Supporters Gather for Royal Oak Time Capsule Project Fundraiser

Royal Oak residents Michael Chetcuti and Kyle Evans hosted a sold-out fundraiser at their Royal Oak home Thursday evening along with Friends of the to raise money for the .

About 60 guests paid $100 each to attend the event, for which and provided food and drink.

The time capsule project is the brainchild of Royal Oak resident and longtime volunteer Jay Dunston. 

"Jay saw a time capsule a few years ago and liked it, and finally figured out a reason to do one here," Mayor Jim Ellison said, addressing the 60 guests.

That reason is the 90th anniversary of Royal Oak becoming a city. Working with Library Director Mary Karshner, the plan is to bury the time capsule in a ceremony on Oct. 1, 2011, at 1 p.m. the Butterfly Garden area of the .

, youth and teen librarian, to determined what interesting items will be placed in the capsule, which measures 33 inches by 26 inches by 12 inches.

"These days, with everything being digital and flat, we don't need the kind of big capsule people used in the past," Dunstan said. The money raised Thursday will help pay for a $1,200 capsule, which is to be dug up in 2046 on the city’s 125th year anniversary.

"I am told the capsule will withstand moisture and variations in temperatures, but who knows? The guy who's selling it to us probably won't be around in 35 years if it doesn't," he joked. Dunstan, however, does plan to be there. "I'll be 88 when they dig it up," he said.

At the fundraiser, attendees could browse a display of objects going into the capsule. Some of the items included sports jerseys and menus from local restaurants.

Dunstan praised the teenagers working on the project for their thoughtful consideration of what types of things represent the city, but thinks they may have overlooked the most iconic symbol of Royal Oak. Dunston said he plans to place a Royal Oak parking ticket in the capsule – after he pays it, of course.