The Wesleyan Gala took place on March 2 at the Loews Hotel in Atlanta. The Annual Wesleyan Gala is an event that brings the community together. It is a time to dress up and celebrate what Wesleyan has done over the past few years.
The Gala is made up of a live and silent auction, dinner and band.
There are hundreds of people that show their support for Wesleyan at the Gala. Teachers and faculty attend, along with alumni, alumni parents and friends of the Wesleyan community.
The silent auction had items “ranging from awesome teacher experiences, tickets to elite sporting events and tickets to top concerts with backstage passes and meet and greets,” said Co-President of the Wesleyan Parents Club, Tinsley Hayes. There were also some jewelry, art and toy options available for bidding. Head of School Chris Cleveland said “ [he] bid on some items from the silent auction. We walked away with a framed photograph of golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as well as a basket of gift cards to restaurants in the new Town Center development.”
The live auction featured six items, “three of which were a package to the 2019 CMA’s in Nashville, the coveted ‘Head of the School for the Day’”, said Hayes, along with parking perks around school, such as “Carpool Queen” and the student parking spot on campus.
The most exciting item of the year was the “Pick of the Lot” raffle for a car, courtesy of Don Jackson Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram,” said Hayes. Raffle tickets were bought by many different people, and Assistant Athletic Director Lacy Gilbert won the raffle.
The money raised from the Gala is gifted directly to the school by the Wesleyan Parents Club, and this year, “a portion of the Gala proceeds will go to need-based financial aid, while the remaining funds will support the Campaign for Students,” said Cleveland in a letter to the Wesleyan Community. The money from the Gala is also being used to fund the process of building the STEM building and relocating Agape Softball Field in order for the STEM building to begin.
The Gala is held bi-annually, so the planning for the next Gala usually occurs at least 18 months in advance. While the 2019 Gala has come in gone, preparation for the 2021 Gala is soon to be underway.
“It is important for any community to have events that serve as ‘rallying points’ for the school. We have several of those, big and small, throughout the school year, but the Gala is unique. An off-campus event that serves as a great community building celebration of the school we love,” said Cleveland.
