New London — The first Evening of Giving — a remake of a long popular fundraiser in the city — raised more than $13,500 over the weekend for the New London Community Meal Center on Montauk Avenue.

Organizer Amy Sarcia said more than 100 people attended the event Saturday night at a State Street storefront where 20 decorated Christmas trees as well as smaller, tree-top tables and other items were raffled to raise funds for the meal center.

Sarcia stepped up to keep the decorated tree auction going after the Downtown New London Association decided against organizing it this year after 12 years of hosting it.

The plan is to make it an annual event.  

"I think it would benefit the city and the charity the most if the DNLA and I could work in concert to do it next year," said Sarcia. "But if they don't want to do it, I would do it again."

Sarcia, an owner of 2Wives restaurant and a real estate developer, volunteered this fall to run the event after it was announced the DNLA was backing out following a controversy around funding for the annual Sailfest celebration. Sarcia said she knows the meal center is short of funds and was losing sleep thinking the annual Festival of Trees would be shelved.

So she recruited volunteers and rebranded the event an Evening of Giving. Maple Lane Farms in Preston donated Christmas trees and other businesses stepped up to lend support, including decorating the trees that sold from about $200 to $2,700. The big ticket tree was hosted by Tony Suarez of Northern Light Gems and included jewelry hanging from the branches. The high-bidder kept the gemstones and gave the tree to 2Wives, to display in the restaurant.

"It was a really fun night, and we raised a lot of money," said Sarcia.