Community Memorial's Spring Splendor Event Promises a Rockin’ Good Time

Break out the leather jackets, poodle skirts and saddle shoes.  Hop into the ‘ol ragtop and turn back the clock to the 1950s and 60s. It’s going to be an old-fashioned good time, complete with great food, music, raffles and an auction - all to benefit a worthy cause.

As the Fonz might say, “AAYYYYYY!”

Froedtert Health Community Memorial Hospital Foundation’s annual Spring Splendor event will take place on Saturday April 9 at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center.  This year’s theme is “Rock Around the Clock” and the evening will feature dinner and live music with Bobby Way and the Fabulous Wayouts, sponsored by Malkin’s Carpets in Menomonee Falls.

“We’ve been involved with Spring Splendor for many years,” said Marty Schallock, owner of Malkin’s Carpets. Schallock and his wife, Debra, are co-chairs of this year’s event. “There have been some trying times that we’ve been through and we felt like the 1950s and 60s are kind of like the good old days, like ‘Happy Days’ when things were a little bit easier and more fun. You could go outside and play until dark and it was just a different time in everybody’s life.”

All of the decorations and party elements will feature the 50s and 60s theme with old 45 rpm records and the familiar bold pink and green colors of that era. The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. with drinks and a silent auction.  After dinner there will be a voice auction.

A pair of raffles will also highlight the evening, including the Big Bopper Raffle with a grand prize of $2,500, second prize of $1,000 and a third prize of $500.  Tickets are $25 each or five for $100.  The Car Hop Restaurant Raffle features $100 gift certificates to several fine restaurants, including Ward’s House of Prime, Riverside, Maggiano’s, Mo’s – A Place for Steak, Karl Ratzch’s, Mader’s, Capitol Grille, Carnivore/Unami Moto, Bartolotta Restaurants and Roots. Tickets cost $20 each or six for $100.

The evening’s dinner menu will also adhere to the 50s and 60s theme with a "Tossin' and Turnin'" salad, the entree will be “Made in the Shade” and desert will be “Chantilly Lace.” All of the money raised at this event will go to Froedtert Health Community Memorial Hospital.

“This year the funds raised at Spring Splendor will benefit the Emergency Room, which is the front door of the hospital,” said Kerry Freiberg, Executive Director of Community Memorial Foundation.  “We literally are the safety net for the surrounding communities.  We are here 24/7/365 and deliver life-saving care daily." 

Freiberg said the funds raised at Spring Splendor will provide a blood and fluid warming system used when patients suffer significant blood loss due to trauma.  Additionally, funds will be used toward a re-designed Emergency Room, important upgrades to the facility and to address the rapidly evolving changes in healthcare technology and patient expectations.

“We are very blessed to have such a facility right in our backyard with the level of care they provide,” Schallock said. “Let’s face it, the first thing most people see at the hospital is the Emergency Room and we want to make that is as nice as we possibly can for the people coming in.”

Although many past Spring Splendor events have been more formal, Schallock encourages people to relax, let their hair down and let their wardrobe be a blast from the past.

“We are suggesting people to wear retro outfits,” Schallock said. “Wear the jeans, poodle skirt, and t-shirts. Our goal is to have some fun with it. They have a different theme every year but there’s never been anything like this.”

Tickets to Spring Splendor are $150 each or $1,750 for a corporate table of ten. Registration deadline is March 25.  For more information, contact the Community Memorial Foundation at (262) 257-3761.