It’s the big-time for the CATHE Center with first ‘Big Bash’

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Editor

Just a few years ago, the future of Burlington’s Community, Art, Technology, Health and Education Center – CATHE for short – was in doubt.

Now, after generous support from the community, Executive Director Jennie King can say things have changed.

“That was before my time,” said King, who took over the position two years ago. “The board had made the community aware of it, and the community was very generous.

“So, we’ve been fine,” she added. “But our day-to-day operations cover our daily bills.”

With some hoped-for upgrades to the building in the works, the CATHE Center board is now promoting its first-ever “CATHE Center Big Bash,” which will take place Friday, Nov. 8, at Veterans Terrace.

Cocktails will be served starting at 6 p.m., with dinner catered by Stowell’s to follow at 7 p.m. There will be live music and dancing, and a locally written “radio mystery theater” drama – “A Very CATHE Mystery.”

King’s husband, Rob – a local author – is writing and producing the event.

“We’re just going to have a lot of fun with it,” said Jennie King. “It should be a lot of fun.”

Tickets for the evening are $40. There will also be live and silent auctions, and there are already 117 auction baskets set up for the event.

Clearly, the group is aiming big – and with good cause. King said some of the planned upgrades to the CATHE facility – located at 125 E. State Street – include installing air conditioning, as well as making ADA-compliant changes to the building.

The building houses many different groups, from a youth acting troupe to yoga to Children’s House – a Montessori School.

The idea of the Big Bash came from Jessica and Kevin Lahner, both of whom were involved in brainstorming sessions on how to increase revenues for the building.

“They came forward and offered to be the chairpersons for the event,” King said. “Jessica has been amazing setting up the template.”

Jessica Lahner said this kind of event is critical to funding the future of the center.

“We think the CATHE is doing a great job of maintaining the current level of programing given the cash flow,” she explained. “But in order to offer more programming … we have to increase cash flow.”

Lahner said she hopes hosting an event of this magnitude will excite the community and become an annual revenue source for the center.

“I’m hoping,” Lahner said. “This is our first stab at this. We’re not sure what the turnout’s going to be.

“But we’ve had tremendous support already.”

Sponsors for the event are “pretty comprehensive,” King said, and include The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine, Kapur and Associates, Merrill Lynch, Thrivent Financial, Auxiant, Bear Development, Fidelity Title, Green Development, Lloyd and Phenicie, The Peter Scherrer Group, Zarek Insurance, Aurora and Runzheimer International.

“We are hoping it will be an annual event, and that people will find it an event to look forward to,” said King, adding that the board is hoping to raise about $25,000, and is about halfway there already.