A Sugar Plum Ball, a Festival After Dark, a Festival of Fashion and a chance to Stroll Through the Forest -- all of these served to usher in Tux 'n Trees.
The annual black-tie closer for the Festival of Trees, the Tux 'n Trees benefit for CARTI took place Nov. 21 in the Wally Allen Ballroom of the Statehouse Convention Center.
Themed "London Calling" and taking on red as a theme color, the event afforded guests an opportunity to sip on signature cocktails made of champagne and cranberry juice, peruse silent-auction items that included Christmas trees and fireplaces decorated by various organizations and companies, dine on an entree of beef Wellington with mushrooms and poached lobster, bid in a live auction and dance to the music of Dizzy 7.
Dr. Mariann Harrington offered a welcome and introduced event chairman Sherry Booles, who gave brief remarks about the new CARTI Cancer Center off John Barrow Road.
Dr. Rhonda Gentry shared her experiences as an oncologist, bringing to the forefront the questions that go through the minds of newly diagnosed cancer patients; her diverse group of patients, including ... a "20-year-old lovely young woman with a brain tumor [who] has to go through another surgery"; and extolling CARTI's services. "Cancer is anything but kind ... but in the journey to fight it, there is grace," she said. Gentry then introduced CARTI patient Bill Crismon, who gave a touching account of his multiple bouts with cancer and praised CARTI for treating him with "competence, compassion and courage."
Early projections placed festival proceeds at just over $400,000 -- "about $20,000 more than last year and a brand-new ... single-year record," says Ron Standridge of CARTI.
High Profile on 11/29/2015