Submitted by Nancy Stevens, Meetup Committee Member and Host in NW Portland

What a great time at the Host2Host Fun(d) Raiser to celebrate the close of 2022 and welcome the new year! We had an amazing array of items, valued at over $8,000 – available as raffle or auction items – everything from gift cards, food, tours, and, of course, vacation rental listings from Oregon to Florida! In the end, there were more than 30 very happy winners!

Holiday greetings were shared in at least six different languages, and guests learned about holiday drinks such as rumchata and Christmas noggin. 

The biggest challenge seemed to be extending time for the purchase of raffle tickets. But, eventually, Santa brought a much-desired extension, so everyone was able to make the purchases they wanted. 

While the RallyUp platform required a certain amount of flexibility, by the end of the evening, around $3,500 was raised and a good time was had by all. A few of the big winners were: Heather Goldberg who won three raffle items and two auction items. Diana Gladden, new Host2Host Board Member won a 2-night stay at Whispering Woods in Mt. Hood, graciously donated by fellow Board Member Laura Angyus. Then, we were all happily surprised to receive a special gift for everyone on the call – Alanna Schroeder’s course on starting and optimizing your short-term rental. 

What a great evening! Thank you to all the donors, sponsors, members, and guests who made this a fun and successful FUN(d) Raiser! Hope to see your smiling face at future Host2Host in-person and online events!