Grandover Resort Donates Golf Package to Auction to Benefit Gatewood Center, Group Homes

Greensboro, NC, October 03, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Grandover Resort in Greensboro has donated a one-night stay in its European styled hotel and two rounds of golf on one of its world-class golf courses to the “Spaghetti Auction” dinner to raise funds for the Gatewood Center and Greensboro and Thomasville Group Homes. The event will take place Monday, November 5, at Café Pasta Grille on State Street in downtown Greensboro.

The Gatewood Care Center and group homes are part of the statewide not-for-profit RHA Howell network of residential facilities that provide care, education, and the opportunity for successful life outcomes for people with disabilities. The majority of the people RHA Howell serves have severe to profound developmental disabilities and many have complicated medical concerns. The programs provide a vast array of habilitative services, which, until now, have been funded almost solely by Medicare.

“We have functioned nearly 30 years without active fundraising and development programs. That is an incredible achievement,” said Mark Spano, director of funds development. “But the landscape has changed and public funding just will not be enough for us to continue the quality of care, offer competitive pay, and make the needed capital improvements in an organization that serves so many so well.”

So for the first time in its history, RHA Howell is launching a series of community fundraising events. The Triad effort will kick off with the “Spaghetti Auction” at Café Pasta Grille, which will include take-out lunches by day, then cocktails, dinner and an auction of artwork by North Carolina artists and Gatewood residents that evening.

According to Debbie Valentine, events planner, the “spaghetti” portion of the title is an old tradition at Gatewood. “The staff prepares spaghetti dinners on-site twice a year to raise money,” she explained. “We decided to keep the ‘spaghetti’ in the title of our new event, even though we will be serving a variety of gourmet selections. To kick that idea up a notch, we added the auction and an upscale location.”

The Grandover’s donation, valued at $500, offers the auction winner a luxury “junior suite,” complimentary usage of the resort’s health club and pool, and breakfast for two in the Di Valletta Restaurant, plus two 18-hole rounds of golf on a course designed by well-known golf architects David Grahan and Gary Panks.

“We’re very grateful to have such a special package from Grandover the put up for auction,” said Debbie Valentine, RHA events planner.

Besides the Grandover package, other items in the auction will include original paintings by North Carolina artists and handmade pottery by Gatewood residents.

Tickets are $12 for take-out lunches at Cafe Pasta Grill and $25 for the evening Cocktails & Dinner Art Auction. To purchase tickets and inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Debbie Valentine at 919-941-0530; dvalentine@rhanet.org. For more information on RHA Howell Care Centers, visit http://www.rhahowell.org.

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