Wow, what a way to celebrate our 10th Birthday!
Stars Over the Sahara, our 10th Anniversary celebration hosted by Dan Philbrick at Three River Farms in Dover, NH, was a great success! RAIN friends and supporters enjoyed African music, purchased Niger crafts, and laughed along with New Hampshire’s favorite writer and humorist, Rebecca Rule.
Rule served as RAIN’s auctioneer, cheerfully coaxing donors to bid on tickets for Dancing with the Stars, vacation home rentals and objects of art, as well as “bidding” to support RAIN’s education and community cooperative programs in Niger, West Africa. Everyone had great fun, and together raised more than $80,000 for RAIN’s programs.
Over 200 guests enjoyed fare provided by Jumpin’ Jays, Tulsi Restaurant, and Take Away Café. Guests also visited the RAIN Constellation of Programs, learning about artisan cooperatives, market gardens, and mentoring programs along the way. RAIN’s new Niger Country Director, Halima Hamza Malam, was on hand to talk about efforts on the ground in Niger. The evening was punctuated with joyous West African drums by the Black Bear Moon Rhythm Ensemble.
Stars Over the Sahara would not have been a success without our friends and supporters. We would like to thank the following event sponsors: Tom Haas, Joanne Lamprey, Liz and Rod Berens, John Ahlgren and Bess Palmisciano, Kirsten and Hunter Brownlie, Martha Fuller Clark and Geoffrey Clark, Lelia and John Lamson, Opus Advisors, PAX World Fund, QHT, Inc., Samonas Realty, Art of the Future, Patience and Tom Chamberlin, Robert Gray Construction, Susan and Charles Lassen, Janet Prince and Peter Bergh, Chelsey and David Remington, Harry Schult, Emilie and Dick Spaulding, Ann and Peter Tarlton, Susan Hirshberg and John Wall, Katie and Doug Wheeler, William Renaud Jr. Trucking, Inc., Appledore Real Estate, Nancy and David Borden, Joan and Frank Graf, Leslie and Peter Homans, Ree and Firoze Katrak, Zenagui Brahim, David T. Parent, Kathy and Roderick Richards, Allison Reedy and Shane Smith, the Stanhope Group, Naomi and Jeff Vanderwolk, R. Peter Taylor and Betsy and Frank Wilczek. Members of the Rotary Club of Exeter volunteered at the event, and the Club donated $1,000 to RAIN’s Niger programs.
Special thanks also to Dan Philbrick, Rebecca Rule, Phineas Press, Tom Bergeron and Lois Harman, Bruce Doty, John Seavey, Jay McSharry, Tulsi Restaurant, Smuttynose Brewery, South Street & Wine, Zakanaka Day Spa, Julie Driver, Donna and Perry Pratt, Leonard Seagren, Charter Weeks, Susan Heckaman, Event Committee Chairs Lee Lamson and Kathryn Ferguson, Ann Tarlton, Kathy Richards, Harry Schult, Brooke Howell, Donna Blumenthal, Stephanie Beck, and Ree Katrak.
