A Seat At Something Special

By Charlie Allis, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern

There’s something special about a room filled with people who come together to support a common cause. When communities unite around a shared purpose, they support one another and create positive change.
This was clear at Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s Raise the Roof Gala, held Feb. 6 at The Village at 170 in Kohler. The event, which drew 280 people, celebrated generosity, community, and the incredible impact of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s work.

I attended the event as a marketing intern for Habitat Lakeside. It was my first nonprofit fundraiser and to be completely honest, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what to expect or how it was going to go. However, once guests began arriving, the atmosphere felt welcoming and relaxed. The room quickly filled with conversation and laughter. There was no pressure in the room, just people excited to be there and ready to support a meaningful cause. Seeing such a turnout was motivating, especially after all our hard work planning and setting up the event. It made me proud to see so many people show up to support Habitat Lakeside.

My role for the evening was checking guests, managing the slide show, picking raffle winners and other tasks. While it was exciting to watch the room fill, managing check-in for such a large crowd was a bit overwhelming at times. Still, every interaction was positive. Guests were friendly, patient, and kind, which made the experience enjoyable and allowed everything to run smoothly. Despite the rush of people, everyone was understanding and respectful while waiting to be checked in. Being at the entrance allowed me to have a unique view of the positive energy in the room, which grew throughout the evening.

One of the most memorable moments was a speech from Le’Shay Guy, our executive director. Le’Shay spoke about the achievements, mission, and goals of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside and why the organization’s work matters. Her words focused on the real impact of the community’s support, making it clear how each individual contribution helps change lives. The message seemed to resonate well with the audience.
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What stood out the most to me at the Raise the Roof Gala was how laid-back, yet purposeful, the event felt. With a dress code of flannel shirts and jeans, it didn’t feel super formal and was truly just a group of people working together to improve our community. This allowed for a relaxing, low-pressure environment, which made everyone comfortable to let loose and enjoy the night.
 
Raise the Roof Gala showed me what can happen when a community comes together and gave me a firsthand view of the generosity Sheboygan County shows to Habitat Lakeside. Thank you to everyone who attended the gala, to the organizations that donated auction items and to the people who purchased them, to the bakeries that donated sweets for the dessert table, and most of all to our sponsors: WOMT, IBEW 494, BankFirst, Baumann Excavating, Drexel Building Supply, Joe Schmitt Construction, Sargento, Masters Gallery, Quasius Construction, UnitedOne Credit Union, Wisconsin State Sheet Metal Workers (SMART 18), and Van Horn Automotive. Everyone helped make Raise the Roof 2026 the most successful gala in Habitat Lakeside’s history. 

​Charlie Allis at Raise the Roof 2026. Photo: Jon Erlien