After taking a couple of years to hold their annual Midpoint Luncheon outdoors due to the pandemic, 2022 Crystal Charity Ball Chair Susan Farris and her lead committee team (Underwriting Chair Kristina Whitcomb, Children’s Book Chair Lindsay Ballotta, Foundations Chair Elizabeth Gambrell, Silent Auction Chair Mary Martha Pickens and Special Gifts Chair Wendy Messmann) returned to Salum on Monday, May 23.
With this year’s ball theme of “Splendido Italiano” that had been announced at CCB Member-At-Large/2020 Chair Tucker Enthoven‘s grand estate Italiano with operatic accompaniment, a dining room filled with a sumptuous feast and Vespas at the door, there were jars of Italian confetti on the tables for the luncheon and a menu of family-style appetizers including Malfatti Di Salmone (spinach and salmon dumplings with sage butter and insalata caprese con pesto), the main course of Pollo A La Toscana (chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella, artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes served over fettuccine arrabbiata) and Tiramisu for dessert. Of course, CCB Chair Susan Farris couldn’t resist wearing a blue majolica print dress highlighted by splashes of bright yellow lemons and flowers that oozed the feel of the Mediterranean resort.
Highlight of the day was the announcement of their efforts in providing $7,180,505 for the 2022 beneficiaries and recognizing the committee members who had led the charge so far. As a reward, they were presented with handmade jars from Italy thanks to 2022 CCB Underwriter Chair Kristina Whitcomb.
The story behind the jars started back in 2019, when artists Doriana and Arnaldo gave up their careers in Milan and started a ceramic studio outside of Volterra. Their timing couldn’t have been worse with the pandemic shutting down Italy and the tourism trade. However, Kristina’s daughter Hayley and son-in-law Jake Lester, who spend every summer in Volterra, got to know the couple and last year asked about “purchasing our Midpoint gifts. The couple began to cry sharing that they were barely making it through the pandemic. This order was a huge boost to know that business was going to pick up again.”
According to Kristina, the tourists have returned and Doriana and Arnaldo are doing well and “are still incredibly appreciative of our purchase and the gift it was to their family.”
While catching up served as an appetizer for the luncheon, the announcements of who had starred in the various categories included:
Underwriting
- Most contracts in – Cheryl Joyner
- Most dollars in – Libby Allred
- Most new in – Jennifer Chandler
- New member award – Shannon Graham
Children’s Book
- Most contracts in – Linda Secrest
- Most dollars in – Suzy Gekiere
- Most new in – Diana Hamilton
- New member award – Lisa Loy Laughlin
Silent Auction/Special Gifts
- Most contracts in – Katherine Coke
- Most dollars in – Jennifer Dix
- Most new in – Leigh Ann Haugh
- New member award – Victoria Snee
Foundations
- Most applications granted – Alicia Wood
- Most dollars granted – Dee Velvin
- Most applications written – Brooke Shelby
- New applications granted – Julie Bagley
For more looks of the day, check out MySweetCharity Photo Gallery.