Tonight, I had the great pleasure of emceeing the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s “Feed Your Soul” fundraiser. What a terrific way to support our thriving arts community!
The sold-out event was hosted by Susan and Jonathan Lipp at Full Compass. Susan connected me with WCO after seeing me do a live auction for Gio’s Garden in October. I’m so glad that she introduced me to this fun event.
I’ve purchased items from Full Compass in the past, but I’ve never been to their facility. It is impressive, as is the company’s strong tradition of community engagement.
Giving back to the community has always been a Lipp family tradition, so active involvement in many civic organizations and generous philanthropic contributions are integral to their approach to business. Through the Charitable Contributions Committee, the employees of Full Compass raise well over $30,000 per year in cash and in-kind donations for various local and national charities. – Full Compass company history
Feed Your Soul featured live performances by WCO musicians and the Whitty-Schipper Collective, as well as my favorite mezzo soprano, Kitt Foss (a dear friend of Lily’s Fund). The evening concluded with an impromptu duet by Maestro Andrew Sewell and WCO exec Mark Cantrell.
Gourmet fare was provided by some of the area’s great gastronomic gurus, including Chef Shinji Muramoto (43 North, Restaurant Muramoto, and Sushi Muramoto) Chef Michael Pruett (Cento) and Chef Paul Morrison (Rare Steakhouse).
All the food was spectacular, but my personal favorite came from Chef Sean Crowley (Big Sky), who served up jumbo crab cakes topped with a citrus and avocado beurre blanc. Just typing the description makes me hungry again.
It’s not every charity emcee/auctioneer who shows up with his own camera to photograph the audience while hosting the event, but WCO staff were kind enough to tolerate this oddity.
You can see more photos on Flickr.