Winter Harvest event an evening of blessings

Winter Harvest, MFB Florida's annual dinner and fundraising auction, was held on February 25 in downtown Fort Myers' premier location, Caloosa Sound and Convention Center. As in years past, Gunterberg Charitable Foundation was the sponsor.

The night began with the honoring of Vietnam veteran Dennis Fahey by Brotherhood of Heroes' Dr. Carol Rae Culliton. Dennis was a Double Purple Heart recipient in the Army. He served from 1966-1968 and was a tank commander. See below for more details about Dennis.

Domine Clemmons gave the audience goosebumps with her rendition of the national anthem. After new Florida Division board member Lee Ford blessed the food, the guests broke bread. A new and well-received portion of the fundraiser featured songs from Soprano Heather Ivy.

Retiring board president Stan Sinn was recognized for his years of service and leadership. We extended a warm welcome to new board member Lee Ford. Read more about them here <LINK>.

The familiar duo of Clark and Lynn Stoller ran the auction portion of the evening. They performed as expected with their hilarious jokes and stories. Their love for MFB and the people in the room keeps the auction light-hearted and fun. The Stollers auctioned off 35 items and helped raise over $300,000 for MFB Florida.

Thank you to the many volunteers, sponsors, and donors who made the evening enjoyable and successful. Click here to see photos of the event.

Dennis Fahey

Winter Harvest guests had the honor of hearing Dennis Fahey's life story. He was born in 1947 in Newark, New Jersey. Dennis' father was a Chief with the Essex County Sheriff's Office, and his mother stayed home to care for their children. He is the youngest of seven. 

After graduating high school, Dennis signed up for the Selective Service and joined the United States Army. He was deployed and stationed in Vietnam as a Tank Commander leading his fellow soldiers through treacherous and deadly battlefields. Dennis was promoted to Specialist 5th Class E5 and received two Purple Hearts. Upon his return to the United States, Dennis earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. He became an expert in crime scenes and forensics. Dennis has testified in several cases in many different jurisdictions. He had a large part in solving a 35-year-old cold murder case. 

Dennis and his wife, Sharon, live in sunny Cape Coral, Florida. We all sincerely appreciate and respect Dennis' sacrifices and thank him for his service. Dennis has a heart for the ministry of Midwest Food Bank, as he has received food from charitable organizations in the past.