Holiday Express founder-frontman Tim McLoone shares the stage with Bob Sickles of Sickles Market, during a previous fundraiser for the music-powered humanitarian juggernaut. This year’s benefit at the Little Silver landmark netted over $100,000 for the cause.
Press release from Sickles Market
Sickles Market’s sold-out Wine and Cheese fundraising event for Holiday Express held on Friday, November 1, 2013 raised $105,000 for Holiday Express.
Over 250 denim-clad guests attended the popular event in Sickles Greenhouse, which was decked out with holiday decorations and twinkling lights. The event provides critical funds to help jumpstart Holiday Express’ 2013 season with over 60 scheduled performances. The live auction alone raised $50,000.
Founded in 1993 by Tim McLoone, Holiday Express is a grass roots, nonÂsectarian, registered 501(c) 3 non-profit organizations. Comprised of more than 1,600 volunteers — including over 100 professional musicians — Holiday Express delivers music, food, gifts, financial support and friendship to adults and children who are physically and mentally disabled, living with AIDS or homeless, as well as the isolated elderly and others in need of the gift of human kindness during the holiday season and throughout the year.
Last year’s November 2, 2012 event was postponed due to the destruction and power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy. Many ticket holders requested that their tickets be applied to this year’s event, so the event was quickly sold out.
Bob Sickles also thanked his participating hosts for the popular live auction Wine Crawl — a progressive wine dinner tour of some of the Jersey Shore’s best private wine cellars — by presenting them with elegant wine carafes, which were donated by Tiffany & Co. and presented by its Red Bank director, Luke Stahl. The recipients were Steve and Lynn Bidgood, Eatontown; Kristy and Patrick Niro, Rumson; Barbara and Mark Murphy, Fair Haven; and Tom and Mary Anne Schafer, Monmouth Beach. Two Crawls at this year’s auction raised a total of approximately $10,000.