Chocolates To Cure The Wintertime Blues

Sisters Doris Schladweiler, left, and Monica Klippel take a break at their store, The Candy Tree in Kewaskum. The Candy Tree will be one of the vendors handing out chocolate samples at Chocolate Fantasy, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, January 29, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Fond du Lac.

At this northern latitude, a body needs a pick-me-up this time of year. Never fear: Chocolate is here. The curative powers of chocolate will be on full display at the Soroptimist of Fond du Lac’s 21^st annual Chocolate Fantasy 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, January 29, at Knights of Columbus Hall, 795 Fond du Lac Ave.

Chocolate Fantasy is a delicious celebration that features samplings of chocolate goodies from a wide variety of local vendors; a huge gift-basket silent auction; three raffles; photo booth; and – new this year – a chocolate themed make-and-take painting session.

Tickets are $12 in advance and available online at www.hometowntickets.com and at Annie’s Fountain City Café, Bank of Oakfield, EP-Direct, Fond du Lac Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Fox Valley Savings Bank, The Goldsmith, Hometown Bank on Peters Avenue and Wegner’s Office Supply. Tickets at the door are $15. All ticketholders will receive a to-go box and bottle of water.

Vendors handing out chocolate samples include Annie’s Fountain City Café; Fishy’s Bakery/Candyman; Dairy Queen; Fond du Lac High School Culinary Students and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Team; Eaton’s Fresh Pizza; Gino’s Italian Restaurant; Hippie Wayne’s; Piggly Wiggly of Mayville Tastefully Simple’s Michelle Wood; The Candy Tree; Sorvana; Dove Chocolate Discoveries; and Park Avenue Gifts.

Take a Break and Paint sessions will be held throughout the day. Painters will get step-by-step instructions from art educator Kathryn Dreifuerst of Riverwalk Art Center to create one of two sweet scenes – cupcake or bonbons – on small chunky canvasses. The sessions cost $15 per person. When done, paintings will be dry enough to take home.

Winners for the three raffles will be drawn at the event. These include a chance to win a $4,995 14-carat white gold diamond ring donated by The Goldsmith; ring tickets are sold with half-pound boxes of chocolates from The Candy Tree in Kewaskum for $10 each. Boxes of chocolates, with tickets, will be available at the event. Soroptimist members are currently selling raffle tickets for $5 and a chance to win one of six prizes: Blue Harbor getaway ($498 value), a money tree ($400 value), Packers/Badgers tailgate package ($250 value), 12 bottles of wine ($200 value), Eco-Drive woman’s watch ($200 value) and a dine-around package ($200 value). A cash raffle – tickets $5 each – will take place throughout the event.

Each year, a different local charity is earmarked to receive proceeds from Chocolate Fantasy. The 2017 event will benefit the Family Resource Center of Fond du Lac County.

The Soroptimists of Fond du Lac is a local club affiliated with the international organization whose members volunteer to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. Approximately 76,000 Soroptimists in over 120 countries and territories support community-based and global projects benefiting women and girls.

Chocolate Fantasy is the local club’s biggest fundraiser, and as such, the club relies on the generosity of myriad organizations and businesses to host the celebration. Contributions include silent auction gifts, raffle prizes, in-kind donations and more.

Chocolate Fantasy 2017’s sponsors are: Alliant Energy; Bank of Oakfield; Consultants Laboratory; Fox Valley Savings Bank; Holiday Automotive; Hometown Bank; J.F. Ahern Co.; The Jor-Mac Co., Inc.; Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel; Dr. Eugene and Natalie Lambert; Lakeside Wealth Management; Michels Corp.; RRK CPA LLC; Schenck SC; Society Insurance; Summit Automotive; and United Service Appraisal.

For information about Chocolate Fantasy, contact Linda Uselmann at pufm@hotmail.com. Details also are available at the Chocolate Fantasy Facebook page, www.facebook.com/chocolatefantasyfonddulac. For information about Soroptimists of Fond du Lac, contact President Cathi McGowan at cathmc.fdl@gmail.com.