Portraits of Peace House History: Fundraising and Connection
This year marks 25 years of Peace House serving survivors of family violence and abuse in Summit and Wasatch counties through shelter, support services, education and outreach. As part of our 25th Anniversary Year, each month we are spotlighting some of the many individuals who have shaped Peace House history. Throughout the year, we will be honoring and commemorating all those who have supported the life-saving and life-changing work that Peace House has offered our community over the past 25 years.
Peace House has always relied on community members and businesses for financial support to provide resources for victims of domestic violence and abuse. The generosity of community members has allowed Peace House to grow from a grassroots group of individuals raising awareness to where the organization is today. Because of the generosity of many, Peace House now offers expansive outreach programs, emergency shelter, transitional housing, and advocacy to hundreds of families, as well as prevention education and awareness to thousands of students in Summit and Wasatch counties each year.
Peace House raises nearly half of their annual operating funds through private and corporate donations and fundraisers. The earliest documented fundraising efforts came in 1992, the year that the Domestic Peace Task Force (DPTF), the predecessor of Peace House, was officially incorporated. That winter, with the help of Shepherd of the Mountains—the church of early founders Linda Hathaway and Jean Paulson—DPTF hosted a “Park City ski event to support domestic peace.” [1] For a $25 donation, people could enjoy a day of skiing, Nastar racing, and scavenger hunts. When Walmart opened at Kimball Junction that same year, their employees helped raise more than $3,500 to support DPTF’s efforts to raise awareness and funds toward building a shelter one day. [2] Other fundraisers, like fun runs and gift-wrapping events, took place at the new Factory Outlet Stores at Kimball Junction to support DPTF’s awareness efforts. In 1993, Bob Wells, a developer with Royal Street Corporation—the owners of Deer Valley at the time—offered land to build a shelter. (Peace House History: Bob Wells) Bob’s generosity spurred increased fundraising efforts, including the first donation from the Park City Board of Realtors. The Board of Realtors presented a check for $2,000 to early founding member Joan Hatfield, which they raised from their second annual Luxury Home Tour (LHT), to support the building of the new shelter that would serve families escaping domestic violence. [3] This began a 22-year relationship between Peace House and the Park City Board of Realtors Luxury Home Tour.
The Luxury Home Tour (1992–2014)
The Park City Board of Realtors created the Luxury Home Tour in 1992. Initially, the Park City chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors organized the tour, which included a half dozen private homes in Deer Valley. For a suggested donation of $25, guests could tour exclusive homes on a designated Saturday in August. The Board of Realtors dispersed the funds raised from their first event to charitable causes within the community. In their second year, they decided to support survivors of domestic violence, which they remained committed to until the conclusion of the event in 2014.
Because Park City had no resources to support women who were suffering from domestic violence back in 1993, victims most often sought help from the Women in Jeopardy Program at the Salt Lake City YWCA. That year came the exciting news that a shelter would be built in Park City: Bob Wells and his newly founded nonprofit organization ICTHOS would help fund the project, New Star Construction would build it, and DPTF would manage the new shelter. (Peace House History: Peace House, Est. 1995) As a result, the Board of Realtors chose to designate part of the proceeds from the LHT that year to the building of Peace House.
For the next seven years, the LHT showcased homes in Deer Valley and Park City, and they split the funds between the Women in Jeopardy program and Peace House. In the 1990s, realtors like Carylye Morris, Rebecca Page, Ann MacQuoid, denese Peterson, and Kacy Quinley helped chair the event, while always looking for ways to expand and improve it. They added lunch, live music along the tour, and buses to transport guests between homes. The Luxury Home Tour was expanding into an event the community looked forward to and that Peace House began to rely upon for funding.
Peace House sold LHT tickets and acted as host at one of the six homes on the tour each year. At their designated home, guests mingled with Peace House staff and volunteers and had an opportunity to learn more about the resources and services Peace House offered to those in need. Before 2019, Peace House was at an undisclosed location and relied on events like the Luxury Home Tour to bring awareness to their free support services and programs, as well as a way to fund these free resources.
Susan Woodbury, who became Chief Executive Officer of the Board of Realtors in 1995, recalls that nearly all of the 300 members at that time took part in the fundraiser. As the board’s numbers grew, the realtors’ participation grew as well. Their commitment to giving back to the community helped them determine that they should establish their own 501(c)3 to support their fundraising effort, the Park City Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation. In 1999, this new foundation hosted the LHT. By 2000, Carylye Morris recalls that the board felt the funds raised should stay solely within the community, and Peace House became the sole recipient of the LHT’s fundraising efforts.
Over the next years, realtors like Ginny Shulman helped create and oversee a silent and live auction that became part of the LHT. In 2002, the first auction took place at Stillwater Lodge near the Jordanelle. For the next ten years, the auction was held at different locations and usually at least a week before the home tour. Ginny and others spent months collecting items. In return for donations, they were able to thank donors with advertisements in the LHT’s magazine. The year 2005 proved to be one of their most successful, and they presented Peace House with a check for $100,000.
Sandra Vogt, who chaired the LHT for almost 12 years, notes that they were able to expand their fundraising efforts by adding event sponsors. In 2011, The Colony was the LHT’s presenting sponsor for its 20th anniversary. One of the developers of The Colony, Walt Brett recalls it was a great way to support the Board of Realtors’ efforts to raise funds for Peace House—which they recognized as a valuable resource in the community—while also highlighting their ski-in/ski-out development. That year, the LHT committee reached into Salt Lake City for additional sponsors and hosted their 20th anniversary auction and dinner at La Caille restaurant in Sandy. The event was tremendously successful, as was the following year at La Caille. The 2012 dinner auction was the last auction that the Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation hosted; for the last two years of the LHT, Peace House hosted “Peaceful Easy Evenings” at Louland Falls in Parley’s Canyon before the annual August home tour. The final LHT took place in 2014, ending an era of remarkable philanthropy in support of Peace House.
The Luxury Home Tour’s 23 successful years resulted from the efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year. Sandra Vogt recalls the significant efforts of everyone—from individuals like Ramon Gomez who helped with the auction, to the hundreds of businesses and people who donated auction items, to Richard Springgate who every year volunteered his time and talent to photograph the event. Because of the realtors who found homes for the tour, recruited live musical talent to perform in each home, staffed parking lots and buses, served lunches, and generally devoted a Saturday in August to ensure the success of the LHT, it became a well-known and well-attended event. Ultimately, the LHT exposed hundreds of people to the mission and services of Peace House.
The Luxury Home Tour helped sustain Peace House for more than two decades, raising more than $1 million to support Peace House programs. The president-elect of the Utah Association of Realtors acknowledged the Park City Board of Realtors in 2012 by saying, “Park City realtors are amazing in the support given to the community.” [4] Jane Patten, former Executive Director of Peace House, stated in one of her many public thank-yous to the Park City Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation, “So many of you work hard and put in many hours to make this an enjoyable and financial success. Our appreciation to all of you is indescribable. The proceeds from this event allow us to continue our education, outreach and shelter services . . . Thank you!” [5]
Early Fundraisers (1998–2010)
Along with the Luxury Home Tour, Peace House hosted other fundraisers throughout their early years. Some included selling ice cream at the Miners’ Day Parade, a Park City tradition. In 1998, they held their first fundraising event, an “Afternoon Tea.” [6] Held at Deer Valley’s Snowpark Lodge, Afternoon Tea was for parents and children and featured a light lunch while a children’s fashion show entertained guests, followed by a magic show. In 2001, Deer Valley’s summer campers held “Suds in the Sun,” a car wash from which part of the proceeds went to support Peace House.
In 2002, Peace House hosted the first of three fundraisers honoring female role models in Park City. These evenings included a semi-formal dinner followed by their “Many Women, Many Voices” awards ceremony. According to Marcela Montemurro, Peace House’s Executive Director at the time, Peace House recognized three “strong community women who have assisted other women in self-sufficiency.” Marcela explained that women were nominated to receive this award “based on their work in making the path easier for other women.” [7] Some of the outstanding women who received these awards were Ann MacQuoid, a successful realtor and supporter of the Luxury Home Tour; Shaunna Kerr, the first female commissioner in Summit County; Tina Lewis, a tireless public servant and founder of Park City’s History Museum; and Teri Orr, an early founding member of Peace House, former Editor of the Park Record, and founder of what became the Park City Institute.
In 2004, The Vagina Monologues became a Peace House fundraising performance held at the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts in Park City. Teri Orr brought this event to town as part of a Valentine’s Day worldwide campaign to stop violence against women and girls. [8] Eve Ensler’s award-winning episodic play was performed in Park City for 14 years, each year updated to provide new insights and commentary on worldwide women’s issues. [9] Many community members participated in this live event, which brought awareness and funds to Peace House programs.
In 2006, the Our Old Fashioned Car Club (OOFCC) began holding its annual Classic Car Show at the Oakley Recreation Complex the Saturday after Labor Day weekend, an event that continues to run to this day. [10] For a reasonable entry fee, the OOFCC offers food, events, prize drawings, and classic cars that all ages can enjoy. The OOFCC has always divided the proceeds between Summit County Children’s Justice Center and Peace House. Lorrie Hoggan has served as the car show’s organizer for 15 years, and it is a consistent fundraiser that Peace House values and enjoys. Each year a Peace House representative participates in the end-of-day awards ceremony. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, unfortunately, OOFCC could not host the in-person event, but according to Lorrie, they have plans to celebrate their 15th Anniversary in the fall of 2021.
In early 2008, Ginny Shulman put together Park City Cooks, An Eclectic Collection of Park City Recipes, a cookbook that included recipes from realtors and community members. Lauren Vitulli, a committed Peace House volunteer who regularly offered art classes to children staying at the shelter, helped collect illustrations from children throughout the community for the cookbook. The cookbook proved to be a very successful fundraiser for Peace House, and a perfect gift for realtors to offer to new home buyers.
Groups and community members within Wasatch and Summit counties have hosted many other local fundraisers to benefit Peace House over the past 25-plus years. Each of these is valuable to Peace House both for the awareness they raise and the funds they raise to support the organization’s programs. Despite the success of outside fundraisers, Peace House felt they needed to own their own annual event. In 2010, Peace House hosted their first Spring Luncheon at Temple Har Shalom, which has become their longest standing event. The luncheon began as a free awareness event and has evolved over the years into a popular and significant fundraiser to support Peace House.
Spring Luncheon (2010–Present)
The first luncheon took place during the week of Mother’s Day 2010. It showcased information about Peace House, along with a message of hope, and served as a forum for people to recognize the women in their lives. For the first six years, the luncheon was free to participants. The Mother’s Day Luncheon, as it was originally called, grew in popularity and in 2012 moved to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, which could accommodate more guests. Marilyn Darby, a board member and committed volunteer, spent three years overseeing the early years of the luncheon, using her connections with local restaurants and food service providers who donated sandwiches and other food and drink for more than 200 guests. The luncheon always included an inspirational speaker as part of the program. Kidnaping survivor and child-safety activist Elizabeth Smart spoke at one of the earliest events. Marilyn also spoke and shared her story, inspiring others to know that there is hope for those who have survived an abusive relationship. In 2013, sponsors helped ensure the financial success of the luncheon, while Peace House continued to offer the event free of charge to community members. Jane Patten said, “. . . we decided to combine an awareness of what Peace House does . . . and why we do it with fundraising.” [11] Spring Luncheon had become a “sold-out” event, and in 2016 Peace House began to charge for seats to increase support of their growing programs to meet the community’s needs.
Spring Luncheon has continued to bring community members together in May, a time when locals are usually the only ones still in town. Men and women gather each year because, as former Peace House Development Director Ann Johnson said, “This isn’t about the women you don’t know. This is about your sister, your mother, your daughter, your niece. And when people start to realize that everyone is affected by domestic violence, more people want to get on board to figure out a way to eliminate it.” [12] Spring Luncheon has been a way to connect the community to Peace House’s mission of breaking the cycle of abuse while supporting survivors. Carol Snyder, an office manager who became Assistant Director for Peace House, learned about Peace House in 2010 when she attended the first Mother’s Day Luncheon as a guest of a friend. Peace House’s current Chair of the Board, Julie Joyce, became connected with Peace House early on as guest of the luncheon and then later went on to co-chair the event for four years with Kate Margolis. In 2020, Julie and Kate led their first online Spring Lunch-In, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the first time, friends of Peace House gathered online instead of in person, and the event raised the most money ever in its 11-year history. Peace House was humbled and overjoyed by the response, recalls Karen Marriott, a member of the fundraising committee and a sponsor of the 2020 online event.
Live PC Give PC (2010–Present)
The Park City Community Foundation (PCCF) was established and began serving residents of Summit County and its nonprofits in 2007. In 2010, PCCF created Live PC Give PC, a fundraising event that connects Park City residents and second-home owners to the more than one hundred nonprofit organizations in Summit County. Peace House has actively participated in this day of giving since its inception. Under the sights of Peace House’s current Development Director Sally Tauber, Live PC Give PC has grown into a significant fundraiser for Peace House. Sally has been able to secure matching grants for the event, which encourages more individual giving. She recognizes that “donors like to give in different ways,” and notes that Live PC Give PC offers a friendly competitiveness between nonprofits. Each year, Peace House tries to climb to the top of their leader board to receive additional funds for the most unique donors in their service category. It is a fun way for nonprofits to interact with each other while raising funds for their own organizations.
On the first Friday of November each year, Peace House stands shoulder to shoulder with other community nonprofit leaders and volunteers, united in their efforts to raise awareness and funds for the nonprofits that truly make Park City what it is. Each November when enthusiastic people wear bright orange shirts on street corners for Live PC Give PC, you will know it’s time to give.
Bling Fling (2014–2020)
In 2013, Ron Dubberly, owner of Legacy Estate Sales, discussed with Peace House Executive Director Jane Patten a potential ongoing fundraiser. In the fall of 2012, Ron ran an estate sale in Park City, from which part of the proceeds were given to Peace House. He suggested that maybe Peace House could take on a smaller version of this idea in the form of a jewelry sale. Kappie Bliss, a Park City local at the time, ran with it. She connected with Peace House at a Luxury Home Tour when she first moved to town. Kappie was from Texas and one of her mottos was, Go big or go home! The first Bling Fling, where collected jewelry and accessories were sold, took place in May 2014 at the Newpark Resort Hotel at Kimball Junction. Kappie said she expected to raise $2,000 and when the event raised $10,000, the Bling Fling Committee decided to repeat the event in November of 2014. In 2015, the Bling Fling moved to Park City Community Church, which offered more space to display the large quantities of items they were now collecting. Collections began well ahead of the event as community members held Bling Fling parties, inviting their friends to clean out their closets and bring any items that could be sold to support Peace House at the November Bling Fling. Volunteers collected and stored items at The Storage Depot—donated by the Wintzer family—until it became time to move all the items over to “Bling Fling Central” at the Prospector Lodge and Conference Center.
Kappie describes Bling Fling as the “ultimate recycling event.” They were recycling high-quality items that others were ready to give away to raise funds for Peace House programs. At the end of the event, they donated what was left to the Christian Center, a community partner of Peace House, who could then pass the items along to others. Kappie recruited her friend Sandra Ramsey, who knew a lot about jewelry and would begin in August working five days a week sorting, pricing, and cleaning items in preparation for the November event. Sandra brought on her friend Sandy Jackson, a jewelry maker, and Sandy spent hours doing repairs. A corps of committed volunteers offered hundreds of hours at Bling Fling Central inside the Prospector Lodge from August to November. Kappie recounts the hours spent inside the “marking and sorting room,” where volunteers worked while also learning about the expansive programs at Peace House. She felt Bling Fling was a great way to connect with part of the community who may not know much about Peace House or who might be intimidated by how they could help support the cause. She recalls that Jane Patten spoke with the volunteers about Peace House so they understood the cause they were volunteering for and could share Peace House’s mission with others.
When Kappie moved back to Texas, she turned Bling Fling organization to Nancy Tosti, who helped run the event from 2016 to its final year in 2020. Nancy recognized how important Kappie’s contribution was, saying, “Kappie has more energy than anyone I know. Without her the event would not have happened. She had the vision to get it off the ground.” Nancy continued to add to the event and formalized a preview party that helped bring in additional funds from guests who wanted to shop early and were willing to pay an additional charge to do so. In 2019, the last in-person event raised a record amount of funds, which Nancy also credits to Development Director Sally Tauber, who helped bring on additional event sponsors and expanded marketing efforts in Park City and Salt Lake City. With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting social gatherings, November 2020’s Bling Fling went online with limited items.
Kappie and Nancy have fond memories of excited shoppers walking away with “steals” from Bling Fling. Kappie remembers a woman who had just landed her first job and found a Louis Vuitton briefcase that was all but brand new and valued at $1,200. They had priced it at $150. Kappie was thrilled because the young woman would not have been able to afford the bag otherwise, and it gave her confidence going into her new job while also leaving her with gratitude for Peace House. Kappie recalls another story about a diamond tennis bracelet that was thought to be a “nice fake” and was tagged at $5. Ron Dubberly, who continued to help with identifying valuable items and pricing and who both Nancy and Kappie both considered invaluable to the event’s success, was able to make a last-minute catch and changed the price of the diamond bracelet to $200, still providing a winning value for the buyer and a story that the new owner took with her. Bling Fling’s lasting legacy is the way it has connected the organization of Peace House to a fun community event with committed volunteers and passionate shoppers.
New Efforts (2015–Present)
As one fundraiser fades away, another rises up to meet new interests and connect with new donors. In 2015—the summer after the Board of Realtors retired their Luxury Home Tour—Tami Whisker, a realtor and new Chair of the Board at Peace House, put together a golf tournament to help generate funds that would no longer come from the LHT. Their first golf event was at Victory Ranch Golf Club in Kamas on Bob Wells’ birthday, August 24, 2015. Bob was an avid golfer and a champion for Peace House who had tragically passed away from cancer earlier that year. The following summer Patti Wells, Bob’s wife, offered to help Tami host the second tournament, which was dedicated to Bob. That year they chose to include an auction as well, which brought in additional funds. In 2017, they held their third and final golf tournament and auction at Tuhaye Golf Club. The day was snowy with freezing rain, and Tami took that as a sign it was time to put their fundraising efforts elsewhere.
Summer 2017 brought new staff and new fundraising goals. Kendra Wyckoff came aboard as Executive Director of Peace House, following Julie Delong. Julie had acted as Interim Director for Peace House in 2016, following Jane Patten’s retirement after nearly 13 years of service as Executive Director. Sally Tauber joined the staff as Director of Development and Marketing in August 2017, bringing strong fundraising experience and fresh ideas to help the organization meet their annual operating budget, while also balancing the efforts of a $12 million capital campaign that had been announced earlier that summer.
In June 2017, Peace House publicly announced their $12 million Thrive Campaign at a ground-staking event on the grounds of their new campus next to Park City Hospital. Community leaders gathered to mark this significant occasion and learn more about Peace House’s expanded campus that would serve survivors of domestic violence and abuse within Summit and Wasatch counties. Liza Springmeyer, who had been hired in 2015 to manage Peace House’s Thrive Campaign, organized the public event at which Karen Marriott, an engaged community member and supporter of Peace House, was introduced as the Chair of the Thrive Campaign. For the next two years, Karen, Liza, Kendra, Sally, and members of the Thrive Campaign Committee, chaired by Jane Patten, put themselves to work to meet the $12 million campaign goal, while also supporting the organization in raising funds to meet their growing operating budget.
Liza recalls a significant moment that launched the public phase of the Thrive Campaign: In July 2017, Peace House was publically awarded the Women’s Giving Fund (WGF) grant. Each year many well-deserving nonprofit organizations apply for the WGF grant. Of those, the members of the WGF—more than one thousand influential women in the community who have donated to WGF—vote for the top three finalists. Peace House was thrilled to be their third annual grant recipient, giving them a stamp of approval from women in the community. Being awarded this grant brought attention and funds to Peace House’s mission and their fundraising efforts to build a new Peace House campus to serve survivors of domestic violence and abuse within their community.
Beyond public events and social fundraisers, Peace House has annually appealed to the community through a widespread year-end mailing, asking for a gift to simply support the programs and services that Peace House provides. This is an important fundraising source for Peace House. In 2019, the newly established Development and Fundraising Committee formalized a giving program called Pillars of Giving, which allows for donor recognition and inclusion in different opportunities based upon level of giving. This has become another approach to engaging larger donors in smaller, more intimate ways. Peace House has worked hard to find a variety of ways to raise funds while appealing to the needs and interests of different donors. Fundraising is critical for the organization to provide free services to their clients.
Free Access to Services Is Why We Fundraise
For more than 25 years, Peace House has been able to provide support services without charge to victims of interpersonal violence. These services are free so that all victims—women, children, and men—have access to them regardless of their finances. To be able to provide these services, which are now all housed under one roof at 700 Round Valley Drive in Park City, Peace House has relied upon the generosity of individuals, groups, corporations, foundations, and government grants. Peace House has never been solely dependent on government grants, which accounts for less than half of their operating budget. They rely on private donors and funds from a variety of fundraisers and giving opportunities. Some donors give the most valuable thing they have—their time and talents.
The legacy of Peace House is one of community members coming together and sharing their personal and financial gifts to lift those who suffer from interpersonal violence. Volunteers have spent nearly three decades finding creative ways to connect donors to Peace House, bringing in necessary funds to support their free programming while also raising awareness of the resources Peace House offers survivors. The organization is indebted to their volunteers and event committee members for their time, energy, and the heart they have put into raising funds. Peace House is grateful for the thousands of donors over the years who have shown up to events, bought tickets, purchased and donated items, and helped sponsor events—all providing financial support in a variety of ways to sustain Peace House’s programs. They are grateful for the end-of-year checks, the Live PC Give PC donations, the companies and foundations that have sponsored events, and the thousands of donors at every level who give to their ability. Together, donors, volunteers, staff, and community members have served thousands of individuals and families over Peace House’s 25 years, saving and changing lives while breaking the cycle of abuse through education and awareness.
Researched and written by Karen Marriott
Edited by Sandra More
3.Board of Realtors 1st Check to DPTF
4. Thank you from Park City Chapter of Women’s Council of Realtors
7. Many Women, Many Voices 2003
10. OOFCC Car Club
11. Spring Luncheon
12. Spring Luncheon, Ann Johnson
1. Luxury Home Tour (LHT) 2005
2. Thank You to the Park City Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation
3. Jane Patten, former Executive Director, at annual Oakley Car Show (OOFCC) benefiting Peace House
4. Carol Snyder, former Office Manager, at a community fundraiser for Peace House (2014)
5. Live PC Give PC Day of Giving with staff members, including Peace House’s Development Director Sally Tauber
6. 2020 Bling Fling photo shoot with Nancy Tosti, Committee Chair, on left
7. Bling Fling staff (2015)
8. Marcela Montemurro, former Executive Director of Peace House, speaking at Many Women, Many Voices (2012)
9. Vagina Monologues (2018)
10. Peace House staff and volunteers at the Luxury Home Tour (2012)
11. Spring Luncheon volunteers with co-chair Kate Margolis (2019)