Nancy Wilcox, left, president of the Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Home and a longtime member of St. Mary’s Auxiliary Board, with Mollie Pavlik, president of the Auxiliary Board. Wilcox presented Pavlik with flowers and a painting created by Koko, who lives at St. Mary’s, to thank her for leading the event. (photo courtesy Hampton Roads Photography)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NORFOLK, Va. (May 16, 2016) — Children and young adults with disabilities who live at St. Mary’s Home will enjoy more field trips and benefit from much-needed medical equipment with the success of a gala that raised more than $85,000 for the nonprofit.
After 10 years of events in Virginia Beach, the Auxiliary Board of St. Mary’s Home held its 11th annual Gala and Auction on April 16 at a new location: The Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center on Norfolk’s downtown waterfront. Special guests included Lynn, who lives at St. Mary’s Home, as well as several current and former St. Mary’s families.
“The Gala is a time to celebrate the residents of St. Mary’s Home and our Albero House for adults, as well as the wonderful environment that our community partners, sponsors, families, friends and staff help provide for them,” Auxiliary President Mollie Pavlik said.
WVEC-TV weather forecaster Craig Moeller served as master of ceremonies as nearly 300 people had the opportunity to bid during silent and live auctions on items including jewelry, sports memorabilia, artwork, a trip to New York City and a stay in a centuries-old home in Provence, France. A special live auction just to fund field trips for the children of and young adults of St. Mary’s raised $16,000 from generous bidders.
Guests enjoyed bidding on a variety of prizes during an exciting live auction that was a highlight of the Auxiliary Board of St. Mary’s 11th annual Gala and Auction on April 16 at The Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center on Norfolk’s downtown waterfront. (photo courtesy Hampton Roads Photography)
For the sixth year in a row, the Gala’s Presenting Diamond Sponsor, Checkered Flag Auto Group, donated a car for the Auxiliary to raffle off at the end of the evening. The raffle raised about $20,000, with the 2016 silver Toyota Corolla going to Eugene Adams, 91, of Virginia Beach.
Additional Gala sponsors included:
- Sapphire Sponsor — PRA Group
- Emerald Sponsor — SAIC
- Silent Auction Sponsors — Kaufman & Canoles, P.C., Monarch Bank and Kerneos, Inc.
- Reception Sponsor — PF&A Design
- Friends of St. Mary’s — Hook Law Center, Mercer, Roof Engineering Corporation, TowneBank and Thompson, Siegel and Walmsley, LLC
The Norfolk Strolling Silver Strings provided musical entertainment for the evening. Volunteers from Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach handled registration, while members of the Key Club of Frank W. Cox High School volunteered as auction assistants.
Members of Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach, who handled registration at the Gala, and other guests had fun posing in front of a new backdrop with St. Mary’s new logo and tagline, “A good life.” (photo courtesy Hampton Roads Photography)