Group conducted the actual business of the auction.

Walters says the evening was a huge success, “…Bidding was lively, and at times, very competitive! The people of Fort Wayne are generous, and the results of this auction underscore just how generous they really are! I can’t say enough about our corporate sponsors Scott Food and Pharmacy, North American Moving and Storage, A Party Apart, Auto Collision Service, and The Steffen Group; without them we could never have been so successful and raised as much money for the United Way.”

For more information on the gala/auction, call Walters at 260-481-6105.

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