House of Hope’s 65th Anniversary Celebration was a livestream occurrence this year. Past talent shows were typically held as live productions at the Armstrong Theater and other venues, but due to COVID restrictions, this year’s event had to be modified. The fundraiser was held on November 15th and was a live, three-hour broadcast on YouTube. The occasion was a memorable tribute to House of Hope’s 65 years of service to the recovery community.

“When COVID hit we had to ask ourselves, should we even have this event?” said Ed Storti, chair of the annual fundraiser. “But we made a decision to move forward because we knew women will continue to need help and come in for treatment, and we needed to make this happen. We put our team together, each of whom put in a lot of time to make this happen. We came out with a wonderful telethon-style event that we’re very proud of.”

The livestream event featured past talent show winners Vanessa K. with a sparkling dance number, and Kristen K. with a hilarious comedy routine. Many sponsors and friends of House of Hope participated with videos recognizing the 65th Anniversary. Ed Storti and Bobbi Tshirgi provided insightful historical retrospectives, and the McMillen Family Foundation was recognized for their continued generous support. The event team included Johnny Bjorge, who led the talent and production, as he has for many years. Kristin Witzenburg headed up digital marketing and Juanita Hahn spearheaded ticket sales again this year. Kimberly James was a new member of the team this year, providing a boost to the fundraising efforts. Another welcome addition to the team were Teresa and Kyle
Tucker of Studio Venue, who handled all the video production and editing. Maricela Gray and Paul Edmeier from the House of Hope executive office also played critical roles on the team.

“In spite of these difficult times, so many people stood up to help and donated to this wonderful event, and showed up for the women who need treatment, knowing now more than ever that their help is needed,” added Storti. If you missed the live event, you can watch the recorded video here!