Shaking it Up for Science in SoDo

Conga line with Nancy Mee & Seaglider?

Nancy Mee & Carmen Gayton help display Seaglider

On Sunday night, Ken and I attended the very successful fundraiser for ARCS, "Shaking it Up for Science in SoDo" at the Herban Feast in SoDo.  ARCS is the acronym for Achievement Rewards for College Scientists and our mission is to contribute to the worldwide advancement of science and technology by funding fellowships for academically outstanding graduate students in the fields of science, engineering and medicine at the University of Washington and Washington State University.   The Seattle Chapter of ARCS is the most successful fundraising chapter in the nation.

Chaired magnificently by friends Carmen Gayton and Nancy Mee, we arrived to bright, festive draping throughout with beautiful hanging lanterns.  To announce time for dinner, the UW Husky Cheerleaders and full Ballard High School Marching Band marched through the venue loudly playing fight songs and high energy music.

Centerpiece with test tubes and candles

There were 21 items in the Live Auction, but the raise the paddle to fund scholarships for graduate students in science and math was amazing with approximately $172,000 (by my count) raised by only 195 people in the room.  In fact there were six donors who raised their paddles to fund full three-year ARCS scholarships at $17,500 each, which was impressive!  Total proceeds were around $300,000.

Nancy Mee, famous artist herself, and her artist husband, Dennis Evans, donated a beautiful Dennis Evans mixed media encaustic piece entitled "The Alchemist" which was raffled off and won by lucky ARCS member, Alta Barer.

ARCS President, Jacque Doane

New ARCS President, Jacque Doane, introduced two of our ARCS Fellows and they impressed the crowd with their brilliance.  It was great to see so many friends and ARCS supporters at the event including Bev & Don Jefferson, Ted Wagner, Rick Doane, Kaycee Krysty, Walter Schoenfeld, Stacy & Doug King, Carol Wright, Carver Gayton, Lynn & Steve Mowe, Elizabeth & Jon Roberts, Linda & Toby Warson, Elizabeth Rudolf, Joanne & Bruce Montgomery, Michele & Dan Heidt, Ann McCutcheon, Micki & Bob Flowers, Lynn & Mikal Thomsen and dozens of others.