Have you ever had an invitation to be in a “Slim Aarons-esque” photo shoot? Sounds like fun, right? And that was exactly what it was! Photo credit: Nick Mele
Hooray! It is the Salvation Army of Palm Beach County’s 100th anniversary! A momentous occasion deserving of a grand celebration. The Salvation Army was founded in London in 1865, and in 1922, the Palm Beach County location was established. Their motto is “Doing The Most Good,” and they do!
As the appointed Chairwoman of the Salvation Army of Palm Beach County’s centennial gala, I am simply thrilled and honored. I have a BRILLIANT committee to assist me, and we are eager to serve this stellar, worldwide organization.
With the myriad of creative aspects and details required to plan a Ball for 400+ guests, I thought I would share, in a few of my upcoming newsletters, some of the tasks we will encounter and also, have accomplished. From securing donors and sponsors to pay for the celebration, to the protocol of writing a letter to H.M. The Queen, finessing the wording on the engraved invitations (along with the explanation of a White-tie dress code), and obtaining exceptional live-auction items, I look forward to sharing these fascinating facets and nuances with you. You will have a private peek into the planning and execution of this major fundraising event, which we named the “Paradise Ball!”
Susan Cushing and I had our first executive committee meeting at Fox Worth, my apartment in Palm Beach, to discuss our vision for the Paradise Ball…wearing the same dress to set the scene!
Let’s get this party started!
The Paradise Ball will be held on the Tenth of December in Palm Beach. I am grateful to be working alongside Susan Cushing, who is a dear friend, an Honorary Committee member, an event planner extraordinaire, and owner of Espalier Events. We brainstormed on creating a memorable, captivating, and convivial image for the “Reserve the Date” card. We wanted to pique interest and impart a sense of playfulness while adding a hint of old-world elegance. Slim Aarons immediately came to mind! Who is Slim Aarons?
Slim Aarons was a combat photographer during WWII. After the war, he wanted to photograph beauty instead of battlefields. He documented an entire era, from the post-war period to the 1980s, capturing the international elite, the beautiful, and the celebrated. From socialites, movie stars, and royalty, he was an anthropologist capturing glowing images of the good life from a bygone era with his perfected environmental portraits. His mantra was: “Attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places.” His many photographic books are fabulous, offering a visual escape to an insider’s view of a private world of old-school luxury… a lovely thought to ponder in this day and age.
So, the result of our creative vision is what Susan Cushing cleverly orchestrated in the photograph at the top. It is a nod to the past, the charming world of Slim Aarons, and the first step to announcing the Ball. It was shot in Palm Beach by a stunning pool at the home of one of the Salvation Army’s Ambassadresses. Pictured are the fabulous Palm Beach Salvation Army leaders, Honorary Committee members, friends, and Jr. Committee Chair. And, indeed, we had fun doing it!
With the goal of attracting more young members to support the Salvation Army, Farley Rentschler, my darling Chair of the Honorary Junior Committee, has invited the most fabulous, enthusiastic members to assist us with the Ball!
In the present world of turmoil, wars, and viruses, the goal of the “Paradise Ball” is to create oodles of funds for the charity while creating a memorable evening, sparkling with old-world elegance and filled with much, much merriment. We all can use a dose of that recipe, right? Oh, and the motif color… you guessed it: pink!
To be continued…
Xx
Holly
PS
A brief history: The Salvation Army was established by the Methodist minister, William Booth, along with his wife Catherine in 1865. Today, The Salvation Army works to meet human need in 132 countries around the world. The Salvation Army is in every zip code in the U.S. serving more than 30 million Americans in need each year. That’s almost one person every second, every day. According to Forbes Magazine, The Salvation Army is the 4th largest nonprofit in America. The organization is ranked 2nd on the list of America’s Most Favorite Charities by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County has helped countless individuals and families overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services since 1922.