Valentine’s Day-themed fundraisers are all about the hearts
As a rule, fundraisers and holidays aren’t a good match.
Now and then you may see a holiday tree gala or a wear-your-costume Halloween party, but for the most part, nonprofits and arts organizations steer clear of overused holiday themes.
This is not the case, however, with Valentine’s Day.
Groups big and small are enchanted with this holiday for their parties, and they don’t care if Valentine’s Day falls in the middle of the week. In fact, this year you can go to Feb. 14-themed parties Feb. 9 through Feb. 17.
Let’s start with Saturday. Sunflower House is holding its 26th annual Valentine Gala, a black-tie evening featuring cocktails, gourmet dinner, auctions and dancing at the Overland Park Marriott. The theme, appropriately, is “Just an Old Fashioned Love Song.”
Across town Saturday night at the Crown Center Exhibition Hall, it’s the enormously popular Red Hot Night Valentine’s Day-themed event to benefit Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. Guests are encouraged to wear red, drink heartinis and bid high at a “heart’s desire” auction.
Now let’s fast forward to the actual holiday.
Why not start the holiday bright and early with a Valentine’s Day chocolate breakfast starting at 6 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotel, a benefit for the Fox 4 Love Fund? The New Theatre Guild is holding A Valentine Love Affair fundraiser, which is billed as a fun, romantic evening featuring a cocktail hour, dinner, silent auction and dancing to the Atlantic Express at the Overland Park Marriott. And here’s something different: a Valentine’s Day luncheon at the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum in Leavenworth. The museum’s press release says the event is “sure to please every romantic.”
Then Feb. 15, the American Red Cross will hold a major new fundraising event in Kansas City called the Red Ball, featuring fine cuisine and entertainment at Sprint Center.
One of my favorite Valentine’s Day-themed parties is the annual Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s Romantic Revels fundraiser. This gala always is an elegant affair where many guests dress up in costume and dance past midnight at the InterContinental Hotel on the Country Club Plaza. This year the theme is a masked black-and-white ball.
Then the last party I know of is on Feb. 17. A nonprofit group called Special Neighbors Inc., which has served people with developmental disabilities for the last 30 years, is holding a From the Heart silent auction and reception fundraiser followed by the play “Stories My Grandmother Told Me” at the American Heartland Theatre.
So spread the love the next couple of weeks. It’ll help so many good causes in town.
Alicia Nichols (left) and Joy Brigmal set up a reception at Liberty Memorial for guests attending the debut of the documentary “Ours to Give: The Long Legacy of an American Family.” The film, produced by the R.A. Long Historical Society, depicts the life of R.A. Long, best known for owning Longview Farm in Lee’s Summit.
Will Shields and Senia Shields co-chaired Marillac’s Enchanted Forest fundraiser at Union Station. Beautifully decorated trees were up for bid during the silent auction to raise money for the center that helps children and their families.
Orrell Kurlandski (from left), Paula Green and Abigail Ventrillo enjoy the Hollywood-style atmosphere during the 17th annual DeLaSalle movie event at the AMC Town Center 20 theaters in Leawood. The party benefits DeLaSalle Education Center.
Cadets and midshipmen from U.S. service academies and military colleges, along with their guests, line up for the grand entrance to the recent ball at the Downtown Marriott hotel. The ball is presented annually by the U.S. United States Naval Academy Parents’ Club of Western Missouri and Kansas.