A recent celebration of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie
”
Vertigo
”
has earned Mission San Juan Bautista more than $25,000.
A recent celebration of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “Vertigo” has earned Mission San Juan Bautista more than $25,000.
Held from Oct. 5 to Oct. 7 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of filming “Vertigo” at the mission, the weekend included a movie screening, a scholarly symposium and a fundraising dinner, where the food was providing by master chef Rick Edge, Jr. The different events brought in a total of $28,872.79. And with costs of $2,271.80, the net fundraising total was $26,602.99
“Well, I would have liked to have had more,” said fundraising chairwoman Donna Guerra Howe, who thought up the “Vertigo” weekend. “But everyone seems pretty happy with it.”
The event’s top sponsors were the Guerra Nut Shelling Co., as well as Donna Howe and her husband Bruce, with donations of between $1,000 and $5,000 each. Dassell Petroleum, Dr. Michael Denny, and the accounting firm Bianchi, Kasavan & Pope all donated between $500 and $999.
The money isn’t targeted for a specific purpose, but rather general mission restoration, Howe said.
“It will go towards restoration to the bathrooms, which (is) desperately needed,” Howe said. “It depends on what needs the money most.”
The organizing committee is already thinking about future events. Different committee members will present proposals for a follow-up fundraiser in 2008, and Howe said she’d like to hold a film screening combined with wine tasting or another outdoor event.
Organizers don’t have a breakdown yet of the amount raised at individual events, Howe said, but the live and silent auctions during the fundraising dinner brought in “quite a bit of money.” Donated items from Al Guerra and Vedana Freitas, the San Juan Roasting Co. and local artist Nutzle were particularly lucrative, she said.
The “Vertigo” fundraiser was the largest event Howe has organized, and she said it has been exhausting. That’s why, even though she’s hoping for fundraisers in 2008 and beyond, Howe also said, “Personally, I would like to not be in charge.”
