Vibe Check: The Wesley Gala
A wheelchair-accessible bus, a vintage Vespa, and a three-pack of spray-tanning sessions: Find out who got which here. 👇
The baby blue 1967 Vespa with the fiberglass side car was the first thing I saw when I arrived to Saturday evening’s La Dolce Vita–themed Wesley Gala at the Lodge at Saratoga Casino Hotel.
“Is that a raffle prize?!” my boyfriend, Pete asked immediately.
Unfortunately—at least for those of us who are willing to dish out $20 on the chance to go home with a vintage Italian scooter but unwilling to spend thousands of dollars to definitely go home with one—it was actually the event’s marquee silent auction item. Bidding had begun online days before, and the price only went up once gala attendees laid eyes on it; shortly after Pete and I arrived, we found classic car collector/philanthropist Kim McConchie hovering around the bid sheet. “Oh—gotta update this one,” she said when she realized her previous bid had been one-upped. “I have a price limit, and that’s not it yet.”
Kim’s vision for the scooter: to display it at the Car Bar, the commercial building in Ballston Spa that she and her husband, Leigh, recently turned into a car garage/lounge. “I’m sure I’m going to go home with it,” she continued.
We left Kim to her mission, and checked out the rest of the party, which was a fundraiser for The Wesley Community, a residential senior living community that’s been serving Saratoga for more than 50 years. More specifically, the goal of the gala was to raise funds to purchase a wheelchair-accessible bus to transport residents to activities. “It might be easy to say, ‘Wow, it’s a bus,’” Shelly Amato, the Wesley’s chief strategy officer, said to the crowd. “But it’s not just a bus. It’s a portal. It’s a bridge that allows our seniors—who have built our communities, built our schools, raised families, and been such an integral part of our neighborhoods and workplaces—to live their lives to the fullest.”
Guests also heard from Honorary Chairs Skip and Colleen Carlson, longtime supporters of the Wesley’s mission (“We split up honorary chair duties,” Skip said. “Colleen does all the work, and I do the talking”), as well as Wesley CEO Brian Nealon, who was recently awarded the Lawrence E. Larson Memorial Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of aging. Not one to relish the spotlight, Brian humbly ended his remarks about the individuals Wesley serves with this: “I am always touched by the genuine but unassuming lives that these folks have all had.”
Following the brief program, Jukebox Rebellion took the stage, unlimited Aperol spritzes were consumed, guests snatched up orange sunglasses and Saratoga Gelato gift cards (the best party favors ever), and attention returned to the auction, which was nearing the final moments of bidding.
Kim, it turned out, had some competition for the Vespa: Jack Hay, who owns Alpine Sport Shop with his wife, Cathy. “I don’t need it,” he said, more to himself than to me. Indeed, Jack already owns several bikes as well as a new Segway scooter, and only lives 600 feet from work. “Though,” he continued, considering the attached sidecar, “both of us could take it to work.”
Meanwhile, things were heating up over at the Saratoga Sun Spray Tans auction item. Discover Saratoga’s MacKenzie Zarzycki thought she had the prize in the bag, until someone outbid her by a whopping $60. That someone? Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus, who, she’d later find out, thought he was getting a screamin’ deal on the Upstate Asphalt & Sealcoating driveway sealing package. “I’m going to look so good at Christmas,” Todd said, laughing about his mistake with Downtown Business Association President Deann Devitt.
“This is the best day ever,” Deann said, giggling as she texted Discover Saratoga President Darryl Leggieri the news.
“Excellent!” Darryl shot back. “Count to five and turn!”
“They are both types of coatings…” Deann added in an attempt to make Todd feel better about his mistake.
As for the Vespa auction, things had escalated to private bid: Kim and Jack both had to write a number and place it in an envelope. Whoever’s bid was higher would win the scooter.
Except they both bid the exact same amount.
In the end, Kim’s husband, Leigh, came in, and offered $500 more than the private bid amount. Needless to say, the Vespa now resides at the Car Bar, and the Wesley is $500 closer to getting that bus.
By the end of the night, the Wesley Community had raised more than $100,000, Kim had done what she set out to do, and Todd? Well, Todd went home with three rounds of spray tanning. At least his money went to a worthy cause.
—Natalie
Bonus Photo: Todd Shimkus inside the Lodge collecting his prize
Sidecar located on the left side of the bike. The "mother-in-law" set up!