The event featured the wit of FM-107 radio talk show divas Lori and Julia and the wisdom of motivational speaker Cheryl Karpen. The handbags, which were donated by area businesses and individuals, were offered to guests through silent and live auctions. Tasty hors d’oeuvres, gift bags and free back massages helped round out the evening’s entertainment.

Thirty-nine stylish handbags were purchased through the silent auction, while auctioneer Col. Tony Elfelt, J.D. of AAA Auction and Realty, chanted guests through live auction of nine high-end handbags, one purse-shaped gourmet cake, and one “ugly bag” that guests had previously filled with an undetermined amount of cash donations.

“Guests felt like they were sitting in their living rooms enjoying a good conversation with friends as they listened to Lori and Julia," says Evelyn Gedde, Executive Director of the Foundation and ARCC Director for Institutional Advancement. “Our guests will come back again and become friends of the foundation and the college, thanks to the many people who helped with this event. We are so appreciative of their efforts and their commitment to education.”

For more information about the Foundation and its programs, contact the ARCC Foundation Office at 763.433.1220.