Welcome to Jesse's Annual Holiday Soiree

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The 2020 Virtual Edition




As we wrap up this holiday season, a big thank you to all of our supporters and all of those who donated to our fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida! Together we raised $16,951 for Second Harvest with an additional $3,350 in matching gifts yet to come through for a grand total of $20,301 which will allow Second Harvest to provide 81,204 meals to fight hunger in Central Florida! Truly amazing!!! Scroll down on this page for some more fun stats on our fundraising efforts. Though we have come to the end of our fundraiser, we will leave all links to our fundraiser on this page active for one more week (1/7/21) for anyone who still wishes to contribute.

Please view our welcome video!

Thanks for stopping by and we hope you enjoy this year's online version of Jesse's Annual Holiday Soiree!! Just like always, but virtually this time, you can tour the decor (through photos and videos) and play reindeer games all through the options on the menu at the top of the page! Don't forget to leave a comment (link at bottom of every page) to sign the "guestbook wreath"!

Traditionally, I've asked attendees of Jesse's Annual Holiday Soiree to bring with them donations of non-perishable items for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. This year, since we are celebrating virtually, I asked everyone who enjoys this virtual celebration to make a monetary donation as generous as possible to Second Harvest. Our goal was $12,000 and WE DID IT!!

Second Harvest Donation Total:

$16,951.00 !!

(as of 6:00 PM 1/4/21)

Goal - $12,000

(for the 12 Days of Christmas!!)

WE DID IT!!

We will still keep the fundraiser active through New Year's Eve for anyone else who still wishes to donate.

LOOK! We are now #2 on the leader board for Second Harvest's "Hope for the Holidays" Campaign!! --->

Some fun stats about our fundraiser:

$$$ raised - $16,951

# of individual donors - 156

# of repeat donors (multiple donations from same person) - 10

Matching Gift $$$ yet to come in - $3,350 (will bring total to $20,301)

% of donors not from Central Florida - 26% (CA, FL, GA, IN, KY, MI, NC, NY, OH, OR, UT, WA, WI)



A SPECIAL WELCOME AND THANK YOU TO OUR SECOND HARVEST DONORS:

  • Jimmy Rose

  • Lisa Carr

  • Scott Hall

  • Anonymous

  • Anonymous

  • Kathy Wilson

  • Joe Portela

  • Patrick Hayes

  • Michael Scheifler

  • J.B. Meeuwenberg

  • Jane Kimble

  • Erin Mack

  • Luis Mendez

  • Jose Castillo

  • Mim Flynn

  • Virginia Holsberry-Norris

  • Marla Tichi

  • Sam Liu

  • Calvin Lumpkin

  • Velvet Abalos-Moreo

  • Michele Mc Laverty Miersch

  • Emily Hammond Davoodi

  • Mary Smutny

  • Anonymous

  • Clay Shoemaker

  • Anonymous

  • Gwen & John Wallfred

  • Dave Janowski

  • Lene V

  • Melody McPherson

  • Rachel Quinn

  • Ryan Conroy

  • Anonymous

  • Leigh Wheeler

  • Mayra Irizarry

  • Alarico Rodrigues

  • Julie & Ruel

  • Kristin Schnell

  • Katie Hanewall

  • Patrick

  • Sally Webb

  • The Benamatis

  • Heather Earl

  • Brie Devore

  • LV

  • The Vetere Family

  • Paul Brennan

  • Anonymous

  • Mike England

  • Marla Rebhan

  • Susan Bunting

  • Anonymous

  • Cate Cranston

  • Sandra Mercurio

  • Meg Collins

  • Libby Bryson

  • Laurie Sintay Fox

  • Story Stuart

  • Maryann Smith

  • Katie Hufford

  • Jodi White

  • Alex Nikdel

  • Todd Milton Rye

  • Rebecca Monchecourt

  • Anonymous

  • Erissa MacKaron & Sean Curry

  • The Coleson Family

  • Amy Buege

  • Robert Wallfred

  • Liz Thomas

  • Bridget Conley

  • The DeMinck Family

  • Steve Fiorenzo & Family

  • Jessica Monroe

  • Sara Haecox

  • The Hayes Family

  • Marisol Vellos

  • Anne Hansel

  • John K

  • Jenny Pollock

  • Sheri Tryon

  • Mike Smyka

  • Christina Forney

  • Kim Ellis

  • Betty Downs

  • Chanell Keller

  • Amanda Mason

  • Mary Condes

  • Lindsay Cousineau

  • Lauren Corley

  • Jo Jo Johnson

  • Randall Morcom

  • Nathan Weber

  • Sandra Sanchez

  • Katie Eggert & Josh Harvey

  • Joey Canamo

  • Amanda Jonas

  • Allison Snyder

  • Tammy Baker

  • The McLaughlin Family

  • Schuyler, Chelsea, and baby Liam McCabe

  • Brenda Chambers

  • Lyndsay Volpe-Bertram

  • Amber Ratliff Taitingfong

  • Ryan Clifton

  • The Cole Family

  • Craig Hodnik

  • Nicole Heilig

  • Andy Wiginton

  • Pam Montz

  • Patti Kingsbury

  • Diane Petit

  • Courtney Speed

  • David Stubsten

  • Brianna Ivy

  • David, Nikki, Kaiya, Ellie, & Nia Theune

  • Kristin Lindsay

  • Kelly Thoele

  • Zach Tyler

  • Ken & Jeanne James

  • Shannon Conroy

  • Corrie Kelly

  • Valerie Thomison

  • Robert Lambert

  • Angie Klote

  • Keila Pullum

  • Matt Purcell

  • Meghan Moore

  • Christine Mikesell-Putnam

  • Cherry Hua

  • Shari Berce

  • Maryuri De Sousa

  • Amy Kisner

  • Tiffani Warner

  • Rebecca Brick Reed

  • Ketan Patel

  • Bryan Groves

  • The Guarino's

  • Chantel & Michael Berrin

  • Trish Brauninger

  • Katie & Ernie

  • Tammy Payne

  • Marilyn Schettler

  • Phil Holmes

  • Whitney Conner & Matt Taylor

  • Nicole Arleen

  • Carol Lee Griffin

  • Anonymous

  • Jim Dobson

  • Christopher Schwarz

  • Missy Isip

  • Vailma Cabrera

  • Patti Stafford

  • Heather Moyer

  • Yasuo Uotate

  • Shannon McCully

  • Emily Roy

  • Miki Garrison

  • Kathy-Jo Dolan

  • Tor Noel

  • Jesse Tryon


Text of the welcome video above:


"Welcome Family and Friends, new and old to Jesse’s Annual Holiday Soiree - 2020 - the first ever virtual edition!!


It’s both exciting to be celebrating our 28th year hosting and a bit bittersweet that we have had to go online and can’t celebrate in person. I say “our” 28th year because there are many people who help along the way whether with assistance putting up the decor, helping with the party itself, or in the case of this year, technical support as I built this website. A special thank you to all of them! It has been quite a year and we are certainly finding whatever ways we can to safely celebrate this season. While we celebrate in new and unique ways, it’s important to remember the vast impact that the ongoing pandemic continues to have on so many people. Lives, jobs, homes and so much more has been lost by so many, so I wanted to share some background and a holiday request...


As many of you know, at Jesse's Annual Holiday Soirée, we collect non-perishable food items and donate them to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Last year alone we collected over 1000 pounds of non-perishable items. Central Florida, and especially the hospitality industry here, has been hit extremely hard by the pandemic impacts so I’m thrilled to announce that we have found a way to continue our tradition of leveraging Jesse’s Annual Holiday Soirée to support Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. This year we are hosting a virtual food drive in which monetary donations are accepted online directly to Second Harvest on a secure site. On every page throughout this site, you can find a link at the right hand side of the Navigation bar and on the long red button at the bottom of each page. Given the drastic impact the Central Florida economy is facing I am asking everyone to please donate if you can and be as generous as you can. Every dollar helps. 'In this super quick and obvious audio overlay I'm upping the challenge because you all are AWESOME! Let's try to hit $12,000 by New Year's Eve to help fight hunger in Central Florida!' If you know someone who works for the theme parks in central Florida who has helped you in the past, this is a great opportunity to help them and their community in return. It’s easy and secure and as I mentioned, links can be found throughout the site. Since we can’t gather in person this year, much of the cost of putting on Jesse’s Annual Holiday Soirée will be donated as well.


Even though we aren't together, I can still share the festive decor and a bit of fun here online! Please enjoy the photo tour of my home's holiday decor! Additionally, it wouldn’t be Jesse’s annual holiday soirée without some games, so "The Great Pickle Caper" and "Do You Feel Illuminated?" contests are back as well.


I hope this virtual edition of Jesse's Annual Holiday Soiree brings you at least a little bit of holiday joy, and if it does...and even if it doesn't, please consider a donation to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.


Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Solstice, or other holidays may you feel the joy the season brings!


All the best and Happy Holidays!"