MOSES LAKE — Mother Nature dealt the Columbia Basin Allied Arts kind of a bum hand Saturday, but the organizers of the fundraiser rode it out with aplomb. 

After a week of balmy, sunny weather, the rain erupted just as the annual fundraiser luncheon and auction was getting underway, forcing the entire celebration to move indoors. The staff at The Garden was up to the task, said CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell. 

“(They were) so professional, and know their space really well,” Cardwell said. “We were able to fit everybody inside, including the DJ and the food and the dessert. It turned out to be a really nice event.” 

Nice enough to raise about $32,000, which was $2,000 more than anticipated, Cardwell said. 

“We exceeded our goal, made a bunch of new friends (and a) bunch of new contacts for projects,” she said. “I think people were really motivated by all the work that Allied Arts has done in the last few years and the work that we plan on doing in the upcoming year.” 

The theme for the event was “Make Waves for the Arts,” and much of the crowd was dressed in yachting togs, with boat shoes, captain’s hats and sweaters tied over shoulders. The music was all “yacht rock,” smooth, breezy fare mostly from the 1970s. After the initial rain, the sky cleared up a bit and attendees were able to step outside and enjoy the atmosphere. 

The lunch was catered by Paradise Grill of Moses Lake and consisted of shrimp and beef skewers. A covered booth held an open bar serving up offerings from local wineries, Moses Lake Distillery and Moore Brewing Company. 

“We have passion fruit, guava and white rum from Moses Lake Distillery, so that’s our mixed drink,” said Selena Holland, who was pouring beverages in the booth. “From Moore Brewery, we have six different beers.” 

The wines included a Wahluke slope red and a caliche and a sauvignon blanc from Royal Slope, she added. 

The silent auction items were arranged on a covered porch outside, and included original artworks and gift baskets galore. Volunteer Sarah Delacruz was checking the bids on the items, including her own offering, a tea basket. 

“I’m a big tea person, so I (put) my own tea in there and there’s some goodies and stuff,” she said. 

Delacruz is a new member of Allied Arts, she said, only a couple of months.  

“This is my first fundraiser,” she said. “I love event planning and social media, so it’s right up my alley.” 

Besides the auctions, a kiddie pool was filled with water with little glass bottles containing messages floating like logs down a river. For $25 a pop or five tries for $100, patrons could drop a line in the water and bring up a bottle that might – just might – contain a winning raffle ticket. The prize was a two-night stay at the Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth. 

The money that’s raised will go toward Allied Arts’ programs in schools, community arts programs like Music at the Market and the Umani Festival and the Green Turtle and Premier show series. Those shows haven’t been finalized yet, Cardwell said, but she expects to announce a lineup by the end of July. 

“I’m constantly humbled by the support of the community and their belief in the work that Allied Arts is doing,” she said. 

    Sarah Garza, left, angles for a bottle in the pool while Jaime Garza and Zhane Serrano, right, look on at the Columbia Basin Allied Arts fundraiser Saturday. One of the bottles contained a winning raffle ticket for a two-night stay at a Leavenworth resort.
  

    Attendees at the Columbia Basin Allied Arts “Make Waves for the Arts” fundraiser look over silent auction items.
  

    The sudden move inside meant close quarters for the luncheon and auction at Columbia Basin Allied Arts’ fundraiser Saturday, but patrons took the cramped quarters with good grace.
  

Columbia Basin Allied Arts member Sarah Delacruz checks the bids on silent auctions at the “Make Waves for the Arts” fundraiser Saturday.