Choosing the "when" and "where"

She then started to think about the best time to hold a fundraiser. "The weeks after Thanksgiving were out. People have so many commitments at that time," she explains. "Spring is also a busy time for fundraisers. So I kept coming back to Halloween."

Soon, the plans for an annual Halloween Bash were formalized. Ruth and Keith were to serve as the event hosts; Alice and Bruce, the event chairs.

"Instead of scheduling the fundraiser for Halloween night, we decided to hold it on the last Thursday of October. That way, people could spend Halloween at home, and go trick-or-treating with their kids," she says.

"We also realized that even though we live on Long Island, many of the potential attendees work in Manhattan. So we decided to have a catered cocktail reception at a well-known and convenient Manhattan venue. That way, it would be easier for people to come to the event right after work." Costumes, they decided, would be optional.

People wanted to get involved

In almost no time, Ruth reports, dozens of the Geismars' friends had volunteered to serve on the event committee. "Everyone offered their talents and resources. Some people helped to enlist catering services. Others sought donations for the silent auction and goody bags."

Throughout the planning process, Ruth says, she insisted that the focus of the event be the NFED. "I didn't want it to be just about Ryan," she emphasizes. "Everyone knew about Ryan, and about the many difficulties we were all facing. But the NFED helps lots of kids and families. Our goal was to help the organization do more for all the families, and especially, to help the NFED fund more research."

Turning vision into reality

After months of planning, the day of the first Bash arrived. The event committee transformed the grand ballroom of the landmark Puck Building into a Halloween fantasy.

All tables were covered and skirted in black. Gorgeous feathered masks, boas, colorful plastic Hawaiian leis, and hundreds of shiny Mardi Gras beaded necklaces were available for people to take as soon as they entered the harvest-decorated doorway.

Pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn, donated by nurseries that had unsold Halloween merchandise, were displayed everywhere. So, too, were scarecrows, witches, and large pots of purple and green winter kale.

Instead of using flowers, committee members filled baskets, pumpkins, and decorative ceramic dishes with miniature chocolate bars and other types of candy. More candy was scattered on each table.

And to be sure people were reminded of why there were there, the committee lined a wall near the entrance with large blown-up photos of a number of adorable smiling children whose missing teeth or sparse hair clearly identified them as kids affected by ED.

Raising more money

Farther into the room, tables displayed items donated for the event's silent auction. The silent auction was - and still is - coordinated by another hard-working member of the family, Keith's sister, Jennifer Geismar.

"We decided to have the bidding on auction items begin as soon as the doors opened," Ruth says. "Toys and jewelry were very popular," she recalls. Dinners at some of New York's finest restaurants, spa weekends, sports tickets, and donated golf foursomes also were bid up quickly.