Bloody Brunch Holiday Extravaganza

Bloody Brunch is a charity event I started with my friend @sarandipity. And we’re pulling out all the stops for our next event, the Bloody Brunch Holiday Extravaganza! Here’s a li’l info:

Bloody Brunch™, the popular Milwaukee Tweetup event in search of the city’s best Bloody Marys, is making its next stop at Stack’d Burger Bar on Sunday, December 13^th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a Holiday Extravaganza. That’s right, Bloody Brunch ™ is going beyond Twitter for a day of celebration, benefiting Toys for Tots, the Blood Center of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation.

All guests bringing a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots (don’t be a grinch – suggested value of $10) will get a free Rehorst Vodka or Gin Bloody Mary with a Buffalo Water Bison Blonde chaser (while supplies last). The first 25 people to bring in a toy valued at over $25 will receive a swag bag full of coupons and goodies from local businesses, a Bloody Mary with chaser and a Build-Your-Own-Burger.

The Blood Center of Wisconsin and Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation will receive all proceeds from the silent auction, with items including a one night’s stay at The Iron Horse Hotel and a custom pet portrait. Other festivities at the event include free pictures with Santa Claus, holiday tunes from DJ Ed Cetera and the Packers vs. Bears game on flat screen TVs.

Trivera Interactive president Tom Snyder will be on hand for mini-workshops. Just getting started or even an old hand, he’ll have tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Twitter. Tom will share all the latest tools to help you get the most out of Twitter as a powerful business tool, or just for fun.

If you’re looking to do some good this holiday season, please stop by the event. There’s no cost to get in, but if you want a swag bag, you’ll have to bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.

Bloody Brunch was even highlighted in this article from OnMilwaukee.com.

It began as any Sunday morning might. Two new friends met for brunch only to discover they share an affinity for a well-crafted Bloody Mary. As one Sunday flowed into the next, an idea was born. The Bloody Brunch was born.

On a personal level, Bloody Brunch co-founders Amy Kant and Sara Conrad hope to try as many Milwaukee Bloody Marys as they can through this venture, but that’s not the real goal, they say. The ladies went public with their weekend events via Twitter and accrued quite the following. Today Bloody Brunch is a popular monthly Tweetup that gathers the Milwaukee Twitter community to raise money for a good cause.

Details: Benefit for Ernesto Santiago-Norat

Here’s the info on the benefit Saturday for my friend/colleague Ernesto.

Saturday, May 17, 2008
6-9 p.m.
United Community Center-Exhibit Gallery
1028 S. 9th St.
Milwaukee, Wis.
414-384-3100

$10 donation at the door will include a drink ticket along with complimentary hors d-oeuvres. Soda, beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Support My Friend Ernesto

My friend/colleague Ernesto Santiago-Norat has been battling cancer since 2007. He is an amazing (and Emmy-award winning photojournalist) and extremely talented photographer.

Ernie has such a big heart. He’s been through so much and yet, whenever he steps into the room you can’t help but smile. He has two little girls and his family is having problems covering all the medical bills. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so at any U.S. Bank Location – “Ernesto Santiago-Norat Fund” or you can check out Ernie’s Web site and purchase a print of one of his still photos. Check it out!

There’s also going to be a benefit THIS SATURDAY – May 17 from 6 – 9 p.m. in Milwaukee. I left the flyer at work but will post that information tomorrow.

Here’s a little more info about Ernie from his website:

Ernesto Santiago-Norat is an Emmy Award Photojournalist Winner who has dedicated his sixteen years of career to serve the people, his community and the nation bringing the best pictures in news casts to the public.

Now Ernesto has had to confront the worst news possible to any person. He has been diagnosed with “Meningeal Melanocytoma” a very rare type of Cancer affecting his brain and liver and is currently receiving Full Brain Radio therapy.

Since photography has been his passion, anything that Ernesto sees is like he perceives it through a photography lens. Now those pictures that he took for pleasure serve him back by helping Ernesto and his family pay for his treatment expenses not covered by insurance.

Everybody can enjoy life’s beautiful sightings. And we hope that through this page you can see some beautiful moments in life we sometimes take for granted.

Ernesto now sees that life is too short and he would like for you to enjoy it. We hope you enjoy his pictures and vision.

(photo courtesy www.esndv.com/)