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Digging for Diamonds Nets Real Gems

When Bob Underhill, owner of Jewelry Designs in Danbury, met with Festival of Trees Co-Chair Shirley LaPine and local realtor Marie Borner last spring to discuss Marie’s proposal for a great diamond give-away for Ann’s Place, The Home of I CAN, he was not prepared for what he would see at the Starr Ridge Ballroom during the recent Festival of Trees & Traditions.  “The whole setting was fabulous, very well-done!  The diamonds were so well presented.  I can’t wait to see it this year,” Bob said as he posed for a photograph with the winners.   “It goes to a cause I can really appreciate.”


From left:  Winner Candy Acquanita and granddaughter, Mia Acquanita, winner Dr. David Chabot, winner Madeline Baldwick, Diamond Chairperson and Realtor Marie Borner of Danbury and Robert Underhill, owner of Jewelry Designs.

Erin Baldwick of New Milford was equally enthusiastic about the event.   “There was so much creativity at the Festival; it was incredibly beautiful.”  What was even more astounding for Erin was learning that her 8-year-old daughter Madeline won one of the three $2,000 diamonds in the Jewelry Designs Digging for Diamonds contest.

“What a happy moment; we still tell the story to everyone.  The children and I have needed some happy moments, since my husband died sixteen months ago.  There haven’t been too many happy moments for us.”  Although Erin might have been even more thrilled if Madeline had won some orthodontic work, Madeline is fiercely proud of her diamond and not bartering with the orthodontist!  Erin plans to create a heart shaped necklace using the diamond as a keepsake that can grow with Madeline and remind her of her father, Ed Baldwick, whom they lost in the fall of 2005.  Big sister Susan and 8th grader brother E.J. Baldwick watched with Mom Erin as Madeline celebrated her win.


Co-Founder Mary Burke drops the first half-carat diamond into the tank of sand and cubic zirconiums on Preview Night, as Digging for Diamonds Chair Marie Borner looks on.

Fordham psychologist David Chabot tossed his diamond in his coat pocket without another thought after playing “Digging for Diamonds” at the Festival.  A few days later his daughter prodded him to give up his stone so she could have it checked out at Jewelry Designs, along with the stones she won during the contest.  His stone turned out to be the second actual diamond.  Because his family and friends volunteer a lot of time to the Festival every year, Dr. Chabot was happy to donate to Ann’s Place through the contest, never guessing he might actually win himself.

The third winner had not shown up at Jewelry Designs within a week after the Festival when Diamond Chair Marie Borner and Festival Co-Chair Shirley LaPine returned the diamond tank with thousands of CZ’s to owner Bob Underhill.   They combed through the stones and discovered the third guaranteed diamond still in the sand.  Since Ann’s Place promised to give away all three, a drawing was held from among the player tickets and Candy Acquanita’s ticket was drawn.  Candy, herself a cancer survivor, decided that her five-year old granddaughter Mia Acquanita should be gifted with the Festival diamond.  Mia accompanied Candy to be photographed with the winners.

Congratulations to all our winners.  May you have sweet memories of the excitement of winning each time you wear your brilliant half-carat diamond.

Our deepest gratitude to Bob Underhill for his generosity in gifting Ann’s Place with thousands of cubic zirconia, gift boxes and three real diamonds to make this contest a highlight of our 2006 Festival!