For the first time ever, the Pioneer Heritage Gala, scheduled for Sat., Aug. 20, was rained out. The two-inch downpour soaked every table, printed program, and everything that was set outside ready for the Berthoud Rides the Rails gala. Hopes were dashed and expectations plummeted.

But then, goodness happened. Once the rain stopped, President Mark French, the gala committee, and other volunteers, assessed the situation. The musicians said they were free the next day. Caterer Maranda Rider of Cornerstone Café said she could hold the food as well. Tim Hardy of Lefthand Printworks agreed to reprint the paper programs. The gala became a Sunday Afternoon Garden Party! Volunteers began moving tables, tipping chairs, and carrying soaked decorations inside the McCarty-Fickel house. People gathered tablecloths to launder while others did the same with dishes, flatware, and glasses. The generosity of time and effort by people (including many guests) who came together to salvage a drenched event was the epitome of the 2022 calendar theme of Berthoud Builds Community. The Berthoud Historical Society sincerely thanks these kind and hardworking friends.

By 2 pm Sunday, the tables were reset and beautiful. Guests arrived to mingle, peruse items in the silent auction & Penny Social tent, and play tabletop trivia. The “Lounge Car” served beverages including the Golden Spike cocktail created for the event. The Dining Car Buffet was filled with delicious food that hearkened back to a Denver Rio Grande & Western’s dining car menu. Three sets of people who earned the Heritage and Pioneer Awards in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were honored during the afternoon program. The gala was back on track!

The purpose of the gala is to raise money to support the part-time Museums Director position. With generous bids in both the live and silent auctions, hundreds of tickets purchased for the Penny Social, and other donations, the Berthoud Rides the Rails gala brought in over $9,500. Thanks go to the Gala Committee, the volunteers, and all the guests who were “on board” to make the 2022 Pioneer Heritage Gala a success!