By Kris Leonhardt

Editor

MARSHFIELD — This year’s Leadership Marshfield class is midway through the program and in the midst of its community projects. Among the chosen endeavors, one group of participants is working on an event-based program that is closely connected to one of its members.

“We had our first small group meeting, and we were brainstorming on ideas,” said Katie Officer. “We just thought it would be great if we promoted Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) more because a lot of people don’t even know that it is in the community.”

Heidi Goblirsch, executive director of BBBS of Wood County and a member of Officer’s project group, was also looking for a signature event to help support the community program.

“Financially, we are supported by the United Way,” said Goblirsch. “We also have other things, but we don’t have two main signature events that we definitely need to be stable financially.

“So when the group asked, ‘What do we need?’ I said, ‘Well, we need money, and we need awareness.’”

The group tossed around several ideas that might bring in the funds needed while putting the program in the community spotlight.

“We came up with the gala because we can recur it the next year. We want it to be sustainable,” Goblirsch said.

Goblirsch; Officer, who is a member of the First Weber group; Chris Mueller, Forward Financial Bank; Rachel Zaleski, Marshfield Clinic; and Leslie Smith, Hawkins Ash CPAs, began planning a gala event that would change themes each year.

The first BBBS Gala will be held March 11 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. The evening is black tie optional and will include a cocktail hour with a jazz quartet followed by dinner, entertainments, and a silent auction.

Tickets for the event cost $65 per person, $120 per couple, or $450 for a table of eight. Tickets may be purchased online at bbbswood.org.

For more information or to donate to the event, email Heidi Goblirsch at marshfield@bbbswood.org or call 715-387-6198.