On Saturday, April 28th, the Kara community gathered at Palo Alto’s Mitchell Park Community Center for our spring fundraiser, entitled Both Sides Now.

Nancy Sharp, an award-winning author and motivational speaker, shared her moving and inspirational story about how she survived and eventually flourished after the loss of her husband to brain cancer 14 years ago.  As a young widow with twins just 2 ½ years old, Nancy gradually rebuilt her life by moving from NYC to Denver.  She courageously embraced uncertainties and new possibilities that kindled her personal growth in the formation of new relationships.  A truly moving story of resilience and transformation!

Before Nancy’s presentation, our 216 guests enjoyed a carnival-style hour of fun and games, with a photo booth, wine pull, roving magician, and live band, Unhinged, playing classic hits.  Lead singer Susan Goforth-Mauthes surprised Nancy Sharp by singing a cappella a beautiful Joni Mitchell rendition of “Both Sides Now”, as a tribute to Nancy’s memoir of the same title and as a special dedication to Susan’s son, Mattie, who died in 2014.

We saw Jumbo Raffle winners take home exciting prizes grouped into eight fun-filled packages ranging from self-care bundles to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, local gourmet delights, hotel stays, and winery tours.  Our energetic auctioneer, Keith Fox, entertained the audience with a thrilling Live Auction and compelling Fund-a-Need Auction.

Both Sides Now raised over $133,000 to support Kara’s programs and healing services for the bereaved. Thank you to everyone in the Kara community for your heartfelt generosity in making this year’s fundraiser such a successful and ‘funtastic’ event!

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