So many people contributed to great success of Pub Mania 2011

To the editor,

On December 8 and 9, 696 "Culinary Athletes" and numerous customers of Patrick’s Pub & Eatery participated in the third “Pub Mania” event in support of the WLNH Children’s Auction. Inspired by Laconia Athletic & Swim Club’s “Cycle Mania”, Pub Mania is billed as a “24-hour barstool challenge”.

For 24 continuous hours, beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, Patrick’s, along with event sponsors, local businesses and area musicians provided participants with food, non-alcoholic beverage, entertainment and fun and games for 24 hours. Team captains for each barstool filled their team with 24 participants (one person per hour) and set about to inspire each member of their team to raise funds for the Children’s Auction. Funds raised via teams, sponsorships, 50-50 raffles and T-shirt sales were passed directly to the Children’s Auction. In addition, Patrick’s donated 20-percent of gross sales for the day. We were all thrilled, amazed and delighted to present a check for $110,770 to the WLNH Children’s Auction! In addition, teams brought in almost 3,000 food items that were brought to the food pantry at St. Vincent de Paul.

We would like to thank the Pub Mania teams and team captains for their efforts making this event so successful and so much fun. The enthusiasm and spirit that they and their teams brought to this event was truly remarkable! Our thanks and appreciation to the following teams and their captains:

Lahey Landscaping and captain Janet Mckone; ‘Santa Can You Hear Me’ and team captain Judy Taggart; Sherkanowski Drywall and captains Heidi Sherkanowski & Tricia Furbish; Coldwell Banker and captain Shawn Bailey; Bag-O-Loot with captains John & Linda Shelley; Shaw’s Gilford Stocking Stuffers and captains Jackie French and Ken Rueffert; The Stool Pigeons and captain Brian Beetle; Café Deja Vu and captain Brenda Ferland; Gilford Professional Firefighters and captains Scott Mooney, Frank and Lynn Latosek; Amoskeag Distributors and captain John Valliere; Nassau/Meadowbrook with Ken Tucker; Laconia Athletic & Swim Club and captains Trish Tryon and Tom Oakley; Sipping Santas!! (OPA) and captain Joyce Hurd; NH Leathernecks MC and captain Ken Anderson; Dream Team Supreme (Supreme Marine) and captain Matt Resca; Trauma Team and captain Kyle Griffin; The Merry Misfits (Laconia Middle School) and captain Brian Connelly and Shelby Comstock; The Yule Stool Softeners (LRGHealthcare) and captain Ellen Cimon; Patrick’s Pub Bar Fly’s and captain Carol Haddock; Body Covers Screen Printing and captain Sarah Gray; Bar Hum Bugs (LRGHealthcare) with captain Stephanie Caldon; The Spinners (Meineke Muffler) with captain Barry Williams; Red Nose Reindeers (RE/Max) with captains Travis Cole and Jason Kreitzer; Laconia CC 19th Hole (Laconia Country Club) and captain Lucy Jacobsen and Terry Hicks; SJS & Friends (Steven J Smith & Associates) with captain Steve Smith; The Better Halves with captain Candace Smith; The Merry Stoolers (Laconia Clinic) with captain Lisa Fowler; The Cork Boards (Stonegate Winery/Tradesman Builders) with captain Rich Ellis and the WYC Diving Ducks (Winnipesaukee Yacht Club) with captain Adrian Curtis.

An incredible lineup of live entertainment was provided at no cost by our musician friends as follows: Don ‘SEV’ Severance; Mike Bourgeois; Justin Jaymes; George Lodge; Eric Grant Band; Paul Costley & Josh Logan, Paul Warnick, Paul Luff & Rick Page; Ken Anderson & Friends and the Red Hat Band. In addition, we had special games and contests during the quiet hours with Poetry, Karaoke, Talent and Comedy Hours, and Lori Oakley of LASC led us in Barstool Yoga (really!), and finally Arts & Crafts Hour.

Food & Beverage sponsors and other local business sponsors included CBH Landscape, O’Du’s Hair Salon, T&L Mechanical, Taylor Rental, Elan Publishing, Shaw’s Supermarket, Haughey, Philpot & Laurent, P.A., Gator Signs, US Foods, Sysco, Performance Food Group, Amoskeag Beverages, Woodstock Brewery, Bacardi, NH Distributors and Hannaford. Particular kudos to Joe Hempel of Pork-eez Pig Roasts & BBQ and Sarah Grey of Body Covers Screen Printing who went over and above in their contributions.

Finally, we thank our volunteers and staff at Patrick’s for handling the 24-hour production and keeping the participants well fed and happy. Eva Melanson worked a straight 24 hours collecting and logging in food items that went to the food pantry at St. Vincent de Paul. Bartender Katie Whitney, Executive Chef Stephanie Kirk and General Manager Megan Page all worked around the clock to keep the participants happy and well fed. Servers Heather Parent, Jen Merfeld and Jennifer McLain worked the crowd selling 50/50 raffle tickets from 11am to 11pm, selling over $6,000 of raffle tickets! Referees Wendy Beetle, Jennifer Beetle and Jennifer Bailey also went the full 24+ hours, collecting donations, judging the team performances and setting the tone for this event.

To all of these people who helped to make this event such a fun time and a resounding success, we thank you. Your participation and generosity came together to make a huge difference here in our community. We are all proud to be part of such a great community and great community event… the WLNH Children’s Auction!

Allan & Jeff Beetle, Owners

Patrick’s Pub & Eatery

Gilford