Team Oz Benefit Concert and Silent Auction Sunday, April 28th, 2002

I’ve learned that with Team Oz, it’s hard to give credit to any single person for the successes they’ve had. It was that way with the benefit concert and silent auction that was held Sunday, April 28th at the Airport Hilton in Bloomington. It started with a small seed of an idea from Tom Cross and blossomed into a beautiful event tended to by a large handful of Team Oz members.

Tom Cross, Charlie Kapp, Kay Sailor, and Fr. Jim Cassidy

With this group, the simple hint of a good idea is all it takes to make things happen! Tom, or “Crash”, as he is more affectionately known after a slight mishap during last year’s AIDS ride(but that’s another story!), contacted an old friend, George Maurer, a gifted jazz musician who can be seen often at the Dakota Bar & Grill. After one phone message and a few emails they organized a concert.

• Cyril Paul used his influence to arrange the free room provided by the Airport Hilton and voila! … they had a venue.
• Paul Lipetzky took charge of the ticket sales and Edie Kalweit called in a few favors to get hundreds of flyers printed.
• Charlie Kapp enlisted the help of Joel Dossi and Francisco Gomez to organize a spectacular silent auction that took place before the concert.
• In one corner of the room I set up a slide show of the photos I took during last years AIDSRide. It ran throughout the evening and provided fond memories for those who were there and inspiration for those who weren't.
• Tom also used some connections to have snacks donated by Frito Lay and Kay Sailer chipped in (pardon the pun) to help set up and organize the room.

• Jim Cassidy provided dozens of hauntingly beautiful photographs of the people and places he recently visited in South Africa. Especially mesmerizing were his pictures of the children.
• Michael Reinbold offered a professional portrait sitting. His portfolio was on display to show off his obvious talent as a photographer.
• I was able to use my theater connections to get ticket donations from The Ordway, The Guthrie, Park Square, The Old Log, Mixed Blood, The Jungle Theater, Theater de la June Leune, Triple Espresso at the Music Box Theater, The Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, and the Plymouth Playhouse!
• Betty Norqual brought in two beautifully hand painted pails filled with bath products, a few exceptional bottles of wine, two sets of hand painted wine goblets, and a gift certificate for a dinner prepared by a private chef for up to twenty people!
• Annie Hickman brought a few sets of masterfully photographed hand made greeting cards that were a big hit.
• plus a Harley cookie jar, a Garnet tennis bracelet, a Schwinn Classic Cruiser bicycle, a Simonson’s day spa certificate, a massage at Rocco Altobelli’s, velour bath robes, Guatemalan table runners and bowls, gorgeous artwork, and ……..you get the idea!!

Jim Maurer, former SJA Peace and Justice Coordinator

A brief but heartfelt introduction from “Crash” Cross brought George Maurer to the stage. George entertained the crowd with quirky songs about an obscure small town in Missouri called Peculiar, a night watchman at St. John’s University named Brother Willie, and an eclectic medley titled “Purple Muppets”. It was a response to all the weird requests for songs he’s gotten over the years and incorporated a jazzy blending of Purple Haze & Sesame Street; Stairway to Heaven & Gilligan's Island; Louie Louie & the Flintstones, followed by a little bit of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. You really had to be there…

George was later joined by Cyril Paul who sang a mellow rendition of “My Funny Valentine”. Cyril then prompted the crowd to join in on a South African song called “Adunde” to which everyone happily complied.

The evening ended by awarding the prizes. Individual riders raised $1,238.00 for the Heartland AIDS Ride, $390.00 for the Vaccine Ride and $193.00 for the Minnesota AIDS Trek. Jim received $551 for his pictures. Betty brought in $390 for the Vaccine Ride. The theater tickets earned $220. The Schwinn Cruiser brought $180 and the Garnet bracelet went for $200. Micheal Reinbold ended up selling two portrait sittings due to a negotiated tie bid by two persuasive bidders.

All in all, it was a great evening of fun and fellowship. I think Team Oz truly embodies St Joan of Arc’s philosophy of Collaborative Ministry.

As Father Wertin once put it in an interview with Terry Kolb, “St. Joan of Arc provides a fertile place for all people to grow in their desire to make a difference in the world by engaging in collaborative ministry. In other words, if we are to be the salt of the earth, the leaven in the loaf, to use the biblical metaphors, we need to sustain a network of ministries.” We cannot afford to have parishioners only in passive and supportive roles.”

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Rick Spaulding is a photographer specializing in digital photography for the theater and works for National Camera Exchange. He is also an antique dealer and eBay afficianado who enjoys collecting marbles but his true joys in life are his two boys and his beautiful wife, Tinia.

If this event is any indication, I don’t think Father George has anything to worry about. Team Oz will never be satisfied with “passive support”. Team Oz makes things happen! Great work gang!!!