Holly Hack – 2010 Festival Co-Chair
Holly is in her second year of co-chairing Festival of Tables, while also holding down the job of President of the Board of Directors for Child and Family Services.  She is one strong, go-getting kind of gal, who is starting a new mortgage business and raising three children in addition to her volunteer commitments.  We feel very fortunate to have her in our corner!

Colleen Macdonald – 2010 Festival Co-Chair
Colleen Macdonald is our co-chair for Festival of Tables, now in her second year in that role.  She is also an active member of the Child and Family Services Board of Directors.  Colleen brings an abundance of energy and commitment to children to her work, and goodness, does she walk the talk.  She and her husband Lucas own Mustard’s Restaurant, and they have five children:  Troy, 7; Arielle, 6; Thomas, 5; Andrea, 4; and Annabelle, 2–all adopted from the foster care program at Child and Family Services.  There isn’t a better ambassador for our mission than Colleen!

Polly Barnes – Program and Signage Chair
Polly is our Program and Signage Queen, having served Festival in this capacity since the beginning.  She’s a stickler for detail, as can be seen in her wonderful quilting and sewing projects–many of which she has donated to Festival over the years.  Polly is the office manager of Ferguson’s Fireplace & Stove Center which she owns with husband Brad.  She has two kids, Paul and Pam, and a grandson, Alex.

Lynne Hertler – Gratitudes and Photography Chair
After years of volunteering with Child and Family Services in countless beautifully creative ways, Lynne has created a new position for herself within Festival in 2010!  She recognizes the need to assure that everyone who participates is thanked properly, and that the occasion is well documented for years to come.  Lynne is very involved in school and school sports-related volunteering as well, and she also works to support husband Tim’s contracting business, Hertler and Associates.  Lynne has three kids, Jason, Michael, and Kate, and besides her family and children Lynne’s passion is art.

Jill James – Exhibitors Committee Co-Chair
Jill has been involved with Child and Family Services and Festival of Tables for years.  A consummate volunteer, Jill is also about bringing beauty to her efforts.  That’s why Festival of Tables is a perfect fit for her.  “I cannot imagine why anyone would not want to be active in Festival of Tables,” Jill says.  “At the 2009 Festival I felt like I was a personal hostess to the event and the Hagerty Center was my home. That is how personal the event becomes, because the mission is that important.”

Jill’s tables consistently wow Festival participants and everyone who sees them grace sponsoring businesses as we plan and prepare for the next year’s festivities.  Her decorating tips?  “I am a re-purposer, recycler and dumpster diver. I look for new ways to use and old item.  And let the decorating you do match who you are.  Always make it your own!!”

Deb Douglas – Exhibitors Committee Co-Chair
Deb joined the Festival Committee this year after her table “Savoring the Past” won First Time Designer and People’s Choice awards at Festival 2009!  Deb is a talented decorator with a great eye for color and texture, and with her good friend Jill James she is encouraging others with similar talents to participate in Festival in 2010! 

Kathy Koch – Live Auction Chair
Kathy is in her second year of volunteering for the Festival of Tables, again spearheading the fabulous Friday night live auction.  Kathy is a whiz at putting together packages that move people to bid generously!  She’s motivated by the needs of children, and she has three grown boys of her own, so we are lucky that Kathy puts her energy to work for Child and Family Services.  Kathy also loves to bike, garden, read, and enjoy a good glass of wine, and she teaches Zumba, a Latin/international dance fitness program that sounds like great fun!  Kathy is the co-owner of Peninsula Title Services.

Tracey Kukla-Aleshire – Social Media Committee Chair
Tracey joined the Child and Family Services Board of Directors this year and has jumped into her role with both feet.  In addition to taking on the task of bringing Festival onto the social media scene, Tracey is Co-Chair of the CFS Marketing Committee.  Tracey is a producer/director at Brauer Productions, and is passionate about children, especially her own:  Eva, 7, Lachlan, 4, and Baron, 2.

Tracey’s entertaining tips?  “When it comes to entertaining, my motto is ‘keep things simple,’ she says.  Develop a tried and true repertoire of make-ahead dishes so you can spend the time with your guests rather than in the kitchen.”  Good advice!

Brenda Miller – Sponsorships Committee Chair
Brenda is in her fifth year of volunteering for Festival, and served on the Marketing Committee previously.  Brenda’s volunteer involvement has always focused on youth and education, and for many years she was active in the planning and implementation of Elk Rapids’ Harbor Days, so she knows how to throw a party!

Brenda has two grown sons and “two perfect grandchildren!”

Terry Hooper – Decor Committee Chair
Terry has been involved with Festival of Tables since the very first event in 2001.  She has designed Festival centerpieces and has a wonderful eye for texture and color, probably because her two passions are cooking and floral design!  Terry creates dinners to go for Peninsula Market and creates lasting floral memories for her bridal and other clients of Hooper’s Farm Gardens.

Terry’s other passion is kids.  She has found herself in the position of being there for some teen friends facing life challenges without the support they needed.  Terry stepped in–and learned that this kind of work is heartbreaking for her.   So she chooses to give back in this way, using her talents to help elevate Child and Family Services’ work in the community.  Terry is a full-time mom as well, to Ian, 18, and Shannon, 17.

Sharon Scranton – Volunteer Chair
Sharon is the consummate volunteer!  You will find her at many events around the community, as well as the Women’s Resource Center Thrift Shop.  Festival of Tables is one of her favorites. 

Cathy Spanski – Event Details Committee Chair
Cathy has been part of every Festival of Tables but one.  She’s been a table designer and the Chair of the Party Committee, now know as Event Details.  Cathy loves her involvement with Festival not only because it’s such a great cause, but “the wonderful people I get to work with”  Amen!

Cathy feels fortunate to be a stay at home mom.  She has given much of her volunteer time to her children’s schools, presently chairing the fundraising commitee for her daughter’s 2010 Senior Party.  Her family, including husband Brad, to whom she has been married for 25 years, and three children, Lee, 21, a sophomore at MSU, Lauren, 18, a senior at TC Central  High School, and Brett, 14, an 8th grader at East Middle School, are one of her passions, along with oil painting and gardening.  When Festival 2010 wraps up, Cathy will be pursuing a landscape/garden design degree through MSU!

Christine Stalsonburg - Raffle Committee Chair
Christine is in her second year of volunteering with Festival.  She is a realtor these days, but spent another part of her career in emergency medicine.  That experience fueled her passion for assuring that all children have a healthy start in life.  In other volunteers efforts with Child and Family Services, Christine knits children’s hats and scarves and participates in our Paper Angels holiday giving program.

Christine has two grown sons and two grandaughters, ages five and three.

Faith Tanner – Raffle Ticket Sales Chair
Faith is a three-year volunteer with the Festival of Tables and has also served on Child and Family Services’ Tee Up FORE Kids Golf Outing Committee.  Faith’s love of golf shows in other volunteer work, for the PGA and as a 2010 Ryder Cup marshall.  She loves volunteering and believes that volunteerism, along with an optimistic attitude, can “change the world!”

For all her gregariousness and smiling countenance, Faith doesn’t really consider herself a hostess and has learned alot from Festival.  Her entertaining tips?  “Come as you are, be ready to laugh… and can you please bring the food?”

Faith is blessed to have two grown children, Rob and Courtney, and is a new grandma to Beatrice, 7 months.