For the 28th consecutive year, the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce is presenting its Silent Auction, the major fundraiser for the summer’s annual Honor America Days Celebration, 5:30-10:00 pm on Friday, March 15, at Teugega Country Club. The public is invited to join in the fun with bidding on hundreds of items that will help you do-it-yourself, enjoy yourself, pamper yourself, and save money on products and services. Tickets are available at the chamber office, 139 W. Dominick St., or online at EventBrite for $35 in advance. Tickets will be $40 at the door.
Jennifer Beach Brillante, chairman of the Chamber’s Silent Auction Committee, said: “This year’s event will feature a performance by Tom Anzalone – comedian, entertainer, musician and teacher who uses his talents to delight audiences of all ages. With a few simple props, guitar and roll of electrical tape, Tom produces quick and quirky musical impersonations of Elvis, Elton, Springsteen and countless more. But it is off-key creativity that spawns his usual standing ovation. His Springsteen recites the alphabet (to the tune of “Born In The U.S.A.”), his Pinball Wizard (from the rock opera Tommy) is sung, well, opera style. Tom consistently hits the right notes for any audience,” she said.
Anzalone will perform 9-10pm. Anzalone is classically trained. He began his career performing in musicals and operas while pursuing his stand-up comedy routine and has performed in venues of all sorts across the country and internationally. His television appearances include America’s Funniest People (ABC) and the Showtime Comedy Club Network. He has performed at New York City’s Laugh Factory, Atlantic City’s and Las Vegas’ Tropicana Hotels and in more than forty states. In addition, he has entertained passengers on the Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.
“We are looking forward to celebrating “Christmas in July” during this summer’s Honor America Days Celebration, and the Silent Auction is a wonderful event to get us started. While the Honor America Days Committee concentrates on securing sponsorship monies to help fund Honor America Days, the Silent Auction is a great way to not only raise needed funding but provide a great event for all to enjoy. We are grateful for the Silent Auction Committee’s dedication to assisting the Honor America Days Celebration, and we are looking forward to a great evening of fun featuring comedian Tom Anzalone,” said Mayor Jacqueline M. Izzo, Honor America Days Chairperson.
Biddings on items starts at 5:30, and until 8pm attendees will enjoy:
A variety of cheeses and crackers, hummus and house baked pita chips, fresh vegetables with spinach dip, followed by a mixed green salad paired with wild mushroom bisque. Attendees can make their own beef or fish sliders: thinly sliced top sirloin and lightly breaded and fried fish, with pre-cut slider buns, shredded lettuce, cheese, tomato, onions, pickles, gin mill tartar sauce, ketchup, mustard, and steak sauce. Then it’s the pasta and potato station: chilled Italian pasta salad with salami, pepperoni, provolone, pepper rings all tossed with penne pasta. Also, vegetable Alfredo, penne pasta tossed with vegetables and an Alfredo sauce and topped with asiago cheese. And, waffle fries tossed with truffle oil
and blue cheese crumbles, plus stuffed potato skins with mashed potatoes, chives, bacon, cheese, and topped with angry onions!
A cash bar will be available all evening. The evening of food, entertainment, and silent bidding will also include a live auction segment conducted by former Rome Mayor Joe Fusco. A 50/50 raffle and door prizes will also be offered. NBT Bank is the Event Sponsor, Nunn’s Home Medical Equipment is the Supporting Sponsor, and Strategic Financial Services and Destito Realty Inc. are the Participating Sponsors.
The Silent Auction was established by the Chamber in 1992 as a way for businesses and community members to help to fund Rome’s annual Honor America Days Celebration, which was established in 1984. The major sponsors of Honor America Days donate thousands of dollars each year to pay for promotion, administration, and entertainment expenses associated with the Honor America Days Parade and Symphoria Symphony Pops Concert and fireworks held on the last Saturday in July (27th in 2019) each year. Smaller businesses are unable to make major sponsorship commitments each year but they eagerly want to support Honor America Days, so the Chamber established the Silent Auction as a
way of adding to the funding stream, gaining more support from the community, and offering great deals on merchandise during an entertaining evening for the public to enjoy
Chamber members who volunteer their time to organize the Silent Auction are:
Carol Brigandi, retired community volunteer
Jennifer Beach Brillante of C&D Advertising
Frank Belmont of A Mad Affair
Iris Buczkowski of Strategic Financial Services
Wendy Calabrese of Kris-Tech Wire
Russell Hayes of First Source Federal Credit Union
Mike Manuele of AmeriCU Credit Union
Michelle Minicozzi of A Mad Affair
Jordann Stevens of BME
Dennis Surace of NBT Bank …
AmeriCU Credit Union representatives and friends are continuing the tradition of staffing the cashier stations at the auction: Cindi Goggin, Sonya Ezell, and Cathy Matys.
