The 2010 VIP Tour and Parade of Ponds & Pools was a great success, and we owe a huge thank you to all who participated and sponsored the events! We started the weekend off in style at Combined Pool & Spa with the social hour before splitting up into stretch H1, H2, Escalade, and Navigator limos provided by Stellar Limousine. Each group then set off on the tour starting at a different project installed by the River of Hope Foundation. With live music provided by Jon Hanson, Brian Detmer, and Toby Kane the tour progressed with great food from Chef Dominique, and plenty of drinks served by the owners and staff of Cask & Cork. The evening then finished of with desert from Utopia, and a poolside concert by the Rude Band. Now I know you may be saying, wow that sounds like a lot of fun, and it was, but the best part of the entire evening was the fact that we were able to raise money and awareness for the River of Hope Foundation while doing it!

Saturday morning we were right back at it with the Parade of Ponds & Pools. Thanks to Rock Garden Nursery and Combined Pool & Spa we were able to spend the weekend promoting the benefits of water features and nature for those affected by cancer. The weather was perfect and the steady stream of people traveling around Sioux Falls enjoying the beautiful ponds and pools was inspiring. Not only were we able to show the projects installed by the River of Hope Foundation, but with 25 total ponds & pools on display there was truly a unique combination of nature and artistry for all to enjoy.

This great weekend would not be possible without the help of all of our sponsors and homeowners, and we truly thank you all for supporting the mission of the River of Hope Foundation! Thank you to Rock Garden Nursery, Combined Pool & Spa, Easy Pro Pond Supply, Poet, Stellar Limousine, Cask & Cork, Rainbow Play Systems, Thurman, Comes, Foley, LLP, Dakota Financial, Serendipitous Events By Jessica, Customeyez Designs, James Dugan, 44 Interactive, Heritage Funeral Home, Backyard Broadcasting, Walmart, Monarch Sales, Sisson Printing, and Midwest Landscape Supply! Please be sure to mark your calendars for the last weekend in July as we continue to grow and spread our mission.

A limited number of seats for the River of Hope Foundation’s VIP Parade of Ponds Event July 23^rd 5:30pm-10pm still remain. This exclusive evening of awareness and entertainment will be a unique event like no other. We will gather at Combined Pool & Spa (Western Avenue) for drinks ( by Cask & Cork) and socializing as we prepare for a limo guided tour (provided by Stellar Limousine) of four newly installed River of Hope ponds. While on the tour you will be treated to food, drinks, and live music as you see firsthand the work of the River of Hope Foundation. Upon conclusion of the tour you will be taken to the home of Tom and Rachael Junck for deserts, drinks and a concert performed by The Rude Band. There will also be a brief presentation from the River of Hope Foundation recognizing those who have helped make the foundation a reality. There is a suggested minimum donation of $100, and tickets to this exclusive event are limited. Please contact Nathan at the River of Hope Foundation 605-759-5764 to reserve your place today!

This year the River of Hope Foundation has teamed up with Rock Garden Nursery  and Combined Pool and Spa to present the Parade of Ponds and Pools. All proceeds from the parade will go to the River of Hope to allow us to continue providing healing environments to those affected by cancer. The parade is a self guided tour of over 20 beautiful ponds and pools in the Sioux Falls area. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at Rock Garden Nursery 2000 North Drive, Sioux Falls http://www.rockgardennursery.com , Combined Pool and Spa 3520 South Western Avenue, Sioux Falls http://www.combinedpoolandspa.com , or online at http://paradeofponds-efbevent.eventbrite.com/ We will have a list of the ponds and pools available on the website next week. For more information contact the River of Hope Foundation.