YWCA’s Offkey
On Saturday June 29, more than 300 people showed up at Wieden & Kennedy headquarters in NW Portland for the YWCA’s first-ever Offkey event. This was no standard-issue fundraiser, however: in place of the usual auction, inspirational speeches, and rubber chicken, was a wildly fun night filled with singing, eating, drinking, and more singing. Sponsored by KINK radio and kicked off by vaunted karaoke jock Sean Bailey, rumored to be the best karaoke jockey in all of Portland, this event drew in young and old alike, dancers, singers, and city officials, all showing off their best karaoke chops, and lending support for the work of the YWCA. All told, the evening raised a whopping $23,000 for YWCA programs and services. While the food and drinks was generously donated by a variety of organizations, the signature cocktail, by far the most popular drink of the evening, was the result of a collaboration of two local vendors, with Artisan Spirits handcrafted vodka and Colombia Gorge Juice joining forces in most memorable fashion. The event also sported its share of famous faces as Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, musician Gary Fontaine from Nu Shooz, David Long, owner of West Coast Extreme Cheerleading, Dave Allen, director of NEMO Design Group (and bassist for punk notables Gang of 4), and Bitch Magazine co-founder Andi Zeisler served as the prestigious panel of judges for the karaoke contestants. -Keri Miller
