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!"