Cheers to Perkins: Beer-Tasting Event to Help Raise Funds

Whether you enjoy the arts or craft beer, or both, Perkins Center has just what you’re looking for this weekend.

For the second year in a row, the organization will hold a beer tasting fundraiser, featuring drafts from local breweries, along with quality food, an art exhibit and a silent auction.

Lee Bennett, projects and special events manager, said Perkins raised $15,000 from the beer tasting last year—held at the —making it the non-profit’s most lucrative fundraiser of the year.

“As a small organization, that’s very significant,” she said of last year’s haul. “We’re hoping to do even better this year.”

For $45, attendees get a bottomless glass of beer, as well as all-you-can-eat food from Elements Cafe in Haddon Heights (check the attached photo for a list of Elements’ offerings). The list of brewers includes Yards Brewing Co. (Philadelphia), Lancaster Brewing Co., Flying Fish Brewery (Cherry Hill) and Yuengling (Pottsville, PA). Not a beer fan? Bennett said wine and root beer from Boylan Bottling Co. (Moonachie, NJ) will also be available.

As if the food and drink weren’t enough, Perkins will also be holding a silent auction the night of the tasting with a variety of items up for grabs, including box suite tickets to a Camden Riversharks game, a script from the TV show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia signed by the cast and a one-week stay in Spain.

Keeping with the theme of the evening, Perkins will also offer handcrafted ceramic beer steins and beer flights and original artwork in the silent auction.

“The theme is handcrafted because what we do at Perkins is artwork. We worked to incorporate that as much as possible,” said Bennett. “Our silent auction features a lot of artwork by family and friends; the décor is handcrafted as well.”

Speaking of artwork, the beer tasting will also be the last night for the “Consuming Boundaries” exhibition, a display of fiber arts. The Ong’s Hat Band will also perform.

Proceeds from the beer tasting will benefit Perkins’ many programs, as well as general operational expenses, Bennett said.

Diane Felcyn, assistant director at Perkins, said, “A successful fundraiser is the difference between Perkins ending the year in the black or in deficit. In a perfect world we’d be raising about $25,000 this year; anything that raises money for the organization is a plus.”

The beer tasting begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at . Moorestown area guests will be able to catch a bus from to Collingswood for $10 a person. The bus will return to Moorestown when the event ends at 10 p.m.

Bennett said they’re expecting about 200 people. Tickets will likely be available at the door, but guests are advised to purchase them in advance through the Perkins website.

The following businesses are sponsoring the event: Bayada Home Health, , Advocare South Jersey Pediatrics, Pinnacle Wealth and Benefits, Janney, Montgomery Scott, LLC, The Floyd Group, Schnader, Harrison Segal & Lewis, Capehart & Scatchard, and Kitchen and Associates.