Kathy Stock Benefit! Bid High, Bid Often!

This is just a quick post to alert anyone who hasn't already heard about Kathy Stock's upcoming cancer benefit.  I met Kathy around 2007 or so, at a mead dinner at The Happy Gnome, along with her husband Curt and a bunch of other amazing mead makers.  Since then, I consider her a friend--as does nearly everyone who has ever met her!  Kathy and Curt are fixtures in the Minnesota homebrewing scene and seem to know everyone.  Both have always been welcoming to people getting into the hobby, and were instrumental in my entering into the local homebrewing and beer judging community.

Each year at the Upper Mississippi Mash Out Kathy and I get into good natured bidding wars at the silent auction, so this fund raising event really strikes me on a personal level.  I'll be donating some cool beers from my cellar (Goose Island Juliet, Bramble Rye, Bourbon County Stout, and Surly Darkness all from 2012,) for the auction in the hopes of raising some money for her.  I have seen a preliminary listing of the amazing beer and wine related stuff that will be available and plan on bidding strongly!  There will also be non-beer items in the auction, as well as some food, and good drink from some of the best homebrewers in the country.  I'm really looking forward to supporting the Stocks in their time of need, as well getting a chance to hang out with a bunch of friends.

Clear your schedule and make it out there!  And if you can't make it to the event, then feel free to just make a donation! 

Addendum 12/12/13: 

Sj and I trekked out in the -4 F temperature night to get to Kathy's benefit last night.  Our trip took a bit over an hour (in rush hour traffic) but was well worth it!  I was amazed at how packed that hall was with Kathy's work mates, family and tons of friends.  There was a large showing of homebrewers from many different clubs, (Tom and Nancy even drove all the way from Fargo, making my hour commute seem irrelevant!)  In a back room they had several jockey boxes full of homebrew and many, many dangerous meads available as well.  Chris Smith's meads in particular were wonderful...no wonder he wins so many medals with them!  There was a huge spread of snacks and sweets to munch on as well. 

There were so many silent auction items that it was difficult to move between the tables!  Some amazing stuff went for well above market price--a testament to the love people have for Kathy Stock!  Sj and I successfully drove up prices on several items, but actually got skunked on winning anything this time.  It looks like the silent auction from Mash Out this year may be going toward this cause as well, so I have a second chance next month! 

Keep Kathy and Curt in your hearts this Holiday season, and thank everyone for putting on such a wonderful event.