It's a Wonderful Night For Oscar

It’s a Wonderful Night for Oscar

In October 1999 Ed and I were Out & About (anyone who remembers "Ed and Amber Out & About" can I get an Oh-Ya), I believe we were at store, and Ed looks at me and says "I want to have an Oscar Party." I was thinking "hmmm that sounds like fun," envisioning our living room alive with the energy of our nearest and dearest. So I said "that sounds like fun, who do you want to invite." He looked puzzled at me so I said to clarify, "your mom, your dad, Sue, Judy...?" He said "no, I want to throw it at Fontana Community Church​'s Reception Hall". The quaint little gathering round hearth and TV quickly vanished and I realized my husband was in event mode and we embarked on the first of 5, Ed and Amber's Oscar Parties.

After only 6 months of work we were ready with 68 people in attendance, volunteers, and prizes that made it fun for everyone.  Ed came up with a way to make all of the awards exciting. We worked to get a bevy of prizes to give away, then we created 5 different colored star wands (that we cut out ourselves using the die cutter at the Fontana School District Media Center and the original ones were stapled to straws.) For each category those in attendance would choose the corresponding color of who they thought might win. Those who guessed correctly would get a ticket for the drawing. Then during the commercials we would draw the tickets to give away the most amazing prizes like; hotel stays in Las Vegas, amusement park tickets, live theater tickets, gift baskets, concert tickets, etc.

We also gave away our own little gold plastic Ed and Amber Oscar Party Oscars to Best Dressed Man and Woman. It was a blast!! The last event was held at the Golf Club in Fontana in their grand room and 274 people were in attendance with bigger and better prizes, multiple giant screen TV's, a resort style buffet dinner. Oscar Night was one of our favorite nights of the year and the thought of being without him this Oscar Night hurts. But the memories of our Oscar nights will fuel awesome memories of Eddie for a lifetime.