More than 350 guests enjoyed food from True Chesapeake Oyster Co. and listened to Calvert parent Cris Jacobs and his band in the Penguin Room at Whitehall Mill. The evening featured Smyth’s “Glamour in a Glass,” raffles, a wine pull, and an incredible 48-item silent auction, which included a 10-day Galápagos Islands adventure.

With two lead sponsors, Kelly Benefits and Mullan Contracting, corporate gifts accounted for more than 40% of the total raised. Ticket revenue comprised approximately 30% of the revenue, followed by 22% from the silent auction, and the remaining 8% came from raffles and fundraising activities throughout the evening.

In-kind donations from Lindblad Expeditions, Bond Distributors, True Chesapeake, Smyth Jewelers, Nancy Harris Events, and Cris Jacobs supported all facets of the evening.

In an event feedback survey, a guest commented, "The venue, flow, and set up were wonderful, and the vibe was energetic and fun. We were impressed by the musician and how smoothly everything seemed to run.”

In the months leading up to the benefit, a 20-person committee gathered monthly to ensure the event’s success. Many thanks to our chair, Nancy Harris '97, and other members of the planning committee, including Mary Margaret Allen, Daphne Bahl, Arielle Bess, Jenny Boyd, Adrianne Carroll, Genny Cox, Jennifer Dunbar, Sarah Grasmick, Courtney Hanson, Silke Laub, Lindsay McGettigan '97, Kristin MacMillan, Caroline Moore, Nicol Regan, Alexis Thompson, Dominic Vecchiollo, Melody Ward, Amber Wilke, and Carmen Zuniga.