“Have I gone mad?” asks the Hatter.
“I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers,” replied Alice. “But I’ll tell you a secret – all the best people are.”
The exact turn of phrase might be slightly askew from Lewis Carroll’s dialog as originally written in “Alice and Wonderland.” Still, it completely fits the bill for the Churchill County Museum’s 2023 fundraising Mad Hatter’s Luncheon held on April 29. With several attendees sporting fanciful hats in various wild and whimsical fashions, many came in costume to pay tribute to the beloved classic and bring fun and frivolity to the Saturday afternoon event. Even the Red Queen held court during the well-attended tea party, thankfully without threatening to behead a single guest.
Museum Executive Director Mel Glover emceed the event, which was held in the museum’s sanctum sanctorum. Museum Registrar Donna Cossette raided the museum’s archives for appropriately themed artifacts to share with the luncheon guests. The pieces were paraded around tables bedecked in colorful books and vintage teacups creatively designed by Nancy Balash, Karen Goings, and Lyn Strasdin. Some of the objects, which became curiouser and curiouser, included a black velvet hat circa the 1920s, a heavy brass cell block key, an antique pocket watch, an elegantly ornate teapot, and a beaded rabbit’s foot, much to the dismay of the notoriously nervous March Hare, who would have possibly fit the undersized man’s tuxedo from the early 1900s.
All of the attendees enjoyed a luncheon fit for the Red Queen’s Court catered by Susan Boadella and her talented staff from Maine Street Café.
The event was a perfect way to spend a spring Saturday afternoon in Fallon. Organized by the Churchill County Museum Association, Museum Board members, and the Churchill County Museum staff set the stage for many more successful fundraising events. Several local merchants and businesses, along with individual contributors, donated for the event, which included gift baskets, handmade quilts, gift certificates, artwork, and more.
In an effort to preserve Nevada and Fallon’s history, several community members donated their time and resources, sharing their love of history. The Museum Board of Trustees is comprised of several community members, along with one appointed county commissioner. It includes Doris Dwyer, Ron Fritcher, Sue Chambers, Carly Tanner, Leigh Simmons, Sandy Hillery, Kelly Frost, and County Commissioner Dr. Justin Heath. The Churchill County Museum Association, which also supports the many facets of the museum, includes officers Bob Getto Jr as president, Daniel Hilliker as VP, Lynn Hartung as secretary, and Carol Braniff as treasurer. Of course, the museum staff and volunteers lie at the heart of Fallon’s most treasured historical and cultural center, including Director Mel Glover, curators Marilyn Moore, Ray Sottile, Donna Cossette, Jennifer Jones, and many more.
Visit www.ccmuseum.org for upcoming events, exhibits, and information.
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